U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00333500 · Ohio

Frost Dates for Hannibal Locks & Dam, OH

NOAA weather station Hannibal Locks & Dam (USC00333500), Ohio · elevation 620 ft (189 m) · hardiness zone 6b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 13only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 2650% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 2650% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season182 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone6bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Hannibal Locks & Dam, OHSpring: a frost after April 13 in 9 years out of 10, after April 26 in half of the years, after May 13 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 12 in 1 year out of 10, before October 26 in half of the years, before November 5 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 182 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 26First frost ~Oct 26Frost season at Hannibal Locks & Dam, OHSpring: a frost after April 13 in 9 years out of 10, after April 26 in half of the years, after May 13 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 12 in 1 year out of 10, before October 26 in half of the years, before November 5 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 182 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 26First frost ~Oct 26
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 13October 12
50% (typical)April 26October 26
90% (likely)April 13November 5
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
182 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 13
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 3

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 24 (2 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 29 (3 days later). Frost-free season 187 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 Hannibal Locks & Dam: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 13, 20% May 7, 30% May 2, 40% April 30, 50% April 26, 60% April 24, 70% April 21, 80% April 18, 90% April 13. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 May 13, 2022 April 30, 2023 April 27, 2024 April 24, 2025 April 18, 2026 April 22.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 13Apr 26Apr 132021: May 132022: April 302023: April 272024: April 242025: April 182026: April 22Fall at Hannibal Locks & Dam: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 12, 20% October 17, 30% October 20, 40% October 23, 50% October 26, 60% October 28, 70% October 30, 80% November 1, 90% November 5. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 3, 2022 October 12, 2023 October 31, 2024 October 28, 2025 November 7.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 12Oct 26Nov 52021: November 32022: October 122023: October 312024: October 282025: 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
2021May 13November 3
2022April 30October 12
2023April 27October 31
2024April 24October 28
2025April 18November 7
2026April 22season not over yet

What these dates mean

The 182 days between the 32°F 50% dates of April 26 and October 26 encompass the window for most garden activities at Hannibal Locks & Dam.

The April 26 date marks a 50 % chance of a light frost occurring later, while the October 26 date marks a 50 % chance of a light frost occurring earlier.

For tender crops, the cautious spring date is May 13, when there is only a 10 % chance of a light frost later, and the cautious fall date is October 12, when there is only a 10 % chance of a light frost earlier. Hard frost, defined by the 28 °F 50% dates of April 13 and November 3, can kill plants that would survive the 32 °F light frost, making it a greater risk.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 13" 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 12" 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 Hannibal Locks & Dam, OHNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Middlebourne, WV — 14 mi; 2 — Moundsville, WV — 18 mi; 3 — West Union, WV — 27 mi; 4 — near Wheeling, WV — 34 mi; 5 — Marietta, OH — 35 mi.OHWVPA25 mi · 40 km1. Middlebourne, WV — 14 mi12. Moundsville, WV — 18 mi23. West Union, WV — 27 mi34. near Wheeling, WV — 34 mi45. Marietta, OH — 35 mi5
  1. Middlebourne, WV 14 mi (22 km)
  2. Moundsville, WV 18 mi (28 km)
  3. West Union, WV 27 mi (43 km)
  4. near Wheeling, WV 34 mi (55 km)
  5. Marietta, OH 35 mi (56 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: 39.6667, -80.8667.