U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00475808 · Wisconsin

Frost Dates for Neillsville, WI

NOAA weather station Neillsville 3 ESE (USC00475808), Wisconsin · elevation 1080 ft (329 m) · hardiness zone 4b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 25only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMay 1050% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 150% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season144 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone4bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Neillsville, WISpring: a frost after April 26 in 9 years out of 10, after May 10 in half of the years, after May 25 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 18 in 1 year out of 10, before October 1 in half of the years, before October 14 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 144 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~May 10First frost ~Oct 1Frost season at Neillsville, WISpring: a frost after April 26 in 9 years out of 10, after May 10 in half of the years, after May 25 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 18 in 1 year out of 10, before October 1 in half of the years, before October 14 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 144 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~May 10First frost ~Oct 1
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.Today

Frost dates (32°F)

Probability of frost, based on 26 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 25September 18
50% (typical)May 10October 1
90% (likely)April 26October 14
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
144 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 30
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 10

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost May 6 (4 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 6 (5 days later). Frost-free season 151 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 Neillsville: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 25, 20% May 19, 30% May 16, 40% May 13, 50% May 10, 60% May 7, 70% May 4, 80% April 30, 90% April 26. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 May 29, 2022 May 23, 2023 May 3, 2024 April 25, 2025 April 20, 2026 May 11.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%May 1Jun 1May 25May 10Apr 262021: May 292022: May 232023: May 32024: April 252025: April 202026: May 11Fall at Neillsville: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% September 18, 20% September 23, 30% September 26, 40% September 28, 50% October 1, 60% October 3, 70% October 5, 80% October 9, 90% October 14. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 October 16, 2022 September 28, 2023 October 17, 2024 October 7, 2025 October 20.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Sep 18Oct 1Oct 142021: October 162022: September 282023: October 172024: October 72025: October 20
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
2021May 29October 16
2022May 23September 28
2023May 3October 17
2024April 25October 7
2025April 20October 20
2026May 11season not over yet

What these dates mean

May 25 marks the cautious spring date in Neillsville, with only a 10% chance of a light frost later, so a gardener can plan to set out tender crops with minimal risk. The 50% light-frost date is May 10, indicating an even odds of a frost, while the 50% fall light-frost date is October 1; similarly, the median hard-frost dates are April 30 in spring and October 10 in fall. For a careful autumn schedule the cautious fall date is September 18, when there is just a 10% chance that a light frost has already arrived, allowing harvest of tender crops to be finished. A hard frost at 28 °F can damage plants more severely than a light frost at 32 °F, so its timing—April 30 in spring and October 10 in fall—is especially important for protecting sensitive crops.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 25" 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 September 18" 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 Neillsville, WINumbered nearest stations: 1 — Marshfield, WI — 21 mi; 2 — Mather, WI — 27 mi; 3 — Medford, WI — 42 mi; 4 — Sparta, WI — 44 mi; 5 — Stevens Point, WI — 47 mi.MN25 mi · 40 km1. Marshfield, WI — 21 mi12. Mather, WI — 27 mi23. Medford, WI — 42 mi34. Sparta, WI — 44 mi45. Stevens Point, WI — 47 mi5
  1. Marshfield, WI 21 mi (34 km)
  2. Mather, WI 27 mi (43 km)
  3. Medford, WI 42 mi (68 km)
  4. Sparta, WI 44 mi (71 km)
  5. Stevens Point, WI 47 mi (75 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 4b: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 44.5378, -90.535.