For easy reference, here is a chart showing the frost dates in the spring and fall for various U.S. cities. (Also, see our frost dates for Canada.)
Dates given are normal averages for a light freeze (32°F); local weather and topography may cause considerable variations. The possibility of frost occurring after the spring dates and before the fall dates is 50 percent. The classification of freezing temperatures is usually based on their effect on plants, with the following commonly accepted categories:
Light freeze:
29°F to 32°F—tender plants killed, with little destructive effect on other vegetation.
Moderate freeze:
25°F to 28°F—widely destructive effect on most vegetation, with heavy damage to fruit blossoms and tender and semi-hardy plants.
Severe freeze:
24°F and colder—damage to most plants.
| City |
State |
Growing Season
(Length in Days) |
Last Frost
Spring |
First Frost
Fall |
| Mobile |
AL |
272 |
Feb. 27 |
Nov. 26 |
| Juneau |
AK |
133 |
May 16 |
Sept. 26 |
| Phoenix |
AZ |
308 |
Feb. 5 |
Dec. 15 |
| Tucson |
AZ |
273 |
Feb. 28 |
Nov. 29 |
| Pine Bluff |
AR |
234 |
Mar. 19 |
Nov. 8 |
| Eureka |
CA |
324 |
Jan. 30 |
Dec. 15 |
| Sacramento |
CA |
289 |
Feb. 14 |
Dec. 1 |
| San Francisco |
CA |
* |
* |
* |
| Denver |
CO |
157 |
May 3 |
Oct. 8 |
| Hartford |
CT |
167 |
Apr. 25 |
Oct. 10 |
| Wilmington |
DE |
198 |
Apr. 13 |
Oct. 29 |
| Miami |
FL |
* |
* |
* |
| Tampa |
FL |
338 |
Jan. 28 |
Jan. 3 |
| Athens |
GA |
224 |
Mar. 28 |
Nov. 8 |
| Savannah |
GA |
250 |
Mar. 10 |
Nov. 15 |
| Boise |
ID |
153 |
May 8 |
Oct. 9 |
| Chicago |
IL |
187 |
Apr. 22 |
Oct. 26 |
| Springfield |
IL |
185 |
Apr. 17 |
Oct. 19 |
| Indianapolis |
IN |
180 |
Apr. 22 |
Oct. 20 |
| South Bend |
IN |
169 |
May 1 |
Oct. 18 |
| Atlantic |
IA |
141 |
May 9 |
Sept. 28 |
| Cedar Rapids |
IA |
161 |
Apr. 29 |
Oct. 7 |
| Topeka |
KS |
175 |
Apr. 21 |
Oct. 14 |
| Lexington |
KY |
190 |
Apr. 17 |
Oct. 25 |
| Monroe |
LA |
242 |
Mar. 9 |
Nov. 7 |
| New Orleans |
LA |
288 |
Feb. 20 |
Dec. 5 |
| Portland |
ME |
143 |
May 10 |
Sept. 30 |
| Baltimore |
MD |
231 |
Mar. 26 |
Nov. 13 |
| Worcester |
MA |
172 |
Apr. 27 |
Oct. 17 |
| Lansing |
MI |
140 |
May 13 |
Sept. 30 |
| Marquette |
MI |
159 |
May 12 |
Oct. 19 |
| Duluth |
MN |
122 |
May 21 |
Sept. 21 |
| Willmar |
MN |
152 |
May 4 |
Oct. 4 |
| Columbus |
MS |
215 |
Mar. 27 |
Oct. 29 |
| Vicksburg |
MS |
250 |
Mar. 13 |
Nov. 18 |
| Jefferson City |
MO |
173 |
Apr. 26 |
Oct. 16 |
| Fort Peck |
MT |
146 |
May 5 |
Sept. 28 |
| Helena |
MT |
122 |
May 18 |
Sept. 18 |
| Blair |
NE |
165 |
Apr. 27 |
Oct. 10 |
| North Platte |
NE |
136 |
May 11 |
Sept. 24 |
| Las Vegas |
NV |
259 |
Mar. 7 |
Nov. 21 |
| Concord |
NH |
121 |
May 23 |
Sept. 22 |
| Newark |
NJ |
219 |
Apr. 4 |
Nov. 10 |
| Carlsbad |
NM |
223 |
Mar. 29 |
Nov. 7 |
| Los Alamos |
NM |
157 |
May 8 |
Oct. 13 |
| Albany |
NY |
144 |
May 7 |
Sept. 29 |
| Syracuse |
NY |
170 |
Apr. 28 |
Oct. 16 |
| Fayetteville |
NC |
212 |
Apr. 2 |
Oct. 31 |
| Bismarck |
ND |
129 |
May 14 |
Sept. 20 |
| Akron |
OH |
168 |
May 3 |
Oct. 18 |
| Cincinnati |
OH |
195 |
Apr. 14 |
Oct. 27 |
| Lawton |
OK |
217 |
Apr. 1 |
Nov. 5 |
| Tulsa |
OK |
218 |
Mar. 30 |
Nov. 4 |
| Pendleton |
OR |
188 |
Apr. 15 |
Oct. 21 |
| Portland |
OR |
217 |
Apr. 3 |
Nov. 7 |
| Carlisle |
PA |
182 |
Apr. 20 |
Oct. 20 |
| Williamsport |
PA |
168 |
Apr. 29 |
Oct. 15 |
| Kingston |
RI |
144 |
May 8 |
Sept. 30 |
| Charleston |
SC |
253 |
Mar. 11 |
Nov. 20 |
| Columbia |
SC |
211 |
Apr. 4 |
Nov. 2 |
| Rapid City |
SD |
145 |
May 7 |
Sept. 29 |
| Memphis |
TN |
228 |
Mar. 23 |
Nov. 7 |
| Nashville |
TN |
207 |
Apr. 5 |
Oct. 29 |
| Amarillo |
TX |
197 |
Apr. 14 |
Oct. 29 |
| Denton |
TX |
231 |
Mar. 25 |
Nov. 12 |
| San Antonio |
TX |
265 |
Mar. 3 |
Nov. 24 |
| Cedar City |
UT |
134 |
May 20 |
Oct. 2 |
| Spanish Fork |
UT |
156 |
May 8 |
Oct. 12 |
| Burlington |
VT |
142 |
May 11 |
Oct. 1 |
| Norfolk |
VA |
239 |
Mar. 23 |
Nov. 17 |
| Richmond |
VA |
198 |
Apr. 10 |
Oct. 26 |
| Seattle |
WA |
232 |
Mar. 24 |
Nov. 11 |
| Spokane |
WA |
153 |
May 4 |
Oct. 5 |
| Parkersburg |
WV |
175 |
Apr. 25 |
Oct. 18 |
| Green Bay |
WI |
143 |
May 12 |
Oct. 2 |
| Janesville |
WI |
164 |
Apr. 28 |
Oct. 10 |
| Casper |
WY |
123 |
May 22 |
Sept. 22 |
| * Frosts do not occur every year. |
For more locations click here.
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Wow, the first frost has
Wow, the first frost has appeared early this year! Hebron, Maryland... October 19, 2009. I should have went with my gut instinct and moved my canister gardens and delicate plants into the garage! You can bet I did last night, the frost was even thicker this morning when I woke up. Let's see what tomorrow morning brings.