U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00332485 · Ohio

Frost Dates for Eaton, OH

NOAA weather station Eaton (USC00332485), Ohio · elevation 1002 ft (305 m) · hardiness zone 6a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 10only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 2550% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 2050% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season176 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone6acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Eaton, OHSpring: a frost after April 11 in 9 years out of 10, after April 25 in half of the years, after May 10 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 6 in 1 year out of 10, before October 20 in half of the years, before November 1 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 176 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 25First frost ~Oct 20Frost season at Eaton, OHSpring: a frost after April 11 in 9 years out of 10, after April 25 in half of the years, after May 10 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 6 in 1 year out of 10, before October 20 in half of the years, before November 1 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 176 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 25First frost ~Oct 20
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 28 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 10October 6
50% (typical)April 25October 20
90% (likely)April 11November 1
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
176 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 12
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 30

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 23 (2 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 23 (3 days later). Frost-free season 182 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 Eaton: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 10, 20% May 5, 30% May 2, 40% April 29, 50% April 25, 60% April 22, 70% April 18, 80% April 15, 90% April 11. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 May 1, 2022 April 20, 2023 April 26, 2024 April 23, 2025 April 18, 2026 April 21.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 10Apr 25Apr 112021: May 12022: April 202023: April 262024: April 232025: April 182026: April 21Fall at Eaton: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 6, 20% October 11, 30% October 14, 40% October 17, 50% October 20, 60% October 22, 70% October 25, 80% October 28, 90% November 1. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 October 27, 2022 October 14, 2023 October 23, 2024 October 17, 2025 October 24.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 6Oct 20Nov 12021: October 272022: October 142023: October 232024: October 172025: October 24
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 1October 27
2022April 20October 14
2023April 26October 23
2024April 23October 17
2025April 18October 24
2026April 21season not over yet

What these dates mean

May 10 is the cautious spring date in Eaton, offering a 10 % chance of a light frost later and therefore allowing tender crops to be set out with relatively low risk. By contrast, April 11 carries a 90 % chance and is a gamble for early planting.

The median light-frost dates are April 25 in spring and October 20 in fall; each marks a fifty-fifty chance that a 32 °F frost will occur. The median hard-frost (28 °F) dates are April 12 and October 30, and a hard frost can damage plants more severely than a light frost because the lower temperature can freeze cell fluids. In the fall, October 6 is the cautious date, carrying only a ten-percent chance that a light frost has already arrived, and it is the point at which tender crops can be harvested before the risk rises sharply.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 10" 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 6" 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 Eaton, OHNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Franklin, OH — 21 mi; 2 — Dayton MCD, OH — 24 mi; 3 — Dayton, OH — 25 mi; 4 — Greenville, OH — 26 mi; 5 — Fairfield, OH — 27 mi.OHINKY25 mi · 40 km1. Franklin, OH — 21 mi12. Dayton MCD, OH — 24 mi23. Dayton, OH — 25 mi34. Greenville, OH — 26 mi45. Fairfield, OH — 27 mi5
  1. Franklin, OH 21 mi (34 km)
  2. Dayton MCD, OH 24 mi (38 km)
  3. Dayton, OH 25 mi (40 km)
  4. Greenville, OH 26 mi (41 km)
  5. Fairfield, OH 27 mi (43 km)

Sources

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

Station coordinates: 39.7328, -84.6353.