U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00128036 · Indiana

Frost Dates for Shoals, IN

NOAA weather station Shoals 8 S (USC00128036), Indiana · elevation 477 ft (145 m) · hardiness zone 6b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 2only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 1550% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 2350% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season189 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone6bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Shoals, INSpring: a frost after March 31 in 9 years out of 10, after April 15 in half of the years, after May 2 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 10 in 1 year out of 10, before October 23 in half of the years, before November 4 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 189 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 15First frost ~Oct 23Frost season at Shoals, INSpring: a frost after March 31 in 9 years out of 10, after April 15 in half of the years, after May 2 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 10 in 1 year out of 10, before October 23 in half of the years, before November 4 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 189 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 15First frost ~Oct 23
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 28 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 2October 10
50% (typical)April 15October 23
90% (likely)March 31November 4
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
189 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 2
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 2

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 16 (1 day later than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 25 (2 days later). Frost-free season 191 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 Shoals: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 2, 20% April 27, 30% April 22, 40% April 19, 50% April 15, 60% April 12, 70% April 9, 80% April 6, 90% March 31. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 22, 2022 April 10, 2023 April 24, 2024 March 29, 2025 April 9, 2026 March 29.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 2Apr 15Mar 312021: April 222022: April 102023: April 242024: March 292025: April 92026: March 29Fall at Shoals: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 10, 20% October 15, 30% October 18, 40% October 21, 50% October 23, 60% October 25, 70% October 28, 80% November 1, 90% November 4. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 3, 2022 October 19, 2023 October 31, 2024 October 17, 2025 October 24.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 10Oct 23Nov 42021: November 32022: October 192023: October 312024: October 172025: October 24
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 3
2022April 10October 19
2023April 24October 31
2024March 29October 17
2025April 9October 24
2026March 29season not over yet

What these dates mean

Setting out tender crops on March 31 in Shoals carries a 90% chance that a light frost will still occur, making that timing a gamble for growers. The 50% spring date, April 15, marks the point where the odds of a light frost later than the date are even, and the 50% fall date, October 23, marks an even split for a light frost earlier than the date.

A cautious planting schedule would wait until May 2 for tender crops in spring, when there is only a 10% chance of a light frost after that date, and would aim to finish harvesting by October 10 in fall, which carries only a 10% chance that a light frost has already arrived. The median hard-frost dates are April 2 in spring and November 2 in fall, indicating when a 28°F frost is equally likely to have happened or not.

Hard frost at 28°F can damage plants more severely than a light frost at 32°F because it reaches a lower temperature.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 2" 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 10" 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 Shoals, INNumbered nearest stations: 1 — near French Lick, IN — 8 mi; 2 — Paoli, IN — 17 mi; 3 — near Oolitic, IN — 27 mi; 4 — Vincennes, IN — 40 mi; 5 — Tell City, IN — 41 mi.ILKY25 mi · 40 km1. near French Lick, IN — 8 mi12. Paoli, IN — 17 mi23. near Oolitic, IN — 27 mi34. Vincennes, IN — 40 mi45. Tell City, IN — 41 mi5
  1. near French Lick, IN 8 mi (14 km)
  2. Paoli, IN 17 mi (27 km)
  3. near Oolitic, IN 27 mi (43 km)
  4. Vincennes, IN 40 mi (64 km)
  5. Tell City, IN 41 mi (67 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: 38.5528, -86.7944.