U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00140682 · Kansas

Frost Dates for Belleville, KS

NOAA weather station Belleville (USC00140682), Kansas · elevation 1530 ft (466 m) · hardiness zone 6a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 5only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 2250% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 1750% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season175 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone6acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Belleville, KSSpring: a frost after April 8 in 9 years out of 10, after April 22 in half of the years, after May 5 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 30 in 1 year out of 10, before October 17 in half of the years, before October 29 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 175 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 22First frost ~Oct 17Frost season at Belleville, KSSpring: a frost after April 8 in 9 years out of 10, after April 22 in half of the years, after May 5 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 30 in 1 year out of 10, before October 17 in half of the years, before October 29 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 175 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 22First frost ~Oct 17
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 28 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 5September 30
50% (typical)April 22October 17
90% (likely)April 8October 29
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
175 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 12
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 26

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 24 (2 days later than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 19 (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 Belleville: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 5, 20% May 1, 30% April 28, 40% April 25, 50% April 22, 60% April 20, 70% April 17, 80% April 13, 90% April 8. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 22, 2022 April 26, 2024 April 20, 2025 April 15, 2026 April 18.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 5Apr 22Apr 82021: April 222022: April 262024: April 202025: April 152026: April 18Fall at Belleville: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% September 30, 20% October 5, 30% October 10, 40% October 14, 50% October 17, 60% October 19, 70% October 21, 80% October 24, 90% October 29. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 October 21, 2022 October 16, 2023 October 27, 2024 October 15, 2025 October 30.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Sep 30Oct 17Oct 292021: October 212022: October 162023: October 272024: October 152025: 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 22October 21
2022April 26October 16
2023incomplete recordOctober 27
2024April 20October 15
2025April 15October 30
2026April 18season not over yet

What these dates mean

The 175 days between the 50% dates in Belleville frame the period that separates the median light-frost risk in spring from that in fall. The spring 50% date is April 22, marking an even chance of a light frost later than this date, and the fall 50% date is October 17, marking an even chance of a light frost earlier than this date. A cautious plan would wait until May 5, which carries a 10% chance of a light frost later, to set out tender crops, and would aim to finish harvesting tender crops by September 30, which carries a 10% chance of a light frost earlier.

Hard frost at 28 °F, recorded by the median dates April 12 and October 26, can injure plants more severely than 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 May 5" 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 September 30" 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 Belleville, KSNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Concordia, KS — 18 mi; 2 — Hebron, NE — 25 mi; 3 — Superior, NE — 27 mi; 4 — Fairbury, NE — 31 mi; 5 — Washington, KS — 31 mi.25 mi · 40 km1. Concordia, KS — 18 mi12. Hebron, NE — 25 mi23. Superior, NE — 27 mi34. Fairbury, NE — 31 mi45. Washington, KS — 31 mi5
  1. Concordia, KS 18 mi (30 km)
  2. Hebron, NE 25 mi (40 km)
  3. Superior, NE 27 mi (44 km)
  4. Fairbury, NE 31 mi (49 km)
  5. Washington, KS 31 mi (50 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 6a: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 39.8186, -97.6378.