U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00183415 · Maryland

Frost Dates for Frostburg, MD

NOAA weather station Frostburg 2 (USC00183415), Maryland · elevation 2170 ft (661 m) · hardiness zone 6b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 15only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 2950% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 1850% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season171 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone6bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Frostburg, MDSpring: a frost after April 14 in 9 years out of 10, after April 29 in half of the years, after May 15 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 5 in 1 year out of 10, before October 18 in half of the years, before November 1 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 171 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 29First frost ~Oct 18Frost season at Frostburg, MDSpring: a frost after April 14 in 9 years out of 10, after April 29 in half of the years, after May 15 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 5 in 1 year out of 10, before October 18 in half of the years, before November 1 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 171 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 29First 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 28 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 15October 5
50% (typical)April 29October 18
90% (likely)April 14November 1
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
171 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 17
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 29

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 30 (1 day later than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 22 (4 days later). Frost-free season 177 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 Frostburg: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 15, 20% May 9, 30% May 5, 40% May 1, 50% April 29, 60% April 25, 70% April 22, 80% April 18, 90% April 14. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 26, 2022 April 30, 2023 April 26, 2024 April 22, 2025 April 18, 2026 May 3.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 15Apr 29Apr 142021: April 262022: April 302023: April 262024: April 222025: April 182026: May 3Fall at Frostburg: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 5, 20% October 9, 30% October 12, 40% October 15, 50% October 18, 60% October 21, 70% October 24, 80% October 27, 90% November 1. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 3, 2022 October 18, 2023 October 31, 2024 October 27, 2025 November 7.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 5Oct 18Nov 12021: November 32022: October 182023: October 312024: October 272025: November 7
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 26November 3
2022April 30October 18
2023April 26October 31
2024April 22October 27
2025April 18November 7
2026May 3season not over yet

What these dates mean

October 5 marks the cautious fall date for finishing the harvest of tender crops in Frostburg, as there is only a 10 % chance that a light frost has arrived by then. In spring the cautious date for setting out tender crops is May 15, when the probability of a light frost later than that date is just 10 %. Planting on April 14 carries a 90 % chance of a frost later, and extending the season to November 1 involves a 90 % chance of a frost earlier, both of which are gambles.

The median light-frost dates are April 29 in spring and October 18 in fall; each represents a 50 % chance of a 32 °F frost occurring later (spring) or earlier (fall). The median hard-frost dates are April 17 and October 29. A hard frost at 28 °F can damage plants that would 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 15" 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 5" 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 Frostburg, MDNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Cumberland, MD — 10 mi; 2 — near Westernport, MD — 15 mi; 3 — Keyser, WV — 17 mi; 4 — Oakland, MD — 30 mi; 5 — Everett, PA — 39 mi.PAVA25 mi · 40 km1. Cumberland, MD — 10 mi12. near Westernport, MD — 15 mi23. Keyser, WV — 17 mi34. Oakland, MD — 30 mi45. Everett, PA — 39 mi5
  1. Cumberland, MD 10 mi (16 km)
  2. near Westernport, MD 15 mi (24 km)
  3. Keyser, WV 17 mi (27 km)
  4. Oakland, MD 30 mi (48 km)
  5. Everett, PA 39 mi (63 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: 39.6597, -78.9361.