Minnesota Frost Dates

Minnesota has 182 NOAA weather stations with freeze records in the 1991–2020 climate normals. The typical last spring frost ranges from April 15 at La Crescent Dam 7 to June 5 at Hibbing Chisholm Hibbing Ap; at half the stations it has come by May 5. The first fall frost typically arrives between September 8 at Hibbing Chisholm Hibbing Ap and October 28 at La Crescent Dam 7, with a median of October 2.

The growing season between the typical frosts runs from 93 days at Hibbing Chisholm Hibbing Ap to 194 days at La Crescent Dam 7; 148 days at the median station.

At 3 stations, a freeze is possible in any month.

Every station in Minnesota

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.

Minnesota: freeze (32 °F) dates by NOAA station, 1991–2020 normals
Station	Elevation	Last frost	Safer	First frost	Safer	Season (days)
Ada	907 ft	May 11	May 25	Sep 27	Sep 14	137
Agassiz Refuge	1,142 ft	May 6	May 20	Oct 3	Sep 20	148
Aitkin 2e	1,215 ft	May 16	Jun 1	Sep 28	Sep 12	133
Albert Lea 3se	1,230 ft	Apr 27	May 10	Oct 9	Sep 26	164
Alexandria Muni Ap	1,416 ft	May 2	May 15	Oct 8	Sep 27	159
Amboy	1,030 ft	Apr 30	May 12	Oct 7	Sep 23	161
Andover 1n	899 ft	May 5	May 21	Oct 2	Sep 18	148
Argyle	847 ft	May 15	May 28	Sep 26	Sep 13	134
Artichoke Lake 1 E	1,098 ft	May 1	May 14	Oct 8	Sep 26	159
Austin Waste Wtp Facility	1,199 ft	Apr 30	May 11	Oct 5	Sep 22	158
Babbitt	1,481 ft	May 28	Jun 16	Sep 14	Aug 29	108
Baudette Intl Ap	1,082 ft	May 15	May 31	Sep 26	Sep 9	132
Baudette	1,094 ft	May 14	May 28	Sep 26	Sep 12	135
Benson	1,030 ft	May 4	May 17	Oct 3	Sep 21	151
Big Falls	1,220 ft	May 24	Jun 6	Sep 20	Sep 6	117
Blackduck	1,340 ft	May 24	Jun 6	Sep 17	Sep 1	115
Brainerd Crow Wing Co Ap	1,221 ft	May 13	May 27	Sep 27	Sep 14	138
Brainerd	1,180 ft	May 8	May 21	Sep 29	Sep 16	141
Breckenridge 3e	971 ft	May 4	May 17	Oct 3	Sep 21	152
Brimson 2s	1,486 ft	A freeze is possible in any month
Browns Valley	978 ft	May 9	May 22	Sep 28	Sep 15	141
Brownton Wwtp	1,040 ft	Apr 30	May 13	Oct 4	Sep 21	156
Bruno 7ene	1,253 ft	May 18	Jun 1	Sep 26	Sep 12	129
Buffalo 2ne	992 ft	Apr 30	May 13	Oct 9	Sep 25	163
Byron 4north	1,041 ft	May 12	May 25	Sep 28	Sep 14	139
Caledonia	1,166 ft	Apr 29	May 11	Oct 10	Sep 28	165
Cambridge	965 ft	May 2	May 20	Oct 4	Sep 20	153
Camp Norris Dnr	1,289 ft	May 25	Jun 6	Sep 22	Sep 5	119
Canby	1,210 ft	May 2	May 14	Oct 5	Sep 23	156
Cass Lake	1,296 ft	May 17	May 30	Sep 26	Sep 12	131
Cedar	907 ft	May 1	May 17	Oct 7	Sep 23	158
Celina 2e	1,285 ft	Jun 1	Jun 18	Sep 15	Aug 27	104
Chanhassen Wsfo	946 ft	Apr 30	May 15	Oct 9	Sep 25	160
Chaska 2nw	923 ft	May 5	May 19	Oct 5	Sep 22	151
Cloquet	1,265 ft	May 26	Jun 9	Sep 23	Sep 9	118
Collegeville St John'S	1,210 ft	May 3	May 17	Oct 7	Sep 25	155
Cook 8ne	1,355 ft	May 12	May 29	Oct 1	Sep 17	138
Cotton	1,323 ft	May 27	Jun 11	Sep 20	Sep 4	115
Crookston Nw Exp Stn	891 ft	May 11	May 25	Sep 27	Sep 14	138
Dassel 3se	1,065 ft	Apr 30	May 12	Oct 10	Sep 28	162
Deep Portage	1,471 ft	May 5	May 19	Oct 5	Sep 22	150
Delano	975 ft	Apr 30	May 14	Oct 8	Sep 24	159
Detroit Lakes 1 Nne	1,355 ft	May 15	May 30	Sep 24	Sep 9	130
Detroit Lakes 12e	1,542 ft	May 4	May 16	Oct 3	Sep 22	150
Duluth Harbor Stn	610 ft	May 14	Jun 1	Oct 12	Sep 25	149
Duluth Nws	1,433 ft	May 18	Jun 3	Oct 1	Sep 19	135
Duluth	1,428 ft	May 13	May 29	Oct 1	Sep 18	140
Elk Rvr	880 ft	May 4	May 18	Oct 5	Sep 23	154
Ely 25e	1,444 ft	May 21	Jun 3	Sep 25	Sep 11	127
Ely	1,475 ft	May 14	May 30	Sep 29	Sep 16	135
Ely	1,382 ft	May 24	Jun 4	Sep 23	Sep 7	121
Embarrass	1,425 ft	A freeze is possible in any month
Eveleth Wwtp	1,445 ft	May 12	May 28	Oct 1	Sep 18	141
Fairmont	1,187 ft	Apr 25	May 6	Oct 14	Sep 30	171
Faribault	970 ft	May 5	May 19	Oct 5	Sep 21	152
Farmington 3 Nw	980 ft	Apr 27	May 10	Oct 10	Sep 27	166
Fergus Falls	1,250 ft	May 4	May 18	Oct 5	Sep 22	152
Floodwood 3 Ne	1,260 ft	May 29	Jun 13	Sep 18	Sep 1	111
Forest Lake 5ne	905 ft	May 3	May 19	Oct 5	Sep 22	154
Fosston 1 E	1,300 ft	May 15	May 30	Sep 26	Sep 10	132
Gaylord	1,020 ft	Apr 24	May 8	Oct 15	Sep 30	170
Georgetown 1 E	885 ft	May 9	May 23	Oct 1	Sep 18	143
Glenwood 2wnw	1,198 ft	May 11	May 27	Sep 27	Sep 13	139
Goodridge 12 Nnw	1,150 ft	May 20	Jun 3	Sep 17	Sep 1	118
Grand Marais	610 ft	May 22	Jun 18	Oct 9	Sep 25	136
Grand Marais	612 ft	May 20	Jun 6	Oct 5	Sep 22	137
Grand Meadow	1,350 ft	May 6	May 18	Oct 1	Sep 17	146
Grand Portage	730 ft	May 24	Jun 5	Sep 29	Sep 16	127
Grand Rpds Forest Lab	1,310 ft	May 17	May 31	Sep 24	Sep 10	130
Granite Falls	930 ft	May 4	May 18	Oct 1	Sep 17	150
Gull Lake Dam	1,215 ft	May 2	May 14	Oct 6	Sep 25	156
Gunflint Lake 10 Nw	1,455 ft	May 23	Jun 7	Sep 26	Sep 11	124
Hallock	815 ft	May 8	May 24	Sep 30	Sep 16	142
Hastings Dam 2	680 ft	Apr 23	May 7	Oct 19	Oct 5	177
Hibbing Chisholm Hibbing Ap	1,352 ft	Jun 5	Jun 25	Sep 8	Aug 23	93
Hinckley	1,035 ft	May 16	May 30	Sep 24	Sep 9	130
Hutchinson 1 N	1,095 ft	Apr 28	May 10	Oct 8	Sep 25	163
Intl Falls Intl Ap	1,183 ft	May 29	Jun 16	Sep 13	Aug 30	109
Isabella 14w	1,740 ft	May 31	Jun 21	Sep 15	Aug 30	104
Island Lake 4e	1,410 ft	May 21	Jun 3	Sep 27	Sep 13	129
Isle 12n	1,285 ft	May 10	May 28	Oct 3	Sep 19	144
Itasca Univ Of Minn	1,490 ft	May 18	May 31	Sep 27	Sep 12	130
Jordan 1ssw	900 ft	May 2	May 18	Oct 5	Sep 21	153
Kabetogama	1,200 ft	May 28	Jun 12	Sep 16	Sep 1	111
Kimball 3n	1,160 ft	May 2	May 15	Oct 5	Sep 23	156
La Crescent Dam 7	647 ft	Apr 15	May 1	Oct 28	Oct 15	194
Lake Wilson	1,653 ft	May 7	May 19	Sep 29	Sep 15	145
Lakefield 2ne	1,530 ft	May 2	May 13	Oct 2	Sep 19	153
Lamberton Sw Rsch & Outreach C	1,140 ft	May 3	May 15	Oct 2	Sep 18	152
Leech Lake	1,302 ft	May 8	May 23	Oct 1	Sep 19	144
Litchfield	1,120 ft	May 6	May 22	Oct 2	Sep 20	147
Little Falls 2nne	1,120 ft	May 4	May 22	Oct 5	Sep 22	151
Littlefork 10 Sw	1,200 ft	May 23	Jun 5	Sep 21	Sep 4	118
Long Prairie	1,340 ft	May 13	May 28	Sep 27	Sep 13	134
Lower St Anthony Falls	754 ft	Apr 23	May 7	Oct 16	Oct 2	175
Lutsen 3nne	1,300 ft	May 26	Jun 6	Sep 27	Sep 13	126
Mabel	1,112 ft	May 10	May 23	Sep 28	Sep 14	140
Madison Wwtp	1,075 ft	May 3	May 15	Oct 2	Sep 20	151
Mahnomen	1,212 ft	May 7	May 24	Sep 28	Sep 15	143
Mankato	850 ft	Apr 30	May 12	Oct 9	Sep 25	161
Marcell 5ne	1,387 ft	May 14	May 30	Oct 2	Sep 20	140
Marshall	1,149 ft	May 5	May 18	Oct 3	Sep 21	150
Melrose	1,195 ft	May 4	May 19	Oct 1	Sep 17	148
Milaca	1,064 ft	May 8	May 26	Oct 1	Sep 17	143
Milan 1nw	1,020 ft	May 3	May 17	Oct 2	Sep 18	151
Minneapolis/St Paul Ap	872 ft	Apr 23	May 7	Oct 18	Oct 1	176
Minnesota City Dam 5	670 ft	Apr 23	May 6	Oct 16	Oct 2	175
Montevideo 1sw	990 ft	May 4	May 17	Oct 1	Sep 18	149
Moorhead	904 ft	May 5	May 20	Oct 3	Sep 22	150
Moose Lake 1 Sse	1,110 ft	May 12	May 26	Oct 2	Sep 20	144
Mora	1,018 ft	May 9	May 26	Sep 30	Sep 17	142
Morris W Cntrl Rsch & Outreach	1,140 ft	May 4	May 17	Oct 1	Sep 19	150
Mpls Crystal Ap	861 ft	Apr 30	May 17	Oct 8	Sep 26	159
Mpls Flying Cloud Ap	907 ft	Apr 23	May 6	Oct 14	Sep 28	172
New Hope	910 ft	Apr 29	May 12	Oct 12	Sep 29	163
New London	1,250 ft	May 4	May 19	Oct 4	Sep 23	152
New Ulm 2 Se	890 ft	Apr 29	May 12	Oct 7	Sep 22	161
New Ulm 3se	925 ft	May 2	May 14	Oct 7	Sep 23	157
New York Mills	1,406 ft	May 10	May 24	Sep 29	Sep 17	141
Northome 3s	1,415 ft	May 16	May 30	Sep 26	Sep 11	131
Olivia 3e	1,100 ft	May 6	May 20	Oct 1	Sep 15	146
Orr 3e	1,315 ft	Jun 2	Jun 17	Sep 15	Aug 29	102
Ottertail	1,349 ft	May 5	May 18	Oct 5	Sep 23	153
Owatonna	1,140 ft	May 5	May 20	Oct 6	Sep 23	154
Park Rapids Muni Ap	1,434 ft	May 14	May 27	Sep 25	Sep 12	133
Pine Rvr Dam	1,250 ft	May 6	May 19	Oct 7	Sep 24	152
Pipestone	1,705 ft	May 4	May 19	Oct 2	Sep 20	152
Pokegama Dam	1,280 ft	May 16	May 31	Oct 1	Sep 18	138
Preston	930 ft	May 14	May 27	Sep 28	Sep 15	136
Red Lake Falls	1,038 ft	May 9	May 24	Sep 30	Sep 16	142
Red Lake Indian Agcy	1,216 ft	May 12	May 30	Oct 4	Sep 19	142
Red Wing Dam 3	677 ft	Apr 23	May 7	Oct 14	Sep 28	173
Redwood Falls Muni Ap	1,021 ft	Apr 30	May 14	Oct 4	Sep 21	157
Redwood Falls	1,020 ft	Apr 30	May 14	Oct 10	Sep 26	162
Rice	1,060 ft	May 10	May 22	Sep 29	Sep 15	140
Rochester Intl Ap	1,304 ft	Apr 30	May 13	Oct 6	Sep 22	159
Rosemount Rsch & Outreach Ctr	945 ft	May 2	May 16	Oct 5	Sep 22	155
Rothsay	1,204 ft	May 5	May 20	Oct 3	Sep 21	149
Rushford	770 ft	May 8	May 22	Oct 3	Sep 21	147
Sandstone 6 W	1,130 ft	May 13	May 28	Sep 29	Sep 15	137
Sandy Lake Dam Libby	1,234 ft	May 7	May 21	Oct 3	Sep 20	148
Santiago 3 E	1,010 ft	May 7	May 22	Sep 28	Sep 15	144
Sherburn 3wsw	1,320 ft	Apr 28	May 9	Oct 8	Sep 23	162
Springfield 1 Nw	1,066 ft	May 4	May 15	Oct 1	Sep 17	150
St Cloud Rgnl Ap	1,018 ft	May 7	May 23	Sep 30	Sep 16	144
St James Wwtp	1,070 ft	Apr 30	May 13	Oct 7	Sep 25	160
St Paul 3sw	925 ft	Apr 25	May 9	Oct 12	Oct 1	169
St Paul Downtown Ap	700 ft	Apr 24	May 10	Oct 16	Oct 2	174
St Paul	900 ft	Apr 26	May 11	Oct 12	Sep 27	166
St Peter	795 ft	May 2	May 14	Oct 4	Sep 21	153
Stillwater 1 Se	710 ft	Apr 22	May 6	Oct 19	Oct 3	178
Stillwater 2sw	898 ft	Apr 30	May 13	Oct 11	Sep 28	163
Tamarac Wildlife Re	1,508 ft	May 5	May 18	Oct 3	Sep 22	150
Theilman 1ssw	753 ft	May 7	May 22	Oct 2	Sep 20	148
Thief Rvr Falls 2	1,128 ft	May 14	May 29	Sep 28	Sep 14	135
Thorhult	1,237 ft	May 24	Jun 7	Sep 20	Sep 4	120
Tower 2s	1,430 ft	A freeze is possible in any month
Tracy	1,403 ft	May 2	May 15	Oct 5	Sep 22	156
Two Harbors 7nw	1,355 ft	May 27	Jun 10	Sep 23	Sep 7	117
Two Harbors	625 ft	May 12	May 30	Oct 6	Sep 19	145
U Of Mn St Paul	970 ft	Apr 28	May 14	Oct 8	Sep 25	162
Vadnais Lake	890 ft	Apr 23	May 7	Oct 20	Oct 3	177
Wadena 3 S	1,372 ft	May 10	May 25	Sep 30	Sep 17	141
Walker	1,430 ft	May 4	May 20	Oct 7	Sep 23	155
Warren Wsd	855 ft	May 5	May 22	Oct 2	Sep 20	147
Warroad	1,073 ft	May 16	May 30	Sep 24	Sep 11	129
Waseca S Rsch & Outreach Ctr	1,153 ft	May 2	May 14	Oct 4	Sep 20	155
Waskish 4ne	1,191 ft	May 22	Jun 5	Sep 17	Sep 2	117
Wells	1,135 ft	Apr 30	May 14	Oct 6	Sep 24	158
Wheaton	1,018 ft	May 1	May 12	Oct 9	Sep 26	160
White Rock Dam	1,024 ft	May 3	May 15	Oct 3	Sep 22	154
Wild Rvr Sp	840 ft	May 19	Jun 3	Sep 25	Sep 10	128
Willmar 5n	1,190 ft	May 1	May 12	Oct 6	Sep 23	156
Willmar Wwtp	1,100 ft	Apr 30	May 13	Oct 7	Sep 23	159
Windom	1,384 ft	Apr 30	May 13	Oct 10	Sep 25	162
Winnebago	1,110 ft	Apr 27	May 8	Oct 10	Sep 27	166
Winona Dam 5 A	663 ft	Apr 23	May 6	Oct 21	Oct 7	180
Winona	652 ft	Apr 21	May 4	Oct 19	Oct 4	180
Wolf Ridge Elc	1,400 ft	May 15	May 31	Oct 1	Sep 17	137
Worthington 2 Nne	1,570 ft	May 3	May 15	Oct 4	Sep 21	153
Wright 3 E	1,330 ft	May 31	Jun 20	Sep 18	Sep 1	107
Zumbrota	970 ft	May 9	May 22	Sep 30	Sep 17	144

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Questions

When is the last frost in Minnesota?

It depends on where you are. The typical last spring frost at Minnesota's NOAA stations ranges from April 15 to June 5, and half of them have had it by May 5. Enter your ZIP code above for the station nearest you.

When is the first frost in Minnesota?

Typically between September 8 and October 28, depending on the station; the median is October 2. 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.

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (annual/seasonal, by station: freeze dates at 32 °F)

Minnesota Frost Dates

Every station in Minnesota

Plan your garden with these dates

Questions

Other states

Sources