Find My Frost Date!

What are frost dates?

Frost dates indicate the average date of the last frost in spring and the first frost in fall for a given location. They help you know when it's safe to plant outdoors without risking cold damage to tender seedlings.

Most gardeners track two key dates: the last spring frost date, after which it's generally safe to transplant warm-season crops, and the first fall frost date, which signals when to harvest or protect frost-sensitive plants. These dates are given as averages based on historical weather records, so they're guidelines rather than guarantees.

Why the length of your growing season is important

Your growing season is the number of frost-free days between the last spring frost and the first fall frost. A longer growing season means more time to grow warm-weather crops like tomatoes, peppers, squash, and melons.

Knowing your growing season length helps you choose the right varieties for your climate. For example, if you have a short growing season of 90 days, you'll want to select tomato varieties that mature quickly. Gardeners in shorter seasons can also extend their growing time by starting seeds indoors or using row covers and cold frames.

How we determine your frost dates

These dates are based on historical weather data from government weather stations and help gardeners determine when to plant and when to protect or harvest their crops.

We analyze decades of daily minimum temperature records from NOAA's Global Historical Climatology Network (GHCN) and other national weather services to calculate the date when there is a 50% probability of frost (32°F / 0°C). We also provide 30% probability dates for more conservative planting, and hard frost dates (28°F / -2°C) for cold-hardy crops.

What if I have no frost dates?

Some locations may not have frost dates. In tropical or subtropical climates, frost rarely or never occurs, meaning you can grow year-round. If your area has no frost dates, see our guide on growing in warm climates for tips on gardening without a traditional frost season.

On the contrary, in very cold regions, frost may be possible year-round.

Even without traditional frost dates, understanding your local climate patterns is important. Check your monthly temperature and precipitation averages on each station page to better plan your planting schedule throughout the year.