Kentucky Frost Dates
Kentucky has 97 NOAA weather stations with freeze records in the 1991–2020 climate normals. The typical last spring frost ranges from March 27 at Eddyville 5s to May 2 at Grayson 3 Sw; at half the stations it has come by April 15. The first fall frost typically arrives between October 10 at Shelbyville 1 E and November 9 at Louisville Mcalpine, with a median of October 25.
The growing season between the typical frosts runs from 160 days at Grayson 3 Sw to 225 days at Louisville Mcalpine; 192 days at the median station.
Every station in Kentucky
Typical dates have a 50% chance of a frost after them in spring, and before them in fall; safer dates, 10%. A garden can differ from its nearest station, especially in a valley or on a hillside: see why your garden may differ.
| Station | Elevation | Last frost | Safer | First frost | Safer | Season (days) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashland | 560 ft | Apr 22 | May 11 | Oct 23 | Oct 11 | 181 |
| Augusta 2 | 508 ft | Apr 11 | May 2 | Oct 30 | Oct 16 | 200 |
| Barbourville | 990 ft | Apr 19 | May 6 | Oct 24 | Oct 11 | 187 |
| Bardstown 5e | 780 ft | Apr 13 | May 3 | Oct 25 | Oct 13 | 195 |
| Bardwell 2 E | 410 ft | Apr 6 | Apr 22 | Oct 30 | Oct 18 | 204 |
| Barren Rvr Lake | 615 ft | Apr 12 | Apr 30 | Oct 29 | Oct 16 | 198 |
| Baxter | 1,164 ft | Apr 15 | May 1 | Oct 30 | Oct 17 | 197 |
| Beattyville 4n | 1,080 ft | Apr 12 | May 6 | Oct 25 | Oct 13 | 192 |
| Beaver Dam | 400 ft | Apr 10 | Apr 29 | Oct 22 | Oct 8 | 192 |
| Benton | 365 ft | Apr 9 | Apr 28 | Oct 19 | Oct 6 | 192 |
| Berea College | 1,070 ft | Apr 5 | Apr 23 | Nov 2 | Oct 19 | 213 |
| Bernheim Forest | 550 ft | Apr 18 | May 6 | Oct 25 | Oct 11 | 189 |
| Booneville 12sw | 880 ft | Apr 24 | May 12 | Oct 19 | Oct 7 | 178 |
| Bowling Green 21 Nne | 790 ft | Apr 4 | Apr 24 | Oct 31 | Oct 18 | 209 |
| Bowling Green Warren Co Ap | 523 ft | Apr 5 | Apr 21 | Oct 31 | Oct 20 | 208 |
| Bradfordsville | 660 ft | Apr 22 | May 9 | Oct 20 | Oct 7 | 180 |
| Brandenburg | 615 ft | Apr 19 | May 2 | Oct 24 | Oct 9 | 186 |
| Buckhorn Lake | 780 ft | Apr 19 | May 2 | Oct 25 | Oct 12 | 188 |
| Calhoun Lock 2 | 402 ft | Apr 2 | Apr 20 | Nov 1 | Oct 19 | 211 |
| Cave Run Lake | 840 ft | Apr 17 | May 6 | Oct 25 | Oct 13 | 189 |
| Charley 2 Sw | 740 ft | Apr 24 | May 12 | Oct 17 | Oct 6 | 174 |
| Cincinnati Northern Ky Ap | 869 ft | Apr 18 | May 7 | Oct 25 | Oct 12 | 188 |
| Corners | 615 ft | Apr 25 | May 12 | Oct 16 | Oct 4 | 172 |
| Crab Orchard 6 N | 1,025 ft | Apr 18 | May 9 | Oct 24 | Oct 9 | 188 |
| Cressy | 720 ft | Apr 20 | May 8 | Oct 19 | Oct 8 | 182 |
| Crestwood 4ne | 780 ft | Apr 12 | May 1 | Oct 25 | Oct 11 | 193 |
| Cynthiana | 700 ft | Apr 18 | May 5 | Oct 23 | Oct 13 | 188 |
| Danville | 900 ft | Apr 9 | Apr 29 | Oct 27 | Oct 16 | 199 |
| Dix Dam | 870 ft | Apr 7 | Apr 24 | Nov 1 | Oct 20 | 206 |
| Eastern Kentucky Univ | 1,000 ft | Apr 15 | Apr 30 | Oct 22 | Oct 10 | 190 |
| Eddyville 5s | 523 ft | Mar 27 | Apr 12 | Nov 8 | Oct 27 | 225 |
| Elizabethtown Wp Cs | 690 ft | Apr 16 | May 4 | Oct 25 | Oct 13 | 191 |
| Elkton | 619 ft | Apr 3 | Apr 21 | Oct 29 | Oct 17 | 207 |
| Flemingsburg 2 N | 940 ft | Apr 12 | May 2 | Oct 30 | Oct 17 | 200 |
| Frankfort Capital City Ap | 804 ft | Apr 15 | May 5 | Oct 24 | Oct 13 | 192 |
| Gimlet 9n | 1,120 ft | Apr 10 | May 2 | Oct 31 | Oct 17 | 201 |
| Glasgow | 770 ft | Apr 9 | Apr 28 | Oct 27 | Oct 14 | 201 |
| Glencoe 6 Nw | 490 ft | Apr 23 | May 9 | Oct 21 | Oct 7 | 179 |
| Grayson 2 E | 580 ft | Apr 27 | May 15 | Oct 17 | Oct 6 | 172 |
| Grayson 3 Sw | 700 ft | May 2 | May 20 | Oct 11 | Oct 1 | 160 |
| Greensburg | 585 ft | Apr 15 | May 2 | Oct 24 | Oct 11 | 192 |
| Heidelberg | 665 ft | Apr 17 | May 5 | Oct 22 | Oct 10 | 189 |
| Henderson 8 Ssw | 449 ft | Apr 4 | Apr 19 | Oct 29 | Oct 17 | 207 |
| Henderson State Police | 420 ft | Apr 9 | Apr 24 | Oct 26 | Oct 12 | 198 |
| Hodgenville Lincoln P | 788 ft | Apr 16 | May 3 | Oct 25 | Oct 11 | 191 |
| Hopkinsville | 520 ft | Apr 4 | Apr 19 | Nov 2 | Oct 20 | 211 |
| Inez 2 E | 710 ft | Apr 20 | May 9 | Oct 24 | Oct 10 | 186 |
| Jackson | 1,364 ft | Apr 6 | Apr 25 | Nov 1 | Oct 18 | 208 |
| Jamestown Wwtp | 890 ft | Apr 18 | May 3 | Oct 24 | Oct 11 | 189 |
| Kenlake Resort | 484 ft | Mar 30 | Apr 16 | Nov 4 | Oct 23 | 221 |
| Knob Lick 4s | 1,020 ft | Apr 5 | Apr 24 | Nov 2 | Oct 21 | 211 |
| Leitchfield 2 N | 620 ft | Apr 26 | May 11 | Oct 15 | Oct 4 | 172 |
| Lexington Bluegrass Ap | 980 ft | Apr 13 | May 1 | Oct 28 | Oct 16 | 196 |
| London Corbin Ap | 1,188 ft | Apr 15 | May 3 | Oct 25 | Oct 13 | 192 |
| Louisville Bowman Fld | 540 ft | Apr 3 | Apr 19 | Nov 3 | Oct 21 | 214 |
| Louisville Intl Ap | 488 ft | Mar 31 | Apr 16 | Nov 7 | Oct 28 | 222 |
| Louisville Mcalpine | 440 ft | Mar 31 | Apr 14 | Nov 9 | Oct 31 | 225 |
| Louisville Wfo | 632 ft | Apr 6 | Apr 23 | Nov 1 | Oct 21 | 209 |
| Madisonville | 425 ft | Apr 2 | Apr 18 | Nov 1 | Oct 19 | 212 |
| Mammoth Cave | 760 ft | Apr 9 | Apr 29 | Oct 30 | Oct 17 | 204 |
| Manchester 4 W | 870 ft | Apr 29 | May 13 | Oct 16 | Oct 4 | 170 |
| Maysville Wwtp | 515 ft | Apr 18 | May 4 | Oct 30 | Oct 17 | 195 |
| Mcdaniels | 425 ft | Apr 11 | Apr 28 | Oct 26 | Oct 13 | 196 |
| Millerstown 4e | 600 ft | Apr 21 | May 6 | Oct 18 | Oct 6 | 178 |
| Monticello 3 Ne | 979 ft | Apr 18 | May 5 | Oct 26 | Oct 14 | 190 |
| Mt Sterling | 960 ft | Apr 24 | May 12 | Oct 18 | Oct 6 | 175 |
| Mt Vernon | 1,160 ft | Apr 18 | May 6 | Oct 24 | Oct 13 | 189 |
| Murray | 527 ft | Apr 5 | Apr 20 | Nov 1 | Oct 20 | 209 |
| Nolin Rvr Lake | 623 ft | Apr 22 | May 11 | Oct 22 | Oct 9 | 182 |
| Olive Hill 5ne | 888 ft | Apr 24 | May 12 | Oct 18 | Oct 6 | 174 |
| Oneida | 760 ft | Apr 16 | May 3 | Oct 26 | Oct 14 | 192 |
| Paducah | 392 ft | Apr 5 | Apr 21 | Oct 28 | Oct 15 | 206 |
| Paintsville 1e | 630 ft | Apr 19 | May 6 | Oct 25 | Oct 11 | 188 |
| Prestonsburg 3wsw | 760 ft | Apr 23 | May 10 | Oct 23 | Oct 8 | 183 |
| Princeton 1 Se | 497 ft | Apr 11 | Apr 30 | Oct 24 | Oct 12 | 196 |
| Providence | 409 ft | Apr 7 | Apr 24 | Oct 28 | Oct 15 | 203 |
| Quicksand | 745 ft | Apr 19 | May 5 | Oct 24 | Oct 11 | 187 |
| Rochester Ferry | 390 ft | Apr 15 | May 3 | Oct 20 | Oct 9 | 187 |
| Rough Rvr Lake | 560 ft | Apr 17 | May 5 | Oct 23 | Oct 8 | 187 |
| Russellville | 570 ft | Apr 9 | Apr 30 | Oct 28 | Oct 14 | 200 |
| Salyersville Wtr Wks | 970 ft | Apr 25 | May 11 | Oct 21 | Oct 10 | 179 |
| Scottsville | 743 ft | Apr 15 | May 2 | Oct 25 | Oct 11 | 194 |
| Shelbyville 1 E | 730 ft | May 1 | May 15 | Oct 10 | Sep 24 | 161 |
| Skyline 1 Se | 1,083 ft | Apr 18 | May 2 | Oct 28 | Oct 17 | 191 |
| Somerset 2 N | 1,020 ft | Apr 5 | Apr 25 | Oct 30 | Oct 17 | 206 |
| Stanton 2w | 720 ft | Apr 19 | May 5 | Oct 20 | Oct 10 | 184 |
| Stearns 2s | 1,220 ft | Apr 24 | May 11 | Oct 18 | Oct 4 | 177 |
| Summer Shade | 864 ft | Apr 26 | May 16 | Oct 18 | Oct 5 | 174 |
| Taylorsville Lake | 700 ft | Apr 23 | May 7 | Oct 16 | Oct 4 | 176 |
| Versailles 3 Nnw | 891 ft | Apr 12 | May 2 | Oct 28 | Oct 15 | 198 |
| W Liberty 3nw | 780 ft | Apr 29 | May 16 | Oct 16 | Oct 3 | 169 |
| W Paducah 2w | 413 ft | Apr 3 | Apr 20 | Oct 27 | Oct 15 | 205 |
| Warnock 2 | 910 ft | Apr 20 | May 10 | Oct 22 | Oct 10 | 182 |
| Warsaw Markland Dam | 451 ft | Apr 17 | May 4 | Oct 29 | Oct 15 | 194 |
| Whitesburg 2se | 1,240 ft | Apr 21 | May 6 | Oct 22 | Oct 9 | 183 |
| Williamsburg | 940 ft | Apr 21 | May 5 | Oct 22 | Oct 9 | 182 |
| Williamstown | 969 ft | Apr 11 | Apr 30 | Oct 29 | Oct 14 | 199 |
Plan your garden with these dates
Enter your ZIP code in the planner: it picks the nearest of these stations and dates every crop in your beds from its frosts. Free, in your browser.
Questions
When is the last frost in Kentucky?
It depends on where you are. The typical last spring frost at Kentucky's NOAA stations ranges from March 27 to May 2, and half of them have had it by April 15. Enter your ZIP code above for the station nearest you.
When is the first frost in Kentucky?
Typically between October 10 and November 9, depending on the station; the median is October 25. Plan fall crops back from your own station's date.
What do "typical" and "safer" mean?
With the typical (50%) last-frost date, half of years still have a frost after it. With the safer (10%) date, only one year in ten does. In fall it's the other way around: the safer date is the earlier one.
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