U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00145363 · Kansas

Frost Dates for Minneapolis, KS

NOAA weather station Minneapolis (USC00145363), Kansas · elevation 1306 ft (398 m) · hardiness zone 6b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 3only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 2050% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 1950% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season181 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone6bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Minneapolis, KSSpring: a frost after April 6 in 9 years out of 10, after April 20 in half of the years, after May 3 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 3 in 1 year out of 10, before October 19 in half of the years, before November 1 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 181 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 20First frost ~Oct 19Frost season at Minneapolis, KSSpring: a frost after April 6 in 9 years out of 10, after April 20 in half of the years, after May 3 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 3 in 1 year out of 10, before October 19 in half of the years, before November 1 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 181 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 20First frost ~Oct 19
frost likely chance fading 90% → 10% frost-free in a typical yearThe year at a glance. Blue: frost is likely; the gradient fades as the chance drops from 90% to 10%; green: the frost-free part of a typical year.

Frost dates (32°F)

Probability of frost, based on 30 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 3October 3
50% (typical)April 20October 19
90% (likely)April 6November 1
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
181 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 10
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 29

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 20 (same as the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 22 (3 days later). Frost-free season 186 days.

A shorter, more recent NOAA period. The 30-year normals above remain the main reference: 15 years carry more year-to-year noise.

Add these dates to your calendar Yearly reminders for the typical last frost, the lower-risk planting date and the typical first fall frost (.ics).

How the chance of frost changes with the date

Spring at Minneapolis: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 3, 20% April 30, 30% April 26, 40% April 22, 50% April 20, 60% April 16, 70% April 14, 80% April 10, 90% April 6. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 22, 2022 April 26, 2023 April 24, 2024 April 5, 2025 April 16, 2026 April 19.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 3Apr 20Apr 62021: April 222022: April 262023: April 242024: April 52025: April 162026: April 19Fall at Minneapolis: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 3, 20% October 10, 30% October 13, 40% October 16, 50% October 19, 60% October 21, 70% October 24, 80% October 28, 90% November 1. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 13, 2022 October 17, 2023 October 28, 2024 October 16, 2025 October 30.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 3Oct 19Nov 12021: November 132022: October 172023: October 282024: October 162025: October 30
Two charts, because spring and fall answer different questions: in spring, the chance that a frost still comes after a date; in fall, the chance that the first frost has already come before it. NOAA publishes these odds from 10% to 90%, so the lines stop there. ◆ marks the actual date in each recent year.

What actually happened in recent years

Observed dates of the last spring and first fall frost (32°F) at this station; ◆ marks them on the charts above
YearLast spring frostFirst fall frost
2021April 22November 13
2022April 26October 17
2023April 24October 28
2024April 5October 16
2025April 16October 30
2026April 19season not over yet

What these dates mean

Setting out tender crops on the early spring date, April 6, carries a 90% chance that a frost will occur later, making it a gamble for any gardener in Minneapolis.

The 50% date for spring light frost is April 20; at that point there is a 50% chance of a frost later than this date. In fall the 50% date is October 19, with a 50% chance of a frost earlier than this date. A cautious plan therefore waits until the May 3 date, which has only a 10% chance of a later frost, and finishes tender crops by the October 3 date, which has only a 10% chance of an earlier frost.

Hard frost at 28 °F can injure plants that survive a 32 °F light frost, so the hard-frost 50% dates—April 10 and October 29—mark a more severe risk.

How to read the probabilities

The dates are probabilities from 30 years of weather, not a forecast for this year.

  • Spring: "10% after May 3" means that in about one spring out of ten a frost still happens after that date. The 90% date is the earliest: a frost after it happens in most years.
  • Fall: "10% before October 3" means that in about one fall out of ten the first frost arrives before that date.
  • 50% is the typical date: half of the years are earlier, half are later.
  • A light frost (32°F) damages tender plants; a hard frost (28°F) also stops most hardy vegetables.

Nearby weather stations

Map of weather stations near Minneapolis, KSNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Concordia, KS — 30 mi; 2 — Abilene, KS — 30 mi; 3 — Beloit, KS — 32 mi; 4 — Clay Center, KS — 35 mi; 5 — Kanopolis Lake, KS — 38 mi.25 mi · 40 km1. Concordia, KS — 30 mi12. Abilene, KS — 30 mi23. Beloit, KS — 32 mi34. Clay Center, KS — 35 mi45. Kanopolis Lake, KS — 38 mi5
  1. Concordia, KS 30 mi (48 km)
  2. Abilene, KS 30 mi (48 km)
  3. Beloit, KS 32 mi (51 km)
  4. Clay Center, KS 35 mi (57 km)
  5. Kanopolis Lake, KS 38 mi (62 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 6b: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 39.1247, -97.7047.