U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00143554 · Kansas

Frost Dates for Healy, KS

NOAA weather station Healy (USC00143554), Kansas · elevation 2850 ft (869 m) · hardiness zone 6a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 10only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 2850% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 1550% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season169 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone6acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Healy, KSSpring: a frost after April 15 in 9 years out of 10, after April 28 in half of the years, after May 10 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 1 in 1 year out of 10, before October 15 in half of the years, before October 25 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 169 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 28First frost ~Oct 15Frost season at Healy, KSSpring: a frost after April 15 in 9 years out of 10, after April 28 in half of the years, after May 10 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 1 in 1 year out of 10, before October 15 in half of the years, before October 25 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 169 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 28First 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 27 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 10October 1
50% (typical)April 28October 15
90% (likely)April 15October 25
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
169 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 18
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 23

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 29 (1 day later than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 17 (2 days later). Frost-free season 171 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 Healy: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 10, 20% May 5, 30% May 2, 40% April 30, 50% April 28, 60% April 26, 70% April 22, 80% April 19, 90% April 15. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 22, 2022 April 26, 2023 April 29, 2024 April 10, 2025 April 16, 2026 April 19.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 10Apr 28Apr 152021: April 222022: April 262023: April 292024: April 102025: April 162026: April 19Fall at Healy: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 1, 20% October 5, 30% October 9, 40% October 13, 50% October 15, 60% October 17, 70% October 20, 80% October 22, 90% October 25. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 October 16, 2022 October 17, 2023 October 7, 2024 October 16, 2025 October 19.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 1Oct 15Oct 252021: October 162022: October 172023: October 72024: October 162025: October 19
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 22October 16
2022April 26October 17
2023April 29October 7
2024April 10October 16
2025April 16October 19
2026April 19season not over yet

What these dates mean

The cautious fall date in Healy for finishing the harvest is October 1, when there is only a 10 % chance that a light frost has arrived. Gardeners who want to limit risk should aim to complete tender-crop harvesting by that date, and in spring the cautious date for setting out tender crops is May 10, which carries a 10 % chance of a later frost.

April 28 and October 15 are the 50 % light-frost dates, meaning an even chance of frost occurring later in spring or earlier in fall. The median hard-frost dates are April 18 and October 23; a hard frost matters more than a light frost because the 28 °F temperature can cause more severe damage to plant tissue. The interval between the two 32°F 50 % dates, April 28 and October 15, spans 169 days, based on 27 years of observations.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 10" 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 1" 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 Healy, KSNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Scott City, KS — 18 mi; 2 — Quinter, KS — 38 mi; 3 — Oakley, KS — 40 mi; 4 — near Garden City, KS — 43 mi; 5 — Garden City (Airport), KS — 47 mi.CO25 mi · 40 km1. Scott City, KS — 18 mi12. Quinter, KS — 38 mi23. Oakley, KS — 40 mi34. near Garden City, KS — 43 mi45. Garden City (Airport), KS — 47 mi5
  1. Scott City, KS 18 mi (29 km)
  2. Quinter, KS 38 mi (61 km)
  3. Oakley, KS 40 mi (64 km)
  4. near Garden City, KS 43 mi (70 km)
  5. Garden City (Airport), KS 47 mi (75 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 6a: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 38.6003, -100.6197.