Last Frost Date by Zip Code Map
The last spring frost is the green light to plant tender crops outside. Set tomatoes, peppers, and squash out too early and a late frost can wipe them out; wait too long and you lose growing time. This map gives you the average last frost date for your ZIP code so you can time spring planting with confidence.
How to use the map: enter your ZIP code in the search box below to see the average date of your last spring frost. Use it as the anchor for your planting calendar — the point after which frost-tender plants are usually safe outdoors.
Last Frost Date
Average last spring frost date
Monthly Rainfall
Last frost dates on this map are calculated from a 30-year average of climate data from 1991 to 2020, which gives you a stable baseline rather than one unusual year, and they are a typical, average date rather than a guarantee. A late cold snap can still strike after the average date. Low frost pockets thaw last, while sheltered, urban, or south-facing sites clear frost earlier.
Your last frost date pairs with your first fall frost date to define your frost-free growing season. For the full climate picture, also check your USDA hardiness zone.
What Is the Last Frost Date?
The last frost date is the average date in spring after which temperatures usually stay above about 32°F, so frost-tender plants can go outside. Like the first frost date, it is a probability-based average from decades of records — the center of a window, not a hard deadline.
When Is It Safe to Plant After the Last Frost?
For most frost-tender crops, the average last frost date is the green light — though cautious gardeners wait a week or two past it to dodge a late cold snap, especially with heat-lovers like tomatoes, peppers, basil, and squash. Cold-hardy crops such as peas, lettuce, and many brassicas can go out weeks earlier, before the last frost has passed.
How to Use Your Last Frost Date
- Start seeds on schedule. Seed packets say things like “start 6 weeks before last frost” — count back from your date to know when to sow indoors.
- Harden off transplants. Ease indoor-grown seedlings into outdoor conditions over the week or two before you plant them out.
- Plant tender crops after the date. Wait until the danger of frost has passed (or shortly after) to set out warm-season vegetables and annuals.
- Keep protection handy. Have row cover or sheets ready for a surprise late frost in the first couple of weeks.
Last Frost vs Last Freeze
A light frost (around 32°F) can nip tender new growth, while a hard freeze (about 28°F or colder) does deeper damage. Standard last frost dates use the 32°F threshold, so your last hard freeze usually passes a little earlier in spring. When in doubt with heat-loving plants, give it the extra week.
How Accurate Is a Last Frost Date Map?
It is a dependable average, but spring frost timing varies a lot year to year, and your exact site can clear frost earlier or later than the regional number. A cold low spot may still frost after a nearby slope is safe. Use the date to plan and watch the forecast before setting out tender plants.
What is the last frost date?
It is the average spring date after which temperatures usually stay above about 32°F, so frost-tender plants can be set outside. It is a probability-based average from decades of records, not a guaranteed date.
When is it safe to plant after the last frost?
Most frost-tender crops are safe around your average last frost date, though many gardeners wait a week or two past it to be sure. Cold-hardy crops like peas and lettuce can go out well before the last frost.
When is the last frost in my area?
Use the map and ZIP lookup above for your local average. Last frost ranges from January or February in the mild South to late May or June in the far north and at high elevation.
How many weeks before the last frost should I start seeds?
It depends on the crop — seed packets give a count like “start 6 to 8 weeks before last frost.” Use your last frost date from the map as the anchor and count backward.
How accurate is a last frost date map?
It is a solid 30-year average, but spring frost varies widely year to year and by site. A low frost pocket can freeze after a nearby slope is clear, so use the date for planning and check the forecast before planting tender crops.
Sources and Further Reading
- NOAA 1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, freeze/frost dates — the base data behind these last frost dates.
- NOAA probability-of-freeze data — methodology for average last-frost (32°F) dates.
Next step: use your frost dates to plan the whole season. Check your first fall frost date and frost-free days, or use the Plant Finder to match plants to your full climate.