Frost dates in Minnesota

Across Minnesota, the typical last spring frost is around May 4 and the first fall frost around Oct 3. Your own dates depend on where you are in the state; find your county below.

Most of the state's last spring frosts fall between Apr 25 and May 17, and its first fall frosts between Sep 26 and Oct 14.

These are the dates with a 50% chance of a 32°F frost on or after (spring) or on or before (fall), so plan tender crops a week or two after the spring date and keep row cover handy. For dates at your exact ZIP code, use the zone and frost date lookup; for what to plant when, see the planting guide by frost date.

Hardiness zones in Minnesota: zone 3a, zone 3b, zone 4a, zone 4b, zone 5a

Frost dates by county in Minnesota

CountyLast spring frostFirst fall frostGrowing season
AitkinMay 10Oct 3About 146 days
AnokaMay 3Oct 7About 157 days
BeckerMay 5Oct 3About 151 days
BeltramiMay 22Sep 26About 127 days
BentonMay 8Oct 1About 146 days
Big StoneMay 2Oct 4About 155 days
Blue EarthApr 30Oct 7About 160 days
BrownApr 29Oct 7About 161 days
CarltonMay 26Sep 23About 120 days
CarverMay 5Oct 5About 153 days
CassMay 5Oct 5About 153 days
ChippewaMay 4Oct 1About 150 days
ChisagoMay 4Oct 4About 153 days
ClayMay 5Oct 2About 150 days
ClearwaterMay 15Sep 27About 135 days
CookMay 24Sep 29About 128 days
CottonwoodApr 30Oct 10About 163 days
Crow WingMay 8Oct 6About 151 days
DakotaApr 27Oct 10About 166 days
DodgeMay 12Sep 28About 139 days
DouglasMay 2Oct 8About 159 days
FaribaultApr 30Oct 6About 159 days
FillmoreMay 14Sep 28About 137 days
FreebornApr 27Oct 9About 165 days
GoodhueMay 9Oct 5About 149 days
GrantMay 4Oct 5About 154 days
HennepinApr 23Oct 14About 174 days
HoustonApr 22Oct 17About 178 days
HubbardMay 14Sep 26About 135 days
IsantiMay 2Oct 4About 155 days
ItascaMay 17Sep 24About 130 days
JacksonMay 2Oct 8About 159 days
KanabecMay 9Sep 30About 144 days
KandiyohiApr 30Oct 7About 160 days
KittsonMay 8Sep 30About 145 days
KoochichingMay 24Sep 20About 119 days
Lac qui ParleMay 3Oct 2About 152 days
LakeMay 15Oct 1About 139 days
Lake of the WoodsMay 16Sep 26About 133 days
Le SueurMay 2Oct 4About 155 days
LincolnMay 6Oct 3About 150 days
LyonMay 5Oct 3About 151 days
MahnomenMay 7Sep 28About 144 days
MarshallMay 15Sep 26About 134 days
MartinApr 28Oct 8About 163 days
McLeodApr 30Oct 8About 161 days
MeekerMay 6Oct 2About 149 days
Mille LacsMay 8Oct 1About 146 days
MorrisonMay 4Oct 5About 154 days
MowerMay 6Oct 1About 148 days
MurrayMay 7Oct 4About 150 days
NicolletMay 2Oct 7About 158 days
NoblesMay 3Oct 4About 154 days
NormanMay 11Sep 27About 139 days
OlmstedMay 7Oct 6About 152 days
Otter TailMay 5Oct 5About 153 days
PenningtonMay 14Sep 28About 137 days
PineMay 13Sep 29About 139 days
PipestoneMay 7Oct 2About 148 days
PolkMay 11Sep 27About 139 days
PopeMay 11Sep 27About 139 days
RamseyApr 25Oct 16About 174 days
Red LakeMay 9Sep 30About 144 days
RedwoodMay 3Oct 3About 153 days
RenvilleMay 6Oct 1About 148 days
RiceMay 5Oct 5About 153 days
RockMay 1Oct 4About 156 days
RoseauMay 16Sep 24About 131 days
ScottApr 27Oct 10About 166 days
SherburneMay 7Sep 30About 146 days
SibleyApr 24Oct 15About 174 days
St. LouisMay 21Sep 27About 129 days
StearnsMay 4Oct 4About 153 days
SteeleMay 5Oct 6About 154 days
StevensMay 4Oct 1About 150 days
SwiftMay 4Oct 3About 152 days
ToddMay 13Sep 27About 137 days
TraverseMay 1Oct 9About 161 days
WabashaMay 7Oct 2About 148 days
WadenaMay 14Sep 30About 139 days
WasecaMay 2Oct 4About 155 days
WashingtonApr 26Oct 12About 169 days
WatonwanApr 30Oct 7About 160 days
WilkinMay 4Oct 3About 152 days
WinonaApr 23Oct 16About 176 days
WrightApr 30Oct 9About 162 days
Yellow MedicineMay 4Oct 1About 150 days

Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, 50% probability of 32°F, from the weather station nearest each ZIP code; each county shows the middle value across its ZIP codes. Hills, valleys and cities can run a week or more earlier or later.

Frost dates for other states