Frost dates / By state
Frost dates in Michigan
NOAA 1991–2020 normals for a 32 °F freeze. Your own yard can run a little either side.
Short answer
Across 37 NOAA weather stations in Michigan, the average last spring frost runs from April 20 at Detroit Metro Airport to May 31 at Pellston Rgnl Airport. The first fall frost comes as early as September 18 at Pellston Rgnl Airport and as late as November 3 at Port Hope. Planting zones near these stations run from 4b to 6b.
Michigan cities
- Frost dates in Detroit: last frost April 21, first frost October 31
- Frost dates in Grand Rapids: last frost April 29, first frost October 20
Find yours by ZIP code
The table below is by weather station. For the station nearest you, and your planting zone, type your ZIP code.
Michigan frost dates by weather station
| Station | Last spring frost | First fall frost | Frost-free | Zone nearby |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adrian Lenawee Co Airport 796 ft | April 27 1 in 10 after May 14 | October 20 1 in 10 by October 4 | 176 days | 6a |
| Alpena Co Rgnl Airport 684 ft | May 17 1 in 10 after May 31 | October 1 1 in 10 by September 18 | 137 days | 5b |
| Alpena Wwtp 590 ft | May 5 1 in 10 after May 21 | October 17 1 in 10 by September 30 | 165 days | 5b |
| Ann Arbor Muni Airport 839 ft | May 8 1 in 10 after May 26 | October 4 1 in 10 by September 20 | 149 days | 6a |
| Battle Creek Kellogg Airport 928 ft | April 30 1 in 10 after May 17 | October 19 1 in 10 by October 3 | 172 days | 6a |
| Benton Harbor Airport 643 ft | May 4 1 in 10 after May 22 | October 17 1 in 10 by September 30 | 166 days | 6b |
| Cadillac 1,295 ft | May 19 1 in 10 after June 3 | October 1 1 in 10 by September 17 | 135 days | 5a |
| Chatham 1 SE 875 ft | May 27 1 in 10 after June 12 | September 28 1 in 10 by September 9 | 124 days | 5a |
| Copper Harbor 626 ft | May 10 1 in 10 after June 2 | October 21 1 in 10 by October 3 | 164 days | 6a |
| Detroit City Airport 626 ft | April 21 1 in 10 after May 6 | October 31 1 in 10 by October 17 | 193 days | 6b |
| Detroit Metro Airport 631 ft | April 20 1 in 10 after May 8 | October 27 1 in 10 by October 14 | 190 days | 6b |
| Detroit Willow Run Airport 777 ft | April 24 1 in 10 after May 11 | October 24 1 in 10 by October 7 | 183 days | 6a |
| Escanaba 590 ft | May 13 1 in 10 after May 31 | October 7 1 in 10 by September 26 | 147 days | 5a |
| Flint Bishop Intl Airport 770 ft | May 6 1 in 10 after May 23 | October 10 1 in 10 by September 26 | 157 days | 6a |
| Gaylord 9 SSW 1,461 ft | May 15 1 in 10 after May 30 | October 7 1 in 10 by September 22 | 145 days | 5a |
| Gaylord Otsego Co Airport 1,335 ft | May 22 1 in 10 after June 6 | September 30 1 in 10 by September 10 | 131 days | 5a |
| Gladwin 775 ft | May 9 1 in 10 after May 23 | October 4 1 in 10 by September 22 | 148 days | 5b |
| Grand Marais 2 E 624 ft | May 27 1 in 10 after June 13 | October 10 1 in 10 by September 25 | 136 days | – |
| Grand Rapids 778 ft | April 29 1 in 10 after May 15 | October 20 1 in 10 by October 4 | 174 days | 6a |
| Hancock Houghton Co Airport 1,063 ft | May 17 1 in 10 after June 3 | October 1 1 in 10 by September 16 | 137 days | 5b |
| Holland Tulip City Airport 689 ft | April 28 1 in 10 after May 16 | October 21 1 in 10 by October 4 | 176 days | 6b |
| Houghton Lk Roscommon Airport 1,151 ft | May 19 1 in 10 after June 3 | September 23 1 in 10 by September 6 | 127 days | 5a |
| Iron Mtn Ford Airport 1,149 ft | May 25 1 in 10 after June 6 | September 24 1 in 10 by September 8 | 122 days | 4b |
| Jackson Reynolds Fld 998 ft | May 1 1 in 10 after May 18 | October 14 1 in 10 by September 30 | 166 days | 6a |
| Kalamazoo Battle Ck Intl Airport 868 ft | April 28 1 in 10 after May 13 | October 18 1 in 10 by October 2 | 173 days | 6a |
| Lansing Capital City Airport 841 ft | May 1 1 in 10 after May 18 | October 13 1 in 10 by September 29 | 165 days | 6a |
| Marquette 665 ft | May 8 1 in 10 after May 23 | October 21 1 in 10 by October 6 | 166 days | 5b |
| Marquette 1,411 ft | May 22 1 in 10 after June 4 | September 29 1 in 10 by September 11 | 130 days | 5b |
| Mt Clemens Ang Base 580 ft | April 30 1 in 10 after May 15 | October 24 1 in 10 by October 7 | 177 days | 6b |
| Munsing Lakeshore 612 ft | May 23 1 in 10 after June 8 | October 10 1 in 10 by September 23 | 140 days | 5b |
| Muskegon Co Airport 625 ft | April 30 1 in 10 after May 18 | October 19 1 in 10 by October 2 | 172 days | 6b |
| Pellston Rgnl Airport 705 ft | May 31 1 in 10 after June 21 | September 18 1 in 10 by September 2 | 110 days | 5a |
| Pontiac Oakland Co Intl Airport 976 ft | April 29 1 in 10 after May 14 | October 20 1 in 10 by October 5 | 174 days | 6a |
| Port Hope 590 ft | April 28 1 in 10 after May 14 | November 3 1 in 10 by October 21 | 189 days | 6a |
| Saginaw Mbs Intl Airport 660 ft | April 26 1 in 10 after May 13 | October 17 1 in 10 by October 2 | 174 days | 6a |
| Sault Ste Marie Sanderson Fld 722 ft | May 9 1 in 10 after May 27 | October 11 1 in 10 by September 26 | 155 days | 4b |
| Traverse City Cherry Cptl Airport 618 ft | May 12 1 in 10 after May 27 | October 16 1 in 10 by October 1 | 157 days | 6a |
The average date is NOAA's 50% date: half of years have a later last frost, or an earlier first one. Plan by the 1-in-10 date if a freeze would cost you plants. Stations are NOAA's main weather stations, mostly airports. “Zone nearby” is the USDA 2023 zone of the nearest ZIP code within 10 miles. NOAA counts the frost season from August to July, so in the warmest places the “first fall” freeze lands after New Year.
How these dates work
Frost dates come from NOAA's 1991 to 2020 Climate Normals, which work out from each weather station's daily lows how likely the last spring freeze and the first fall freeze (32 °F) are by each date. We use the station nearest the middle of your ZIP code and show its height and distance, since a station on a hill or by a lake can differ from your yard.
The average date is the 50% date: half of years have a freeze after the spring date or before the fall one. The 1-in-10 dates are NOAA's 10% dates, the ones to plan by if a late freeze would cost you plants. Within one yard, cold air pools in low spots while walls and paving hold heat, so some corners freeze before others.
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Where the numbers come from
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, 2023. Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture
- PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University (zone data)
- NOAA NCEI, U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, annual/seasonal
- NOAA, Normals calculation methodology (frost-freeze probability dates)
- US Census Bureau, 2025 ZCTA gazetteer (ZIP code centers)