Frost dates / By state
Frost dates in Minnesota
NOAA 1991–2020 normals for a 32 °F freeze. Your own yard can run a little either side.
Short answer
Across 17 NOAA weather stations in Minnesota, the average last spring frost runs from April 23 at Minneapolis/St Paul Airport to June 5 at Hibbing Chisholm Hibbing Airport. The first fall frost comes as early as September 8 at Hibbing Chisholm Hibbing Airport and as late as October 18 at Minneapolis/St Paul Airport. Planting zones near these stations run from 3a to 5a.
Minnesota cities
- Frost dates in Minneapolis: last frost April 23, first frost October 18
- Frost dates in St. Paul: last frost April 24, first frost October 16
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.
Minnesota frost dates by weather station
| Station | Last spring frost | First fall frost | Frost-free | Zone nearby |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexandria Muni Airport 1,416 ft | May 2 1 in 10 after May 15 | October 8 1 in 10 by September 27 | 159 days | 4b |
| Baudette Intl Airport 1,082 ft | May 15 1 in 10 after May 31 | September 26 1 in 10 by September 9 | 134 days | 3b |
| Brainerd Crow Wing Co Airport 1,221 ft | May 13 1 in 10 after May 27 | September 27 1 in 10 by September 14 | 137 days | 4a |
| Duluth 1,428 ft | May 13 1 in 10 after May 29 | October 1 1 in 10 by September 18 | 141 days | 4b |
| Goodridge 12 NNW 1,150 ft | May 20 1 in 10 after June 3 | September 17 1 in 10 by September 1 | 120 days | 3b |
| Grand Marais 610 ft | May 22 1 in 10 after June 18 | October 9 1 in 10 by September 25 | 140 days | – |
| Hibbing Chisholm Hibbing Airport 1,352 ft | June 5 1 in 10 after June 25 | September 8 1 in 10 by August 23 | 95 days | 3b |
| Intl Falls Intl Airport 1,183 ft | May 29 1 in 10 after June 16 | September 13 1 in 10 by August 30 | 107 days | 3a |
| Minneapolis/St Paul Airport 872 ft | April 23 1 in 10 after May 7 | October 18 1 in 10 by October 1 | 178 days | 5a |
| Mpls Crystal Airport 861 ft | April 30 1 in 10 after May 17 | October 8 1 in 10 by September 26 | 161 days | 5a |
| Mpls Flying Cloud Airport 907 ft | April 23 1 in 10 after May 6 | October 14 1 in 10 by September 28 | 174 days | 5a |
| Park Rapids Muni Airport 1,434 ft | May 14 1 in 10 after May 27 | September 25 1 in 10 by September 12 | 134 days | 3b |
| Redwood Falls Muni Airport 1,021 ft | April 30 1 in 10 after May 14 | October 4 1 in 10 by September 21 | 157 days | 5a |
| Rochester Intl Airport 1,304 ft | April 30 1 in 10 after May 13 | October 6 1 in 10 by September 22 | 159 days | 4b |
| Sandstone 6 W 1,130 ft | May 13 1 in 10 after May 28 | September 29 1 in 10 by September 15 | 139 days | 4a |
| St Cloud Rgnl Airport 1,018 ft | May 7 1 in 10 after May 23 | September 30 1 in 10 by September 16 | 146 days | 4b |
| St Paul Downtown Airport 700 ft | April 24 1 in 10 after May 10 | October 16 1 in 10 by October 2 | 175 days | 5a |
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.
Other states
Alabama · Alaska · Arizona · Arkansas · California · Colorado · Connecticut · Delaware · Florida · Georgia · Hawaii · Idaho · Illinois · Indiana · Iowa · Kansas · Kentucky · Louisiana · Maine · Maryland · Massachusetts · Michigan · Mississippi · Missouri · Montana · Nebraska · Nevada · New Hampshire · New Jersey · New Mexico · New York · North Carolina · North Dakota · Ohio · Oklahoma · Oregon · Pennsylvania · Rhode Island · South Carolina · South Dakota · Tennessee · Texas · Utah · Vermont · Virginia · Washington · West Virginia · Wisconsin · Wyoming
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)