U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00148250 · Kansas

Frost Dates for Troy, KS

NOAA weather station Troy 3 N (USC00148250), Kansas · elevation 1040 ft (317 m) · hardiness zone 6a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 5only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 1950% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 1950% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season182 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone6acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Troy, KSSpring: a frost after April 4 in 9 years out of 10, after April 19 in half of the years, after May 5 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 2 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: 182 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 19First frost ~Oct 19Frost season at Troy, KSSpring: a frost after April 4 in 9 years out of 10, after April 19 in half of the years, after May 5 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 2 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: 182 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 19First 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.Today

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 5October 2
50% (typical)April 19October 19
90% (likely)April 4November 1
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
182 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 8
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 29

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 18 (1 day earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 20 (1 day later). Frost-free season 184 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 Troy: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 5, 20% April 30, 30% April 25, 40% April 22, 50% April 19, 60% April 16, 70% April 12, 80% April 9, 90% April 4. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 May 5, 2022 May 23, 2023 May 3.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 5Apr 19Apr 42021: May 52022: May 232023: May 3Fall at Troy: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 2, 20% October 9, 30% October 13, 40% October 16, 50% October 19, 60% October 22, 70% October 25, 80% October 28, 90% November 1. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 October 22, 2022 October 8.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 2Oct 19Nov 12021: October 222022: 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 5October 22
2022May 23October 8
2023May 3incomplete record
2024incomplete recordincomplete record
2025incomplete recordno data
2026no dataseason not over yet

What these dates mean

May 5 is the cautious spring date for Troy, Kansas, because there is only a ten percent chance that a light frost will occur later. Gardeners can plan to set out tender crops on that day with a low risk of frost damage.

The median light-frost date in spring is April 19, meaning a light frost is equally likely to happen later, while the median fall date is October 19, when a light frost is equally likely to happen earlier. For a cautious fall schedule, October 2 serves as the date with only a ten percent chance that a light frost has already arrived, allowing the final harvest of tender crops. The hard-frost median dates are April 8 in spring and October 29 in fall.

A hard frost at 28 °F can damage plants that survive a light frost at 32 °F, so those dates are especially important for protecting tender 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 5" 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 2" 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 Troy, KSNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Oregon, MO — 11 mi; 2 — Horton, KS — 25 mi; 3 — near Falls City, NE — 32 mi; 4 — Conception, MO — 36 mi; 5 — Maryville, MO — 38 mi.MOKSNEIA25 mi · 40 km1. Oregon, MO — 11 mi12. Horton, KS — 25 mi23. near Falls City, NE — 32 mi34. Conception, MO — 36 mi45. Maryville, MO — 38 mi5
  1. Oregon, MO 11 mi (18 km)
  2. Horton, KS 25 mi (41 km)
  3. near Falls City, NE 32 mi (51 km)
  4. Conception, MO 36 mi (57 km)
  5. Maryville, MO 38 mi (61 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: 39.8283, -95.0881.