U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00332651 · Ohio

Frost Dates for Fairfield, OH

NOAA weather station Fairfield (USC00332651), Ohio · elevation 575 ft (175 m) · hardiness zone 6b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 7only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 1950% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 2250% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season186 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone6bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Fairfield, OHSpring: a frost after April 2 in 9 years out of 10, after April 19 in half of the years, after May 7 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 9 in 1 year out of 10, before October 22 in half of the years, before November 3 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 186 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 19First frost ~Oct 22Frost season at Fairfield, OHSpring: a frost after April 2 in 9 years out of 10, after April 19 in half of the years, after May 7 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 9 in 1 year out of 10, before October 22 in half of the years, before November 3 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 186 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 19First frost ~Oct 22
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 7October 9
50% (typical)April 19October 22
90% (likely)April 2November 3
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
186 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 6
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 1

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 25 (3 days later). Frost-free season 189 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 Fairfield: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 7, 20% May 1, 30% April 26, 40% April 22, 50% April 19, 60% April 16, 70% April 13, 80% April 9, 90% April 2. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 24, 2022 April 19, 2023 May 2, 2024 April 22, 2025 April 13, 2026 May 16.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 7Apr 19Apr 22021: April 242022: April 192023: May 22024: April 222025: April 132026: May 16Fall at Fairfield: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 9, 20% October 14, 30% October 17, 40% October 20, 50% October 22, 60% October 24, 70% October 28, 80% October 30, 90% November 3. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 2, 2022 October 9, 2023 October 31, 2024 October 28, 2025 October 24.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 9Oct 22Nov 32021: November 22022: October 92023: October 312024: October 282025: 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
2021April 24November 2
2022April 19October 9
2023May 2October 31
2024April 22October 28
2025April 13October 24
2026May 16season not over yet

What these dates mean

The cautious fall date for finishing the harvest in Fairfield is October 9, when there is only a 10% chance that a light frost has arrived.

For a gardener, the 50% date of April 19 means there is a 50% chance of a light frost later than that day, while the 50% date of October 22 means there is a 50% chance of a light frost earlier than that day. The cautious spring date for setting out tender crops is May 7, which carries a 10% chance of a later frost, and the cautious fall date for wrapping up tender crops is October 9, with a 10% chance of an earlier frost.

A hard frost at 28 °F is more damaging than a light frost at 32 °F, and the median hard-frost dates are April 6 in spring and November 1 in fall.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 7" 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 9" 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 Fairfield, OHNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Cheviot, OH — 13 mi; 2 — near Cincinnati, OH — 19 mi; 3 — Franklin, OH — 20 mi; 4 — near Burlington, KY — 22 mi; 5 — Eaton, OH — 27 mi.OHINKY25 mi · 40 km1. Cheviot, OH — 13 mi12. near Cincinnati, OH — 19 mi23. Franklin, OH — 20 mi34. near Burlington, KY — 22 mi45. Eaton, OH — 27 mi5
  1. Cheviot, OH 13 mi (22 km)
  2. near Cincinnati, OH 19 mi (31 km)
  3. Franklin, OH 20 mi (33 km)
  4. near Burlington, KY 22 mi (35 km)
  5. Eaton, OH 27 mi (43 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: 39.3478, -84.5897.