Your Average First Frost Date

Do you know your city’s average first frost date? Dates listed below are estimated light frost dates (when temperatures are between 29°–32°F). Light frosts may kill tender plants, but cause little destruction to hardier vegetation.

The probability of a frost occurring after the spring date or before the fall frost date listed below is 30%, which means it could occur before or after the dates listed. It’s best to take precautions and protect tender plants during early spring and late fall.

Different Types:

• Light freeze: 29 degrees F to 32 degrees F – tender plants killed, with little destructive effect on other vegetation.
• Moderate freeze: 25 degrees F to 28 degrees F – widely destructive effect on most vegetation, with heavy damage to fruit blossoms and tender and semi-hardy plants.
• Severe freeze: 24 degrees F and colder – damage to most plants.

RELATED: How to protect your plants when frost is coming

*Higher elevations in Hawaii do occasionally see at-or-near freezing temperatures, but definitive dates are not available.

Source for dates: U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Annual/Seasonal Climate Normals (1991-2020)