U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USW00014926 · Minnesota

Frost Dates for Saint Cloud, MN

NOAA weather station St. Cloud Regional Airport (USW00014926), Minnesota · elevation 1018 ft (310 m) · hardiness zone 4b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 23only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMay 750% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostSeptember 3050% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season144 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone4bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Saint Cloud, MNSpring: a frost after April 24 in 9 years out of 10, after May 7 in half of the years, after May 23 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 16 in 1 year out of 10, before September 30 in half of the years, before October 12 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 144 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~May 7First frost ~Sep 30Frost season at Saint Cloud, MNSpring: a frost after April 24 in 9 years out of 10, after May 7 in half of the years, after May 23 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 16 in 1 year out of 10, before September 30 in half of the years, before October 12 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 144 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~May 7First frost ~Sep 30
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 23September 16
50% (typical)May 7September 30
90% (likely)April 24October 12
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
144 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 27
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 8

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost May 4 (3 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 4 (4 days later). Frost-free season 150 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 Saint Cloud: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 23, 20% May 17, 30% May 13, 40% May 10, 50% May 7, 60% May 4, 70% May 2, 80% April 29, 90% April 24. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 May 12, 2022 April 28, 2023 April 26, 2024 April 21, 2025 May 3, 2026 May 20.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%May 1Jun 1May 23May 7Apr 242021: May 122022: April 282023: April 262024: April 212025: May 32026: May 20Fall at Saint Cloud: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% September 16, 20% September 21, 30% September 25, 40% September 27, 50% September 30, 60% October 2, 70% October 4, 80% October 8, 90% October 12. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 October 17, 2022 September 28, 2023 October 10, 2024 October 4, 2025 October 7.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Sep 16Sep 30Oct 122021: October 172022: September 282023: October 102024: October 42025: October 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 12October 17
2022April 28September 28
2023April 26October 10
2024April 21October 4
2025May 3October 7
2026May 20season not over yet

What these dates mean

September 16 marks the cautious fall date for finishing the harvest in Saint Cloud; only a 10 % chance of a light frost has occurred earlier. The 50% date is September 30, meaning a 50 % chance of a light frost earlier than this date, while the 50% spring date is May 7, meaning a 50 % chance of a light frost later than this date. The hard-frost median dates are April 27 and October 8.

For tender crops a cautious spring plan uses May 23, when there is only a 10 % chance of a light frost later; the cautious fall plan uses September 16. A hard frost at 28 °F is more damaging than a light frost at 32 °F, so the April 27 and October 8 dates give a sharper warning for plant survival.

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 16" 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 Saint Cloud, MNNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Santiago, MN — 14 mi; 2 — near Collegeville, MN — 17 mi; 3 — Litchfield, MN — 37 mi; 4 — Mora, MN — 42 mi; 5 — New Hope, MN — 49 mi.WI25 mi · 40 km1. Santiago, MN — 14 mi12. near Collegeville, MN — 17 mi23. Litchfield, MN — 37 mi34. Mora, MN — 42 mi45. New Hope, MN — 49 mi5
  1. Santiago, MN 14 mi (23 km)
  2. near Collegeville, MN 17 mi (27 km)
  3. Litchfield, MN 37 mi (60 km)
  4. Mora, MN 42 mi (68 km)
  5. New Hope, MN 49 mi (79 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 4b: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 45.5433, -94.0514.