U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00391579 · South Dakota

Frost Dates for Centerville, SD

NOAA weather station Centerville 6 SE (USC00391579), South Dakota · elevation 1276 ft (389 m) · hardiness zone 5a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 15only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMay 250% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 150% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season151 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone5acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Centerville, SDSpring: a frost after April 19 in 9 years out of 10, after May 2 in half of the years, after May 15 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 17 in 1 year out of 10, before October 1 in half of the years, before October 14 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 151 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~May 2First frost ~Oct 1Frost season at Centerville, SDSpring: a frost after April 19 in 9 years out of 10, after May 2 in half of the years, after May 15 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 17 in 1 year out of 10, before October 1 in half of the years, before October 14 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 151 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~May 2First frost ~Oct 1
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 29 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 15September 17
50% (typical)May 2October 1
90% (likely)April 19October 14
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
151 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 24
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 11

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost May 3 (1 day later than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 3 (2 days later). Frost-free season 152 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 Centerville: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 15, 20% May 10, 30% May 7, 40% May 4, 50% May 2, 60% April 30, 70% April 27, 80% April 24, 90% April 19. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 May 11, 2022 May 22, 2023 May 3, 2024 April 24, 2025 April 21, 2026 May 6.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%May 1May 15May 2Apr 192021: May 112022: May 222023: May 32024: April 242025: April 212026: May 6Fall at Centerville: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% September 17, 20% September 22, 30% September 26, 40% September 29, 50% October 1, 60% October 3, 70% October 6, 80% October 10, 90% October 14. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 October 16, 2022 October 7, 2023 October 7, 2024 October 7, 2025 October 22.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Sep 17Oct 1Oct 142021: October 162022: October 72023: October 72024: October 72025: October 22
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
2021May 11October 16
2022May 22October 7
2023May 3October 7
2024April 24October 7
2025April 21October 22
2026May 6season not over yet

What these dates mean

May 15 is the cautious spring light-frost date for Centerville, carrying only a 10 % chance of a frost later; this gives a gardener a low-risk window to set out tender crops.

The 50% light-frost dates are May 2 in spring and October 1 in fall, each marking an even chance of frost. The 50% hard-frost dates are April 24 and October 11, indicating when a 28 °F frost is equally likely. September 17 is the cautious fall light-frost date, with just a 10 % chance of a frost earlier, providing a low-risk point to finish harvesting tender crops. The record covers 29 years, and the span between the 32°F 50% dates is 151 days, indicating the typical frost-free period. A hard frost at 28 °F can damage plant tissue that generally survives 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 15" 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 17" 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 Centerville, SDNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Vermillion, SD — 19 mi; 2 — Hawarden, IA — 21 mi; 3 — Yankton, SD — 26 mi; 4 — Hartington, NE — 35 mi; 5 — Menno, SD — 36 mi.SDIANEMN25 mi · 40 km1. Vermillion, SD — 19 mi12. Hawarden, IA — 21 mi23. Yankton, SD — 26 mi34. Hartington, NE — 35 mi45. Menno, SD — 36 mi5
  1. Vermillion, SD 19 mi (31 km)
  2. Hawarden, IA 21 mi (34 km)
  3. Yankton, SD 26 mi (42 km)
  4. Hartington, NE 35 mi (56 km)
  5. Menno, SD 36 mi (58 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 5a: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 43.0428, -96.9033.