U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00148287 · Kansas

Frost Dates for Ulysses, KS

NOAA weather station Ulysses 3 NE (USC00148287), Kansas · elevation 3094 ft (943 m) · hardiness zone 6b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 10only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 2850% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 1650% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season171 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone6bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Ulysses, KSSpring: a frost after April 12 in 9 years out of 10, after April 28 in half of the years, after May 10 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 2 in 1 year out of 10, before October 16 in half of the years, before October 27 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 171 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 28First frost ~Oct 16Frost season at Ulysses, KSSpring: a frost after April 12 in 9 years out of 10, after April 28 in half of the years, after May 10 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 2 in 1 year out of 10, before October 16 in half of the years, before October 27 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 171 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 28First frost ~Oct 16
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 29 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 10October 2
50% (typical)April 28October 16
90% (likely)April 12October 27
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
171 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 16
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 24

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 29 (1 day later than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 19 (3 days later). Frost-free season 171 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 Ulysses: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 10, 20% May 5, 30% May 2, 40% April 30, 50% April 28, 60% April 25, 70% April 21, 80% April 17, 90% April 12. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 25, 2022 April 18, 2023 April 22, 2024 April 11, 2025 May 3, 2026 May 8.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 10Apr 28Apr 122021: April 252022: April 182023: April 222024: April 112025: May 32026: May 8Fall at Ulysses: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 2, 20% October 6, 30% October 9, 40% October 13, 50% October 16, 60% October 18, 70% October 20, 80% October 23, 90% October 27. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 October 16, 2022 October 17, 2023 October 14, 2024 October 16, 2025 October 19.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 2Oct 16Oct 272021: October 162022: October 172023: October 142024: October 162025: October 19
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 25October 16
2022April 18October 17
2023April 22October 14
2024April 11October 16
2025May 3October 19
2026May 8season not over yet

What these dates mean

May 10 is the cautious light-frost date for spring in Ulysses; on that day there is only a 10 % chance of a frost later, so a gardener can plan to set out tender crops with low risk.

The 50 % light-frost dates are April 28 in spring and October 16 in fall; at those points the chance of a frost later (spring) or earlier (fall) is even, so they serve as reference points rather than definitive frost limits. The 50 % hard-frost dates are April 16 and October 24, and a hard frost can damage plants more severely than a light frost because the lower temperature causes deeper tissue injury.

October 2 is the cautious light-frost date for fall, carrying only a 10 % chance that a frost has arrived earlier, which guides a gardener in finishing harvest of 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 10" 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 Ulysses, KSNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Lakin, KS — 24 mi; 2 — Hugoton, KS — 30 mi; 3 — near Garden City, KS — 38 mi; 4 — Garden City (Airport), KS — 38 mi; 5 — Cimarron, KS — 54 mi.KSOKCO25 mi · 40 km1. Lakin, KS — 24 mi12. Hugoton, KS — 30 mi23. near Garden City, KS — 38 mi34. Garden City (Airport), KS — 38 mi45. Cimarron, KS — 54 mi5
  1. Lakin, KS 24 mi (38 km)
  2. Hugoton, KS 30 mi (48 km)
  3. near Garden City, KS 38 mi (61 km)
  4. Garden City (Airport), KS 38 mi (62 km)
  5. Cimarron, KS 54 mi (87 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: 37.5983, -101.2908.