U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00194502 · Massachusetts

Frost Dates for Marblehead, MA

NOAA weather station Marblehead (USC00194502), Massachusetts · elevation 84 ft (26 m) · hardiness zone 7a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 13only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 2550% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 2050% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season176 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone7acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Marblehead, MASpring: a frost after April 12 in 9 years out of 10, after April 25 in half of the years, after May 13 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 5 in 1 year out of 10, before October 20 in half of the years, before November 3 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 176 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 25First frost ~Oct 20Frost season at Marblehead, MASpring: a frost after April 12 in 9 years out of 10, after April 25 in half of the years, after May 13 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 5 in 1 year out of 10, before October 20 in half of the years, before November 3 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 176 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 25First frost ~Oct 20
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 26 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 13October 5
50% (typical)April 25October 20
90% (likely)April 12November 3
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
176 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 11
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 31

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 22 (3 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 23 (3 days later). Frost-free season 183 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 Marblehead: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 13, 20% May 5, 30% May 1, 40% April 29, 50% April 25, 60% April 23, 70% April 19, 80% April 17, 90% April 12. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2022 April 18, 2024 April 5, 2025 April 12, 2026 April 24.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 13Apr 25Apr 122022: April 182024: April 52025: April 122026: April 24Fall at Marblehead: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 5, 20% October 11, 30% October 14, 40% October 18, 50% October 20, 60% October 23, 70% October 25, 80% October 30, 90% November 3. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 4, 2023 November 2, 2024 October 29, 2025 November 7.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 5Oct 20Nov 32021: November 42023: November 22024: October 292025: 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
2021incomplete recordNovember 4
2022April 18incomplete record
2023incomplete recordNovember 2
2024April 5October 29
2025April 12November 7
2026April 24season not over yet

What these dates mean

May 13 is the cautious spring date in Marblehead, allowing a gardener to set out tender crops when the chance of a later light frost is only 10 percent. The earlier spring date of April 12 carries a 90 percent chance of a frost and is therefore a gamble. The 50% light-frost date of April 25 carries a 50 percent chance of a frost later than this date, while the 50% hard-frost date of April 11 carries a 50 percent chance of a hard frost later than this date.

In fall the cautious date is October 5, when there is only a 10 percent chance that a light frost has already arrived, so tender crops can be finished harvesting safely. The 50% light-frost date of October 20 carries a 50 percent chance of a frost earlier than this date, and the 50% hard-frost date of October 31 carries a 50 percent chance of a hard frost earlier than this date. A hard frost at 28 °F can damage plants more severely than 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 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 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 Marblehead, MANumbered nearest stations: 1 — Middleton, MA — 10 mi; 2 — near Boston, MA — 12 mi; 3 — Reading, MA — 13 mi; 4 — Jamaica Plain, MA — 19 mi; 5 — Hingham, MA — 19 mi.MANHCTRIVT25 mi · 40 km1. Middleton, MA — 10 mi12. near Boston, MA — 12 mi23. Reading, MA — 13 mi34. Jamaica Plain, MA — 19 mi45. Hingham, MA — 19 mi5
  1. Middleton, MA 10 mi (16 km)
  2. near Boston, MA 12 mi (20 km)
  3. Reading, MA 13 mi (22 km)
  4. Jamaica Plain, MA 19 mi (31 km)
  5. Hingham, MA 19 mi (31 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 7a: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 42.5008, -70.8644.