First and last frost dates by zone and state
Your last spring frost and first fall frost bracket the growing season, and almost every planting date is counted from one of them. Here are the typical dates for every USDA hardiness zone and every US state.
How frost dates work, explained · Seed starting calendar · Planting calendars by zone
Frost dates by hardiness zone
| Zone | Last spring frost | First fall frost | Frost-free days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | May 15 | September 15 | 123 |
| Zone 4 | May 10 | September 21 | 134 |
| Zone 5 | April 30 | October 1 | 154 |
| Zone 6 | April 21 | October 17 | 179 |
| Zone 7 | April 10 | October 29 | 202 |
| Zone 8 | March 28 | November 7 | 224 |
| Zone 9 | March 1 | December 1 | 275 |
| Zone 10 | January 31 | December 15 | 318 |
| Zone 11 | January 1 | December 31 | 365 |
Frost dates by state
Alabama
Zones 7 to 9Alaska
Zones 3 to 8Arizona
Zones 4 to 10Arkansas
Zones 6 to 8California
Zones 5 to 11Colorado
Zones 3 to 7Connecticut
Zones 5 to 7Delaware
Zone 7Florida
Zones 8 to 11Georgia
Zones 6 to 9Hawaii
Zone 11Idaho
Zones 3 to 7Illinois
Zones 5 to 7Indiana
Zones 5 to 7Iowa
Zones 4 to 6Kansas
Zones 5 to 7Kentucky
Zones 6 to 7Louisiana
Zones 8 to 10Maine
Zones 3 to 6Maryland
Zones 5 to 8Massachusetts
Zones 5 to 7Michigan
Zones 4 to 6Minnesota
Zones 3 to 5Mississippi
Zones 7 to 9Missouri
Zones 5 to 7Montana
Zones 3 to 6Nebraska
Zones 4 to 6Nevada
Zones 4 to 10New Hampshire
Zones 3 to 6New Jersey
Zones 6 to 7New Mexico
Zones 4 to 8New York
Zones 3 to 7North Carolina
Zones 6 to 8North Dakota
Zones 3 to 4Ohio
Zones 5 to 7Oklahoma
Zones 6 to 8Oregon
Zones 4 to 9Pennsylvania
Zones 5 to 7Rhode Island
Zones 6 to 7South Carolina
Zones 7 to 9South Dakota
Zones 3 to 5Tennessee
Zones 6 to 8Texas
Zones 6 to 9Utah
Zones 4 to 9Vermont
Zones 3 to 5Virginia
Zones 5 to 8Washington
Zones 4 to 9West Virginia
Zones 5 to 7Wisconsin
Zones 3 to 5Wyoming
Zones 3 to 6Washington, D.C.
Zone 7Common questions
What is a last frost date?
The average date of the final spring freeze in your area. It is the anchor for spring planting: tender crops like tomatoes and peppers go out after it, and seeds started indoors are counted back from it.
What is a first frost date?
The average date of the first autumn freeze. It closes the season: anything that needs more days to mature than remain before it will not finish, which is why fall sowing dates are counted back from this date.
How do I find my frost dates by ZIP code?
Enter your ZIP or postal code in Dibble and it resolves your hardiness zone and local frost dates, then dates every planting task from them. The tables here give the typical dates by zone and state.
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