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Iowa frost dates by weather station

Iowa has 150 NOAA weather stations with 1991–2020 freeze statistics. Median last spring frost dates run from Apr 10 at Keokuk Lock Dam 19 to May 8 at Elkader 6 SSW.

150Stations
Apr 10Earliest last frostKeokuk Lock Dam 19
May 8Latest last frostElkader 6 SSW
198 daysLongest growing seasonKeokuk Lock Dam 19

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Iowa stations: median (50%) frost dates at 32°F
Station	Last spring frost	First fall frost	Growing season	Elevation
Albia 3 NNE	Apr 24	Oct 16	173 days	880 ft
Algona	Apr 30	Oct 6	160 days	1,214 ft
Allerton	Apr 21	Oct 19	178 days	1,090 ft
Allison	Apr 27	Oct 8	165 days	1,038 ft
Ames 5 SE	Apr 26	Oct 12	168 days	870 ft
Ames 8 WSW	Apr 23	Oct 14	173 days	1,099 ft
Ames Muni Airport	Apr 26	Oct 8	164 days	930 ft
Anamosa 1 WNW	May 1	Oct 4	154 days	805 ft
Anamosa 3 SSW	Apr 27	Oct 13	170 days	906 ft
Ankeny	Apr 23	Oct 15	173 days	975 ft
Atlantic 1 NE	Apr 30	Oct 2	153 days	1,152 ft
Audubon	May 2	Oct 3	154 days	1,280 ft
Battle Creek 3ne	May 1	Oct 1	153 days	1,380 ft
Beaconsfield	Apr 23	Oct 17	176 days	1,215 ft
Bedford	Apr 24	Oct 15	173 days	1,190 ft
Belle Plaine	Apr 28	Oct 10	165 days	810 ft
Bellevue L&d 12	Apr 25	Oct 16	172 days	603 ft
Bloomfield	Apr 16	Oct 22	188 days	858 ft
Boone	Apr 28	Oct 12	165 days	1,035 ft
Britt 3e	Apr 29	Oct 7	161 days	1,220 ft
Burlington 2s	Apr 18	Oct 20	185 days	690 ft
Burlington Muni Airport	Apr 15	Oct 20	187 days	692 ft
Carroll	Apr 27	Oct 10	166 days	1,240 ft
Cascade	Apr 28	Oct 10	164 days	814 ft
Castana Exp. Farm	Apr 25	Oct 12	170 days	1,400 ft
Cedar Rapids #1	Apr 28	Oct 12	166 days	813 ft
Cedar Rapids Muni Airport	Apr 27	Oct 11	165 days	868 ft
Centerville	Apr 28	Oct 14	168 days	905 ft
Chariton 1 E	May 5	Oct 5	151 days	965 ft
Charles City	Apr 30	Oct 6	157 days	993 ft
Cherokee	May 4	Oct 4	152 days	1,210 ft
Clarinda	Apr 25	Oct 11	168 days	980 ft
Clarion	Apr 30	Oct 10	162 days	1,156 ft
Clinton #1	Apr 22	Oct 16	175 days	585 ft
Coggon	May 3	Oct 7	156 days	903 ft
Colo	Apr 24	Oct 12	170 days	1,000 ft
Columbus Junction	Apr 26	Oct 10	167 days	590 ft
Corning	Apr 27	Oct 12	168 days	1,190 ft
Cresco 1 NE	May 8	Oct 1	147 days	1,255 ft
Creston 2 SW	Apr 28	Oct 11	164 days	1,296 ft
Dakota City	Apr 26	Oct 12	169 days	1,110 ft
Davenport	Apr 23	Oct 15	174 days	754 ft
Davenport WFO	Apr 21	Oct 17	176 days	750 ft
Decorah	May 3	Oct 7	157 days	860 ft
Denison	Apr 27	Oct 11	166 days	1,401 ft
Des Moines 17 E	Apr 21	Oct 15	174 days	921 ft
Des Moines Intl Airport	Apr 18	Oct 20	184 days	957 ft
Des Moines Wsfo-Johnston	Apr 19	Oct 18	179 days	959 ft
Donnellson	Apr 17	Oct 22	187 days	705 ft
Dubuque L&d 11	Apr 19	Oct 21	184 days	620 ft
Dubuque Regional Airport	Apr 28	Oct 11	165 days	1,056 ft
Eldora	Apr 27	Oct 10	165 days	1,073 ft
Elkader 6 SSW	May 8	Oct 1	146 days	788 ft
Emmetsburg	Apr 27	Oct 7	164 days	1,225 ft
Estherville 4e	May 2	Oct 3	153 days	1,320 ft
Estherville Muni Airport	May 2	Sep 30	150 days	1,317 ft
Fairfield	Apr 27	Oct 12	168 days	740 ft
Fayette	May 4	Oct 4	151 days	1,145 ft
Forest City 2 NNE	Apr 30	Oct 7	159 days	1,280 ft
Fort Dodge 5nnw	Apr 28	Oct 8	162 days	1,115 ft
Fort Madison	Apr 12	Oct 25	194 days	530 ft
Glenwood 3sw	Apr 23	Oct 11	170 days	980 ft
Greenfield	Apr 25	Oct 12	170 days	1,316 ft
Grinnell 3 SW	May 3	Oct 6	155 days	905 ft
Grundy Center	Apr 29	Oct 9	160 days	985 ft
Guthrie Center	May 2	Oct 3	153 days	1,065 ft
Guttenberg L&d 10	Apr 21	Oct 18	178 days	618 ft
Hampton	Apr 29	Oct 9	162 days	1,105 ft
Harlan	Apr 27	Oct 9	165 days	1,270 ft
Hawarden	May 1	Oct 4	155 days	1,190 ft
Holstein	Apr 30	Oct 9	162 days	1,370 ft
Humboldt Water Plant	Apr 27	Oct 9	166 days	1,100 ft
Ida Grove 5nw	Apr 27	Oct 12	167 days	1,320 ft
Independence #1	Apr 30	Oct 7	159 days	1,010 ft
Indianola 2w	Apr 24	Oct 12	168 days	924 ft
Iowa City	Apr 29	Oct 9	162 days	640 ft
Iowa City Muni Airport	Apr 21	Oct 18	180 days	650 ft
Iowa Falls	Apr 28	Oct 10	164 days	1,055 ft
Jefferson	Apr 26	Oct 9	164 days	1,055 ft
Keokuk Lock Dam 19	Apr 10	Oct 27	198 days	527 ft
Keosauqua	Apr 26	Oct 13	169 days	629 ft
Knoxville	Apr 20	Oct 19	180 days	895 ft
Lake Park	Apr 30	Oct 10	164 days	1,465 ft
Lamoni	Apr 17	Oct 21	184 days	1,128 ft
Lamoni	Apr 16	Oct 20	187 days	1,168 ft
Lamoni Muni Airport	Apr 16	Oct 21	186 days	1,131 ft
Le Claire L&d 14	Apr 16	Oct 25	190 days	577 ft
Le Mars	Apr 30	Oct 4	157 days	1,195 ft
Leon 6 ESE	Apr 30	Oct 8	161 days	1,000 ft
Little Sioux 2 NW	May 1	Oct 3	155 days	1,025 ft
Logan	Apr 29	Oct 8	162 days	990 ft
Lowden	Apr 27	Oct 10	165 days	738 ft
Manchester #2	May 3	Oct 4	154 days	990 ft
Mapleton No.2	May 3	Oct 1	151 days	1,200 ft
Maquoketa	Apr 25	Oct 14	171 days	668 ft
Marshalltown	Apr 28	Oct 7	162 days	870 ft
Marshalltown Muni Airport	Apr 30	Oct 6	159 days	974 ft
Mason City	Apr 29	Oct 7	161 days	1,105 ft
Mason City Muni Airport	May 3	Oct 1	150 days	1,225 ft
Milford 4 NW	May 1	Oct 6	158 days	1,402 ft
Mount Ayr	Apr 25	Oct 12	169 days	1,140 ft
Mount Pleasant 1 SSW	Apr 30	Oct 10	163 days	730 ft
Muscatine	Apr 24	Oct 14	172 days	549 ft
Muscatine 2n	Apr 18	Oct 22	184 days	680 ft
New Hampton	May 2	Oct 5	155 days	1,148 ft
Newton	Apr 22	Oct 17	174 days	960 ft
Northwood	May 4	Oct 4	152 days	1,190 ft
Oakland	Apr 23	Oct 14	174 days	1,260 ft
Oelwein 1e	Apr 27	Oct 13	169 days	1,165 ft
Oelwein 2 S	Apr 30	Oct 9	163 days	1,010 ft
Onawa 3nw	May 1	Oct 3	154 days	1,060 ft
Osage	Apr 30	Oct 9	163 days	1,170 ft
Osceola	Apr 29	Oct 9	162 days	1,028 ft
Oskaloosa	Apr 21	Oct 16	176 days	830 ft
Ottumwa Industrial Airport	Apr 23	Oct 14	172 days	842 ft
Perry	Apr 25	Oct 10	166 days	950 ft
Pocahontas	Apr 26	Oct 7	164 days	1,212 ft
Postville	May 1	Oct 3	153 days	1,165 ft
Primghar	Apr 29	Oct 10	163 days	1,520 ft
Rathbun Dam	Apr 18	Oct 23	187 days	965 ft
Red Oak	Apr 24	Oct 13	169 days	1,040 ft
Rock Rapids	May 1	Oct 4	156 days	1,350 ft
Rockwell City	Apr 26	Oct 10	167 days	1,214 ft
Sac City	Apr 30	Oct 6	158 days	1,210 ft
Sanborn	May 1	Oct 7	160 days	1,551 ft
Sheldon	May 5	Sep 28	145 days	1,420 ft
Shenandoah	Apr 20	Oct 17	179 days	999 ft
Sibley	May 5	Oct 3	152 days	1,529 ft
Sidney 1sse	Apr 19	Oct 19	182 days	1,140 ft
Sigourney	Apr 24	Oct 15	172 days	732 ft
Sioux Center 2 SE	Apr 30	Oct 3	154 days	1,360 ft
Sioux City Ang	Apr 29	Oct 7	161 days	1,100 ft
Sioux City Gateway Airport	Apr 29	Oct 5	159 days	1,095 ft
Sioux Rapids 4 E	Apr 30	Oct 5	159 days	1,420 ft
Spencer 1 N	May 1	Oct 3	154 days	1,326 ft
Spencer Muni Airport	May 2	Oct 2	154 days	1,338 ft
Spirit Lake	Apr 28	Oct 11	164 days	1,420 ft
Stanley	May 4	Oct 1	150 days	1,114 ft
Storm Lake	Apr 25	Oct 13	170 days	1,442 ft
Swea City 5n	May 4	Oct 1	150 days	1,180 ft
Tipton	Apr 21	Oct 15	175 days	820 ft
Toledo 3n	Apr 30	Oct 9	162 days	935 ft
Tripoli	Apr 29	Oct 9	162 days	1,055 ft
Vinton	May 3	Oct 3	151 days	850 ft
Washington	Apr 28	Oct 11	165 days	687 ft
Waterloo Muni Airport	Apr 27	Oct 10	165 days	868 ft
Waukon	May 2	Oct 11	161 days	1,275 ft
Webster City	May 3	Oct 2	150 days	1,072 ft
Williamsburg 1e	Apr 28	Oct 9	164 days	780 ft
Winterset 1s	Apr 30	Oct 3	157 days	1,100 ft

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, annual/seasonal normals by station (version 1.0.1), file dated June 27, 2023; documentation.

Freeze dates are 30-year probabilities, not forecasts. Check your local forecast before planting tender plants.