U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00142835 · Kansas

Frost Dates for Fort Scott, KS

NOAA weather station Fort Scott (USC00142835), Kansas · elevation 884 ft (269 m) · hardiness zone 7a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 22only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 550% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 2850% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season204 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone7acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Fort Scott, KSSpring: a frost after March 21 in 9 years out of 10, after April 5 in half of the years, after April 22 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 14 in 1 year out of 10, before October 28 in half of the years, before November 11 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 204 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 5First frost ~Oct 28Frost season at Fort Scott, KSSpring: a frost after March 21 in 9 years out of 10, after April 5 in half of the years, after April 22 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 14 in 1 year out of 10, before October 28 in half of the years, before November 11 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 204 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 5First frost ~Oct 28
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)April 22October 14
50% (typical)April 5October 28
90% (likely)March 21November 11
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
204 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 27
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 6

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 8 (3 days later than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 27 (1 day earlier). Frost-free season 202 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 Fort Scott: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 22, 20% April 17, 30% April 12, 40% April 8, 50% April 5, 60% April 2, 70% March 31, 80% March 27, 90% March 21. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 23, 2022 April 19, 2023 April 24, 2025 April 9.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1Apr 22Apr 5Mar 212021: April 232022: April 192023: April 242025: April 9Fall at Fort Scott: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 14, 20% October 19, 30% October 22, 40% October 26, 50% October 28, 60% October 31, 70% November 2, 80% November 6, 90% November 11. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 4, 2023 October 30, 2024 October 16, 2025 November 2.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 14Oct 28Nov 112021: November 42023: October 302024: October 162025: November 2
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 23November 4
2022April 19incomplete record
2023April 24October 30
2024incomplete recordOctober 16
2025April 9November 2
2026incomplete recordseason not over yet

What these dates mean

The cautious fall date for finishing the harvest in Fort Scott is October 14, when there is only a 10 % chance a light frost has arrived.

The 50% spring date is April 5, indicating a 50 % chance of a light frost later than this date, while the 50% fall date is October 28, indicating a 50 % chance of a light frost earlier than this date. For a low-risk plan, tender crops are best set out after the cautious spring date of April 22, which carries a 10 % chance of a later frost, and harvested before the cautious fall date of October 14, which carries a 10 % chance of an earlier frost.

Hard frost at 28 °F matters more than a light frost at 32 °F because it can damage or kill plants that would otherwise survive the milder temperature.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after April 22" 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 14" 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 Fort Scott, KSNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Nevada, MO — 18 mi; 2 — Girard, KS — 23 mi; 3 — Lamar, MO — 27 mi; 4 — Butler, MO — 35 mi; 5 — Iola, KS — 40 mi.MO25 mi · 40 km1. Nevada, MO — 18 mi12. Girard, KS — 23 mi23. Lamar, MO — 27 mi34. Butler, MO — 35 mi45. Iola, KS — 40 mi5
  1. Nevada, MO 18 mi (29 km)
  2. Girard, KS 23 mi (37 km)
  3. Lamar, MO 27 mi (44 km)
  4. Butler, MO 35 mi (56 km)
  5. Iola, KS 40 mi (65 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 7a: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 37.8172, -94.6986.