U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00141559 · Kansas

Frost Dates for Clay Center, KS

NOAA weather station Clay Center (USC00141559), Kansas · elevation 1201 ft (366 m) · hardiness zone 6b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 2only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 1950% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 1950% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season181 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone6bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Clay Center, KSSpring: a frost after April 4 in 9 years out of 10, after April 19 in half of the years, after May 2 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 2 in 1 year out of 10, before October 19 in half of the years, before October 31 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 181 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 19First frost ~Oct 19Frost season at Clay Center, KSSpring: a frost after April 4 in 9 years out of 10, after April 19 in half of the years, after May 2 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 2 in 1 year out of 10, before October 19 in half of the years, before October 31 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 181 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 19First frost ~Oct 19
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 26 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 2October 2
50% (typical)April 19October 19
90% (likely)April 4October 31
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
181 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 9
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 28

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 18 (1 day earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 22 (3 days later). Frost-free season 186 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 Clay Center: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 2, 20% April 28, 30% April 25, 40% April 21, 50% April 19, 60% April 16, 70% April 13, 80% April 8, 90% April 4. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 23, 2022 April 27, 2023 April 24, 2024 April 5, 2025 April 9, 2026 April 6.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 2Apr 19Apr 42021: April 232022: April 272023: April 242024: April 52025: April 92026: April 6Fall at Clay Center: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 2, 20% October 9, 30% October 13, 40% October 16, 50% October 19, 60% October 21, 70% October 24, 80% October 27, 90% October 31. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 October 30, 2022 October 18, 2023 October 28, 2024 October 16, 2025 October 30.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 2Oct 19Oct 312021: October 302022: October 182023: October 282024: October 162025: 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 23October 30
2022April 27October 18
2023April 24October 28
2024April 5October 16
2025April 9October 30
2026April 6season not over yet

What these dates mean

October 2 marks the cautious fall date for finishing the harvest of tender crops in Clay Center; there is only a 10 % chance that a light frost has arrived before then. The 50 % date of October 19 represents an even chance of a light frost occurring earlier, while October 31 carries a 90 % chance of a light frost already being present, making later planting a gamble.

In spring the cautious date for setting out tender crops is May 2, when a light frost later than that day is only 10 % likely. The 50 % date of April 19 signals an even chance of a light frost later, and April 4 is a 90 % gamble. Hard-frost dates—April 9 in spring and October 28 in fall—matter more because temperatures of 28 °F can damage plants more severely than the milder 32 °F light frosts.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 2" 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 2" 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 Clay Center, KSNumbered nearest stations: 1 — near Manhattan, KS — 30 mi; 2 — Washington, KS — 30 mi; 3 — Concordia, KS — 30 mi; 4 — Abilene, KS — 31 mi; 5 — Minneapolis, KS — 35 mi.NE25 mi · 40 km1. near Manhattan, KS — 30 mi12. Washington, KS — 30 mi23. Concordia, KS — 30 mi34. Abilene, KS — 31 mi45. Minneapolis, KS — 35 mi5
  1. near Manhattan, KS 30 mi (48 km)
  2. Washington, KS 30 mi (49 km)
  3. Concordia, KS 30 mi (49 km)
  4. Abilene, KS 31 mi (50 km)
  5. Minneapolis, KS 35 mi (57 km)

Sources

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

Station coordinates: 39.3739, -97.1275.