U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00213076 · Minnesota

Frost Dates for Gaylord, MN

NOAA weather station Gaylord (USC00213076), Minnesota · elevation 1020 ft (311 m) · hardiness zone 5a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 8only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 2450% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 1550% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season170 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone5acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Gaylord, MNSpring: a frost after April 9 in 9 years out of 10, after April 24 in half of the years, after May 8 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 30 in 1 year out of 10, before October 15 in half of the years, before October 27 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 170 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 24First frost ~Oct 15Frost season at Gaylord, MNSpring: a frost after April 9 in 9 years out of 10, after April 24 in half of the years, after May 8 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 30 in 1 year out of 10, before October 15 in half of the years, before October 27 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 170 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 24First frost ~Oct 15
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 29 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 8September 30
50% (typical)April 24October 15
90% (likely)April 9October 27
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
170 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 14
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 24

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 23 (1 day earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 17 (2 days later). Frost-free season 173 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 Gaylord: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 8, 20% May 4, 30% April 30, 40% April 28, 50% April 24, 60% April 21, 70% April 18, 80% April 14, 90% April 9. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 21, 2022 April 27, 2023 April 26, 2024 April 21, 2025 April 19, 2026 May 7.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 8Apr 24Apr 92021: April 212022: April 272023: April 262024: April 212025: April 192026: May 7Fall at Gaylord: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% September 30, 20% October 4, 30% October 7, 40% October 11, 50% October 15, 60% October 17, 70% October 19, 80% October 23, 90% October 27. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 October 23, 2022 October 8, 2023 October 10, 2024 October 15, 2025 October 22.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Sep 30Oct 15Oct 272021: October 232022: October 82023: October 102024: October 152025: October 22
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 21October 23
2022April 27October 8
2023April 26October 10
2024April 21October 15
2025April 19October 22
2026May 7season not over yet

What these dates mean

Setting out tender crops on April 9 carries a 90% chance of a light frost later, making it a gamble for Gaylord growers.

A cautious spring schedule would wait until May 8, when only a 10% chance of a frost later remains. For the autumn harvest, the low-risk cut-off is September 30, which has just a 10% chance of a frost earlier.

The 50% date of April 24 marks the point where there is an even chance of a light frost later in spring, while the 50% date of October 15 marks the point where there is an even chance of a light frost earlier in fall. The hard-frost 50% dates are April 14 and October 24; a hard frost at 28°F can injure plants more severely than a light frost at 32°F because it reaches a lower temperature.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 8" 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 September 30" 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 Gaylord, MNNumbered nearest stations: 1 — St. Peter, MN — 21 mi; 2 — Jordan, MN — 30 mi; 3 — Chanhassen, MN — 38 mi; 4 — Redwood Falls, MN — 42 mi; 5 — Litchfield, MN — 42 mi.MN25 mi · 40 km1. St. Peter, MN — 21 mi12. Jordan, MN — 30 mi23. Chanhassen, MN — 38 mi34. Redwood Falls, MN — 42 mi45. Litchfield, MN — 42 mi5
  1. St. Peter, MN 21 mi (33 km)
  2. Jordan, MN 30 mi (47 km)
  3. Chanhassen, MN 38 mi (61 km)
  4. Redwood Falls, MN 42 mi (68 km)
  5. Litchfield, MN 42 mi (68 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 5a: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 44.5564, -94.2208.