U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00478171 · Wisconsin

Frost Dates for Stevens Point, WI

NOAA weather station Stevens Point (USC00478171), Wisconsin · elevation 1079 ft (329 m) · hardiness zone 5a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 20only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMay 450% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 750% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season155 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone5acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Stevens Point, WISpring: a frost after April 22 in 9 years out of 10, after May 4 in half of the years, after May 20 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 24 in 1 year out of 10, before October 7 in half of the years, before October 22 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 155 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~May 4First frost ~Oct 7Frost season at Stevens Point, WISpring: a frost after April 22 in 9 years out of 10, after May 4 in half of the years, after May 20 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 24 in 1 year out of 10, before October 7 in half of the years, before October 22 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 155 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~May 4First frost ~Oct 7
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 30 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 20September 24
50% (typical)May 4October 7
90% (likely)April 22October 22
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
155 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 25
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 19

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost May 4 (same as the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 12 (5 days later). Frost-free season 159 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 Stevens Point: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 20, 20% May 15, 30% May 10, 40% May 6, 50% May 4, 60% May 2, 70% April 29, 80% April 26, 90% April 22. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 May 8, 2022 May 5, 2023 April 26, 2024 April 25, 2025 April 26, 2026 May 11.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%May 1Jun 1May 20May 4Apr 222021: May 82022: May 52023: April 262024: April 252025: April 262026: May 11Fall at Stevens Point: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% September 24, 20% September 28, 30% October 1, 40% October 4, 50% October 7, 60% October 11, 70% October 14, 80% October 17, 90% October 22. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 October 18, 2022 October 8, 2023 October 22, 2024 October 16, 2025 October 8.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Sep 24Oct 7Oct 222021: October 182022: October 82023: October 222024: October 162025: October 8
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 8October 18
2022May 5October 8
2023April 26October 22
2024April 25October 16
2025April 26October 8
2026May 11season not over yet

What these dates mean

The cautious fall date to finish harvesting tender crops in Stevens Point is September 24, when there is only a 10 % chance a light frost has arrived. In spring the cautious date for setting out tender crops is May 20, with a 10 % chance of a frost later than that day.

The 50% light-frost date in spring is May 4, representing a 50 % chance of a frost later than this date, and the 50% light-frost date in fall is October 7, representing a 50 % chance of a frost earlier than this date. The 50% hard-frost dates are April 25 and October 19; they mark the points at which a frost of 28 °F is equally likely to have occurred or not.

A hard frost at 28 °F poses a greater risk to plants than a light frost at 32 °F because the lower temperature can cause more severe tissue damage.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 20" 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 24" 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 Stevens Point, WINumbered nearest stations: 1 — Rosholt, WI — 24 mi; 2 — Hancock Experiment Farm, WI — 27 mi; 3 — Waupaca, WI — 28 mi; 4 — Marshfield, WI — 28 mi; 5 — near Wausau, WI — 29 mi.25 mi · 40 km1. Rosholt, WI — 24 mi12. Hancock Experiment Farm, WI — 27 mi23. Waupaca, WI — 28 mi34. Marshfield, WI — 28 mi45. near Wausau, WI — 29 mi5
  1. Rosholt, WI 24 mi (38 km)
  2. Hancock Experiment Farm, WI 27 mi (44 km)
  3. Waupaca, WI 28 mi (45 km)
  4. Marshfield, WI 28 mi (46 km)
  5. near Wausau, WI 29 mi (46 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 5a: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 44.5114, -89.5853.