U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USW00014828 · Michigan

Frost Dates for Gladwin, MI

NOAA weather station Gladwin (USW00014828), Michigan · elevation 775 ft (236 m) · hardiness zone 5b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 23only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMay 950% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 450% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season148 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone5bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Gladwin, MISpring: a frost after April 26 in 9 years out of 10, after May 9 in half of the years, after May 23 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 22 in 1 year out of 10, before October 4 in half of the years, before October 19 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 148 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~May 9First frost ~Oct 4Frost season at Gladwin, MISpring: a frost after April 26 in 9 years out of 10, after May 9 in half of the years, after May 23 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 22 in 1 year out of 10, before October 4 in half of the years, before October 19 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 148 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~May 9First frost ~Oct 4
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 27 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 23September 22
50% (typical)May 9October 4
90% (likely)April 26October 19
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
148 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 30
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 17

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost May 6 (3 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 13 (9 days later). Frost-free season 158 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 Gladwin: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 23, 20% May 19, 30% May 16, 40% May 12, 50% May 9, 60% May 6, 70% May 3, 80% April 30, 90% April 26. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 May 14, 2022 May 8, 2023 May 18, 2024 April 27, 2025 May 10, 2026 May 13.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%May 1Jun 1May 23May 9Apr 262021: May 142022: May 82023: May 182024: April 272025: May 102026: May 13Fall at Gladwin: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% September 22, 20% September 27, 30% October 1, 40% October 2, 50% October 4, 60% October 7, 70% October 10, 80% October 13, 90% October 19. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 October 22, 2022 October 8, 2023 October 23, 2024 October 10, 2025 October 10.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Sep 22Oct 4Oct 192021: October 222022: October 82023: October 232024: October 102025: October 10
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 14October 22
2022May 8October 8
2023May 18October 23
2024April 27October 10
2025May 10October 10
2026May 13season not over yet

What these dates mean

May 23 is the cautious spring date in Gladwin, with only a 10% chance that a light frost will occur later, allowing a gardener to set out tender crops with relatively low risk. The 50% spring date, May 9, marks the point at which a light frost is equally likely to happen later, while the 50% fall date, October 4, marks the point at which a light frost is equally likely to happen earlier. For a cautious fall plan, September 22 is the date with only a 10% chance that a light frost has already arrived, providing a window to finish harvesting tender crops. The median hard-frost dates are April 30 in spring and October 17 in fall; they signal when a 28 °F frost is just as probable to have occurred as not.

A hard frost at 28 °F can damage plants that survive a light 32 °F frost, so it matters more to gardeners.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 23" 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 22" 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 Gladwin, MINumbered nearest stations: 1 — West Branch, MI — 24 mi; 2 — near Houghton Lake, MI — 28 mi; 3 — Midland, MI — 29 mi; 4 — Standish, MI — 30 mi; 5 — near Saginaw, MI — 37 mi.25 mi · 40 km1. West Branch, MI — 24 mi12. near Houghton Lake, MI — 28 mi23. Midland, MI — 29 mi34. Standish, MI — 30 mi45. near Saginaw, MI — 37 mi5
  1. West Branch, MI 24 mi (39 km)
  2. near Houghton Lake, MI 28 mi (45 km)
  3. Midland, MI 29 mi (47 km)
  4. Standish, MI 30 mi (48 km)
  5. near Saginaw, MI 37 mi (59 km)

Sources

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

Station coordinates: 43.9758, -84.4908.