U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00148495 · Kansas

Frost Dates for Wakeeney, KS

NOAA weather station Wakeeney (USC00148495), Kansas · elevation 2445 ft (745 m) · hardiness zone 6b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 7only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 2350% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 1850% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season175 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone6bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Wakeeney, KSSpring: a frost after April 9 in 9 years out of 10, after April 23 in half of the years, after May 7 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 2 in 1 year out of 10, before October 18 in half of the years, before October 30 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 175 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 23First frost ~Oct 18Frost season at Wakeeney, KSSpring: a frost after April 9 in 9 years out of 10, after April 23 in half of the years, after May 7 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 2 in 1 year out of 10, before October 18 in half of the years, before October 30 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 175 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 23First frost ~Oct 18
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 30 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 7October 2
50% (typical)April 23October 18
90% (likely)April 9October 30
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
175 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 13
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 27

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 25 (2 days later than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 20 (2 days later). Frost-free season 178 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 Wakeeney: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 7, 20% May 2, 30% April 30, 40% April 26, 50% April 23, 60% April 20, 70% April 17, 80% April 14, 90% April 9. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 22, 2022 April 17, 2023 April 23, 2024 April 9, 2025 April 16, 2026 April 19.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 7Apr 23Apr 92021: April 222022: April 172023: April 232024: April 92025: April 162026: April 19Fall at Wakeeney: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 2, 20% October 8, 30% October 12, 40% October 15, 50% October 18, 60% October 20, 70% October 23, 80% October 25, 90% October 30. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 4, 2022 October 17, 2023 October 7, 2024 October 16, 2025 October 30.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 2Oct 18Oct 302021: November 42022: October 172023: October 72024: October 162025: October 30
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 4
2022April 17October 17
2023April 23October 7
2024April 9October 16
2025April 16October 30
2026April 19season not over yet

What these dates mean

Planting tender crops on the early spring date of April 9 in Wakeeney carries a 90 % chance of a light frost later that season, making it a clear gamble.

The 50 % date in spring is April 23, meaning there is an even chance of a light frost later in the season; the 50 % date in fall is October 18, meaning there is an even chance of a light frost earlier in the season. For a cautious plan, the spring date of May 7 is used because only a 10 % chance of a light frost remains after that point, and the fall cautious date is October 2, when there is only a 10 % chance that a light frost has arrived earlier.

The hard-frost 50 % dates are April 13 and October 27; a hard frost at 28 °F can damage or kill plants that survive a light frost at 32 °F, so it represents a more serious threat.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 7" 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 Wakeeney, KSNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Quinter, KS — 20 mi; 2 — Plainville, KS — 31 mi; 3 — Hays, KS — 31 mi; 4 — Healy, KS — 49 mi; 5 — Norton, KS — 50 mi.KS25 mi · 40 km1. Quinter, KS — 20 mi12. Plainville, KS — 31 mi23. Hays, KS — 31 mi34. Healy, KS — 49 mi45. Norton, KS — 50 mi5
  1. Quinter, KS 20 mi (32 km)
  2. Plainville, KS 31 mi (50 km)
  3. Hays, KS 31 mi (50 km)
  4. Healy, KS 49 mi (79 km)
  5. Norton, KS 50 mi (81 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: 39.0147, -99.8722.