U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00141858 · Kansas

Frost Dates for Cottonwood Falls, KS

NOAA weather station Cottonwood Falls (USC00141858), Kansas · elevation 1232 ft (376 m) · hardiness zone 6b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 3only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 1950% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 1850% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season180 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone6bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Cottonwood Falls, KSSpring: a frost after April 3 in 9 years out of 10, after April 19 in half of the years, after May 3 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 1 in 1 year out of 10, before October 18 in half of the years, before October 30 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 180 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 19First frost ~Oct 18Frost season at Cottonwood Falls, KSSpring: a frost after April 3 in 9 years out of 10, after April 19 in half of the years, after May 3 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 1 in 1 year out of 10, before October 18 in half of the years, before October 30 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 180 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 19First frost ~Oct 18
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 27 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 3October 1
50% (typical)April 19October 18
90% (likely)April 3October 30
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
180 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 7
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 27

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 17 (2 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 20 (2 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 Cottonwood Falls: 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 19, 60% April 16, 70% April 13, 80% April 9, 90% April 3. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 22, 2022 April 26, 2023 April 24, 2024 April 5.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 3Apr 19Apr 32021: April 222022: April 262023: April 242024: April 5Fall at Cottonwood Falls: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 1, 20% October 9, 30% October 13, 40% October 16, 50% October 18, 60% October 20, 70% October 23, 80% October 26, 90% October 30. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 October 30, 2022 October 17, 2023 October 17, 2024 October 16.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 1Oct 18Oct 302021: October 302022: October 172023: October 172024: October 16
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 30
2022April 26October 17
2023April 24October 17
2024April 5October 16
2025incomplete recordno data
2026no dataseason not over yet

What these dates mean

Setting out tender crops on the early spring date, April 3, carries a 90% chance of a frost later than this date, making it a gamble for Cottonwood Falls gardeners. The cautious spring date is May 3, which has only a 10% chance of a frost later than this date. The 50% date is April 19; at this point a frost is as likely as not.

In fall, the cautious date to finish harvesting tender crops is October 1, which carries a 10% chance of a frost earlier than this date. Counting on tender crops this late is a gamble on October 30, when there is a 90% chance of a frost earlier than that date. The 50% date is October 18; at this point a frost is as likely as not. Hard-frost median dates are April 7 in spring and October 27 in fall; a hard frost matters more than a light frost because the colder 28 °F threshold can cause greater damage to plant tissue.

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 1" 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 Cottonwood Falls, KSNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Emporia, KS — 18 mi; 2 — near Council Grove, KS — 21 mi; 3 — Cassoday, KS — 24 mi; 4 — near Marion, KS — 29 mi; 5 — Herington, KS — 30 mi.25 mi · 40 km1. Emporia, KS — 18 mi12. near Council Grove, KS — 21 mi23. Cassoday, KS — 24 mi34. near Marion, KS — 29 mi45. Herington, KS — 30 mi5
  1. Emporia, KS 18 mi (29 km)
  2. near Council Grove, KS 21 mi (34 km)
  3. Cassoday, KS 24 mi (39 km)
  4. near Marion, KS 29 mi (46 km)
  5. Herington, KS 30 mi (48 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: 38.3703, -96.5483.