U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00186620 · Maryland

Frost Dates for Oakland, MD

NOAA weather station Oakland 1 SE (USC00186620), Maryland · elevation 2420 ft (738 m) · hardiness zone 6a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 23only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMay 650% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 950% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season156 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone6acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Oakland, MDSpring: a frost after April 21 in 9 years out of 10, after May 6 in half of the years, after May 23 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 26 in 1 year out of 10, before October 9 in half of the years, before October 23 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 156 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~May 6First frost ~Oct 9Frost season at Oakland, MDSpring: a frost after April 21 in 9 years out of 10, after May 6 in half of the years, after May 23 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 26 in 1 year out of 10, before October 9 in half of the years, before October 23 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 156 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~May 6First frost ~Oct 9
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 27 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 23September 26
50% (typical)May 6October 9
90% (likely)April 21October 23
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
156 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 24
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 20

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost May 3 (3 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 19 (10 days later). Frost-free season 165 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 Oakland: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 23, 20% May 17, 30% May 13, 40% May 9, 50% May 6, 60% May 3, 70% April 30, 80% April 26, 90% April 21. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 May 15, 2022 May 9, 2023 May 6, 2024 April 25, 2025 April 28, 2026 May 4.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%May 1Jun 1May 23May 6Apr 212021: May 152022: May 92023: May 62024: April 252025: April 282026: May 4Fall at Oakland: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% September 26, 20% October 1, 30% October 4, 40% October 6, 50% October 9, 60% October 12, 70% October 15, 80% October 19, 90% October 23. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 3, 2022 October 10, 2023 October 11, 2024 October 10, 2025 October 9.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Sep 26Oct 9Oct 232021: November 32022: October 102023: October 112024: October 102025: October 9
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 15November 3
2022May 9October 10
2023May 6October 11
2024April 25October 10
2025April 28October 9
2026May 4season not over yet

What these dates mean

May 23 is the cautious spring date for Oakland, Maryland; with only a 10 % chance of a light frost later, it marks the point when a gardener can set out tender crops. The median light-frost date of May 6 represents an even-odds reference, not a frost threshold, and helps gauge the window around the cautious date. In autumn, September 26 serves as the cautious fall date, carrying a 10 % chance that a light frost has already arrived, allowing a gardener to plan the final harvest of tender crops. The median fall light-frost date of October 9 likewise provides an even-odds marker for timing decisions. The 28 °F hard-frost median dates—April 24 in spring and October 20 in fall—highlight that hard frost, being colder, poses a greater risk of serious plant injury than a light frost.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 23" 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 26" 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 Oakland, MDNumbered nearest stations: 1 — near Westernport, MD — 15 mi; 2 — Keyser, WV — 21 mi; 3 — Parsons, WV — 27 mi; 4 — Frostburg, MD — 30 mi; 5 — near Morgantown, WV — 32 mi.WVPAVA25 mi · 40 km1. near Westernport, MD — 15 mi12. Keyser, WV — 21 mi23. Parsons, WV — 27 mi34. Frostburg, MD — 30 mi45. near Morgantown, WV — 32 mi5
  1. near Westernport, MD 15 mi (25 km)
  2. Keyser, WV 21 mi (34 km)
  3. Parsons, WV 27 mi (43 km)
  4. Frostburg, MD 30 mi (48 km)
  5. near Morgantown, WV 32 mi (51 km)

Sources

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

Station coordinates: 39.4131, -79.4003.