Frost dates for Fort Scott, KS
At Fort Scott, the median last spring frost (32°F) is Apr 5 and the median first fall frost is Oct 28, for a typical growing season of 204 days. For a 90% chance that the last frost has passed, wait until Apr 22. Nearby ZIP codes are in USDA hardiness zones 6b to 7a.
- Apr 5Last spring frost (median)50% chance of 32°F after this date
- Apr 22Safer planting date10% chance of 32°F after this date
- Oct 28First fall frost (median)50% chance of 32°F by this date
- 204 daysGrowing season (median)between 32°F freezes
Last spring frost dates
The chance that the temperature drops to the threshold after each date.
| Temperature | 90% chance later | 50% chance later | 10% chance later |
|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Apr 2 | Apr 17 | May 4 |
| 32°F | Mar 21 | Apr 5 | Apr 22 |
| 28°F | Mar 9 | Mar 27 | Apr 9 |
| 24°F | Feb 26 | Mar 16 | Mar 31 |
First fall frost dates
The chance that the temperature has dropped to the threshold by each date.
| Temperature | 10% chance by | 50% chance by | 90% chance by |
|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Oct 5 | Oct 19 | Oct 31 |
| 32°F | Oct 14 | Oct 28 | Nov 11 |
| 28°F | Oct 23 | Nov 6 | Nov 23 |
| 24°F | Nov 1 | Nov 17 | Dec 5 |
Growing season length
Days between the last spring and first fall freeze, as the length reached in 9, 5 and 1 out of 10 years.
| Temperature | 9 in 10 years at least | 5 in 10 years at least | 1 in 10 years at least |
|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | 162 days | 183 days | 204 days |
| 32°F | 184 days | 204 days | 225 days |
| 28°F | 203 days | 226 days | 250 days |
| 24°F | 221 days | 247 days | 274 days |
Chance of a freeze in any year
| Temperature | Chance per year |
|---|---|
| 36°F | 100% |
| 32°F | 100% |
| 28°F | 100% |
| 24°F | 100% |
ZIP codes whose closest station is this one
| ZIP | Hardiness zone | Avg. extreme low | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 66701 | 7a | 0 to 5°F | 5 km |
| 66741 | 7a | 0 to 5°F | 11 km |
| 64741 | 6b | -5 to 0°F | 12 km |
| 66769 | 7a | 0 to 5°F | 17 km |
| 66779 | 7a | 0 to 5°F | 24 km |
Not the official USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Zones shown here are the values published in the USDA-ARS / Oregon State University PRISM Group 2023 ZIP code tables, shown unaltered. For the official interactive map, visit planthardiness.ars.usda.gov.
About this station
- NOAA station ID USC00142835, at 37.8172, -94.6986, elevation 269 m (884 ft).
- Data quality: Standard (24+ years of data), 26 years of freeze data.
- Average days per year at or below 32°F: 100.
- Frost risk changes over short distances. Valleys and low spots freeze earlier than hillsides and city centers.
Nearby weather stations
- Girard (37 km)
- Mound City 1ssw (37 km)
- Mound City (38 km)
- Pittsburg (47 km)
- Chanute 4e (62 km)
- Iola 1 W (65 km)
- Humboldt (66 km)
- Garnett 1 E (69 km)
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.
- USDA Agricultural Research Service and PRISM Group, Oregon State University, 2023 Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP code tables (CONUS, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico), files dated November 17, 2023. Data © PRISM Group, Oregon State University, https://prism.oregonstate.edu, accessed November 1, 2026. Official map: planthardiness.ars.usda.gov.
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer ZIP Code Tabulation Areas file, dated August 30, 2024 (ZIP centroids used to find the nearest station).
Freeze dates are 30-year probabilities, not forecasts. Check your local forecast before planting tender plants.