Frost dates for Louisville Intl Airport, KY
At Louisville Intl Airport, the median last spring frost (32°F) is Mar 31 and the median first fall frost is Nov 7, for a typical growing season of 222 days. For a 90% chance that the last frost has passed, wait until Apr 16. Nearby ZIP codes are in USDA hardiness zone 7a.
- Mar 31Last spring frost (median)50% chance of 32°F after this date
- Apr 16Safer planting date10% chance of 32°F after this date
- Nov 7First fall frost (median)50% chance of 32°F by this date
- 222 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 | Mar 29 | Apr 11 | Apr 28 |
| 32°F | Mar 14 | Mar 31 | Apr 16 |
| 28°F | Mar 1 | Mar 20 | Apr 3 |
| 24°F | Feb 16 | Mar 10 | Mar 27 |
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 16 | Oct 29 | Nov 9 |
| 32°F | Oct 28 | Nov 7 | Nov 23 |
| 28°F | Nov 4 | Nov 17 | Dec 4 |
| 24°F | Nov 11 | Dec 1 | Dec 20 |
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 | 178 days | 199 days | 219 days |
| 32°F | 202 days | 222 days | 243 days |
| 28°F | 223 days | 244 days | 270 days |
| 24°F | 242 days | 267 days | 294 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40209 | 7a | 0 to 5°F | 0 km |
| 40221 | 7a | 0 to 5°F | 1 km |
| 40213 | 7a | 0 to 5°F | 2 km |
| 40217 | 7a | 0 to 5°F | 4 km |
| 40231 | 7a | 0 to 5°F | 4 km |
| 40215 | 7a | 0 to 5°F | 4 km |
| 40208 | 7a | 0 to 5°F | 5 km |
| 40214 | 7a | 0 to 5°F | 5 km |
| 40216 | 7a | 0 to 5°F | 9 km |
| 40118 | 7a | 0 to 5°F | 10 km |
| 40258 | 7a | 0 to 5°F | 12 km |
| 40272 | 7a | 0 to 5°F | 15 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 USW00093821, at 38.1811, -85.7392, elevation 149 m (488 ft).
- Data quality: Standard (24+ years of data), 30 years of freeze data.
- Average days per year at or below 32°F: 74.
- Frost risk changes over short distances. Valleys and low spots freeze earlier than hillsides and city centers.
Nearby weather stations
- Louisville Bowman Field (8 km)
- Louisville WFO (11 km)
- Louisville McAlpine (12 km)
- Bernheim Forest (30 km)
- Crestwood 4ne (35 km)
- Brandenburg (41 km)
- Taylorsville Lake (43 km)
- Shelbyville 1 E (47 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.