First frost date by ZIP code
The first frost of autumn ends the season for tomatoes, basil and squash. Enter your ZIP to see when it usually comes, how early it can come, and how many days you have left.
Your fall frost window
For Columbus, Ohio (example)
| Early (10% of years frost by) | Oct 13 |
|---|---|
| Average (50%) | Oct 24 |
| Late (90% of years frost by) | Nov 4 |
| Average first hard freeze (28°F) | Nov 3 |
How early could it come?
October 24
By October 24, about 50 autumns in 100 have already had their first frost.
Curve: chance the first 32°F frost has already happened by each date. Fitted to NOAA's 10%, 50% and 90% dates for this station.
Using your first frost date
For fall crops, count backwards. A broccoli variety that takes 70 days from transplant needs to go in the ground about 10 weeks before your first frost, plus a week or two because growth slows as days shorten. The growing season calculator checks whether a variety will finish in time.
For frost-tender crops, the 10% date is the one to watch: that's when an unlucky early frost becomes a real possibility. Pick green tomatoes that are full size and showing a blush of color; they ripen indoors.
For garlic, the first frost is a starting gun. Planting cloves a few weeks after it gives roots time to grow before the ground freezes. See when to plant garlic.
Crops that shrug off the first frost
Kale, collards, Brussels sprouts, carrots, parsnips, spinach and leeks tolerate light frost, and cold turns some of their starch into sugar. Lettuce and chard handle a light frost but not a hard freeze below 28°F.
First frost dates for major cities
| City | Average first frost |
|---|---|
| New York, NY | Nov 20 |
| Chicago, IL | Nov 5 |
| Houston, TX | Dec 25 |
| Phoenix, AZ | Jan 3 |
| Philadelphia, PA | Nov 17 |
| Dallas, TX | Nov 29 |
| Atlanta, GA | Nov 8 |
| Seattle, WA | Nov 17 |
| Denver, CO | Oct 12 |
| Boston, MA | Nov 9 |
| Minneapolis, MN | Oct 16 |
| Kansas City, MO | Nov 2 |
| Nashville, TN | Oct 31 |
| Portland, OR | Dec 1 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | Nov 8 |
| Columbus, OH | Oct 24 |
| Charlotte, NC | Nov 3 |
| Detroit, MI | Oct 31 |
| Raleigh, NC | Nov 8 |
First frost date FAQ
What is the first frost date?
The first frost date is the average date of the first 32°F night in autumn. NOAA reports it as probabilities: by the 10% date, one year in ten has already had a frost; by the 50% date, half of years have.
How do I find my first frost date by ZIP code?
Enter your ZIP code on this page. Seasonwise matches it to the nearest NOAA station with freeze data and shows the 10%, 50% and 90% first-freeze dates from the 1991–2020 climate normals.
What should I do before the first frost?
Harvest frost-tender crops such as tomatoes, peppers, basil, squash and beans, or cover them with frost cloth on cold nights. Hardy crops like kale, carrots, Brussels sprouts and spinach can stay, and many taste sweeter after a light frost.
What can I still plant before the first frost?
Count back from your first frost date using the days to maturity on the seed packet. Fast crops such as radishes (about 30 days), spinach and lettuce often fit in late summer. Garlic is planted around or after the first frost for harvest next summer.
Ask about fall planting
Enter your ZIP above first and answers will use your local frost dates. Written by an AI model; double-check anything important.