U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00149080 · Kansas

Frost Dates for Yates Center, KS

NOAA weather station Yates Center (USC00149080), Kansas · elevation 1112 ft (339 m) · hardiness zone 6b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 26only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 1050% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 2850% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season198 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone6bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Yates Center, KSSpring: a frost after March 26 in 9 years out of 10, after April 10 in half of the years, after April 26 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 13 in 1 year out of 10, before October 28 in half of the years, before November 9 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 198 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 10First frost ~Oct 28Frost season at Yates Center, KSSpring: a frost after March 26 in 9 years out of 10, after April 10 in half of the years, after April 26 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 13 in 1 year out of 10, before October 28 in half of the years, before November 9 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 198 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 10First frost ~Oct 28
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)April 26October 13
50% (typical)April 10October 28
90% (likely)March 26November 9
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
198 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 1
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 6

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 11 (1 day later than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 27 (1 day earlier). Frost-free season 200 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 Yates Center: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 26, 20% April 20, 30% April 17, 40% April 13, 50% April 10, 60% April 7, 70% April 5, 80% April 1, 90% March 26. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 23, 2022 April 10, 2023 April 6, 2024 March 28, 2025 April 9, 2026 March 29.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1Apr 26Apr 10Mar 262021: April 232022: April 102023: April 62024: March 282025: April 92026: March 29Fall at Yates Center: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 13, 20% October 20, 30% October 23, 40% October 25, 50% October 28, 60% October 30, 70% November 2, 80% November 5, 90% November 9. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 13, 2022 October 18, 2023 October 30, 2024 November 21, 2025 November 10.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 13Oct 28Nov 92021: November 132022: October 182023: October 302024: November 212025: November 10
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 23November 13
2022April 10October 18
2023April 6October 30
2024March 28November 21
2025April 9November 10
2026March 29season not over yet

What these dates mean

The 198 days between the 50% dates in Yates Center mark the span when a light frost (32 °F) is less likely than not. The 50% date is April 10 in spring and the 50% date is October 28 in fall; the hard-frost 50% dates are April 1 and November 6. During this period a gardener can count on a lower-than-even chance that a light frost will arrive.

For a cautious plan the spring date to set out tender crops is April 26, which carries only a 10 % chance of a frost later. In fall the cautious date to finish harvesting tender crops is October 13, with only a 10 % chance of a frost earlier. A hard frost at 28 °F can damage or kill plants that would survive a light frost at 32 °F.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after April 26" 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 13" 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 Yates Center, KSNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Iola, KS — 17 mi; 2 — near Chanute, KS — 20 mi; 3 — Eureka, KS — 30 mi; 4 — Garnett, KS — 39 mi; 5 — Howard, KS — 41 mi.KSMO25 mi · 40 km1. Iola, KS — 17 mi12. near Chanute, KS — 20 mi23. Eureka, KS — 30 mi34. Garnett, KS — 39 mi45. Howard, KS — 41 mi5
  1. Iola, KS 17 mi (27 km)
  2. near Chanute, KS 20 mi (32 km)
  3. Eureka, KS 30 mi (48 km)
  4. Garnett, KS 39 mi (63 km)
  5. Howard, KS 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: 37.8833, -95.7278.