U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00421171 · Utah

Frost Dates for Capitol Reef National Park, UT

NOAA weather station Capitol Reef National Park (USC00421171), Utah · elevation 5500 ft (1676 m) · hardiness zone 7a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 3only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 1850% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 2850% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season192 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone7acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Capitol Reef National Park, UTSpring: a frost after March 29 in 9 years out of 10, after April 18 in half of the years, after May 3 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 14 in 1 year out of 10, before October 28 in half of the years, before November 11 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 192 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 18First frost ~Oct 28Frost season at Capitol Reef National Park, UTSpring: a frost after March 29 in 9 years out of 10, after April 18 in half of the years, after May 3 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 14 in 1 year out of 10, before October 28 in half of the years, before November 11 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 192 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 18First 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)May 3October 14
50% (typical)April 18October 28
90% (likely)March 29November 11
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
192 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 31
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 7

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 20 (2 days later than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 26 (2 days earlier). Frost-free season 189 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 Capitol Reef National Park: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 3, 20% April 29, 30% April 25, 40% April 22, 50% April 18, 60% April 14, 70% April 10, 80% April 5, 90% March 29. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 18, 2022 April 15, 2023 April 22, 2024 April 8, 2025 April 20, 2026 April 19.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 3Apr 18Mar 292021: April 182022: April 152023: April 222024: April 82025: April 202026: April 19Fall at Capitol Reef National Park: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 14, 20% October 19, 30% October 23, 40% October 26, 50% October 28, 60% October 31, 70% November 4, 80% November 7, 90% November 11. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 October 13, 2022 October 24, 2023 October 29, 2024 October 31, 2025 November 27.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Dec 1Oct 14Oct 28Nov 112021: October 132022: October 242023: October 292024: October 312025: November 27
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 18October 13
2022April 15October 24
2023April 22October 29
2024April 8October 31
2025April 20November 27
2026April 19season not over yet

What these dates mean

May 3 is the cautious spring date for light frost in Capitol Reef National Park, and it gives a gardener the confidence to set out tender crops with only a 10% chance of a frost later than that day. The complementary cautious fall date is October 14, when there is a 10% chance that a frost has already arrived, allowing the gardener to finish harvesting tender crops with minimal risk.

The 50% light-frost dates are April 18 in spring and October 28 in fall; at each of these dates there is a 50% chance of a frost later (spring) or earlier (fall). The 50% hard-frost dates are March 31 and November 7; these mark the points where a hard frost (28 °F) is equally likely to have occurred before or after. Hard frost matters more than light frost because the lower temperature can cause far greater damage to plants.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 3" 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 14" 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 Capitol Reef National Park, UTNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Boulder, UT — 28 mi; 2 — Escalante, UT — 40 mi; 3 — Salina, UT — 44 mi; 4 — near Richfield, UT — 55 mi; 5 — Ferron, UT — 55 mi.UT25 mi · 40 km1. Boulder, UT — 28 mi12. Escalante, UT — 40 mi23. Salina, UT — 44 mi34. near Richfield, UT — 55 mi45. Ferron, UT — 55 mi5
  1. Boulder, UT 28 mi (45 km)
  2. Escalante, UT 40 mi (65 km)
  3. Salina, UT 44 mi (70 km)
  4. near Richfield, UT 55 mi (88 km)
  5. Ferron, UT 55 mi (89 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 7a: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 38.2914, -111.2622.