U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USW00014820 · Ohio

Frost Dates for Cleveland, OH

NOAA weather station Cleveland (USW00014820), Ohio · elevation 763 ft (233 m) · hardiness zone 6b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 5only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 2050% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostNovember 350% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season198 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone6bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Cleveland, OHSpring: a frost after April 4 in 9 years out of 10, after April 20 in half of the years, after May 5 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 21 in 1 year out of 10, before November 3 in half of the years, before November 17 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 198 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 20First frost ~Nov 3Frost season at Cleveland, OHSpring: a frost after April 4 in 9 years out of 10, after April 20 in half of the years, after May 5 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 21 in 1 year out of 10, before November 3 in half of the years, before November 17 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 198 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 20First frost ~Nov 3
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 5October 21
50% (typical)April 20November 3
90% (likely)April 4November 17
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
198 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 5
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 13

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 18 (2 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 3. Frost-free season 198 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 Cleveland: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 5, 20% April 30, 30% April 27, 40% April 23, 50% April 20, 60% April 17, 70% April 14, 80% April 9, 90% April 4. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 May 1, 2022 April 29, 2023 April 27, 2024 April 25, 2025 April 17, 2026 April 20.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 5Apr 20Apr 42021: May 12022: April 292023: April 272024: April 252025: April 172026: April 20Fall at Cleveland: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 21, 20% October 26, 30% October 30, 40% November 1, 50% November 3, 60% November 5, 70% November 8, 80% November 12, 90% November 17. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 4, 2022 November 17, 2023 October 31, 2024 November 21, 2025 November 10.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Dec 1Oct 21Nov 3Nov 172021: November 42022: November 172023: October 312024: November 212025: November 10
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 1November 4
2022April 29November 17
2023April 27October 31
2024April 25November 21
2025April 17November 10
2026April 20season not over yet

What these dates mean

October 21 is the cautious fall date to finish harvesting tender crops in Cleveland, carrying a 10 % chance that a light frost has arrived earlier. The 50% date is November 3, marking an even chance of a frost before that point, while November 17 represents a 90 % chance that a light frost will have already occurred, making a late-season tender crop a gamble.

In spring, the cautious date for setting out tender crops is May 5, which has only a 10 % chance of a frost later than that day; planting on April 4 carries a 90 % chance of a frost later, a clear gamble. The 50% date is April 20, indicating equal odds of a frost occurring after it. The median hard-frost dates are April 5 in spring and November 13 in fall; a hard frost at 28 °F can destroy plants that survive 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 October 21" 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 Cleveland, OHNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Chardon, OH — 37 mi; 2 — Painesville, OH — 37 mi; 3 — Norwalk, OH — 41 mi; 4 — near Akron, OH — 41 mi; 5 — Wooster, OH — 44 mi.OHPA25 mi · 40 km1. Chardon, OH — 37 mi12. Painesville, OH — 37 mi23. Norwalk, OH — 41 mi34. near Akron, OH — 41 mi45. Wooster, OH — 44 mi5
  1. Chardon, OH 37 mi (59 km)
  2. Painesville, OH 37 mi (60 km)
  3. Norwalk, OH 41 mi (65 km)
  4. near Akron, OH 41 mi (66 km)
  5. Wooster, OH 44 mi (70 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: 41.4131, -81.86.