Frost dates for Detroit City Airport, MI
At Detroit City Airport, the median last spring frost (32°F) is Apr 21 and the median first fall frost is Oct 31, for a typical growing season of 190 days. For a 90% chance that the last frost has passed, wait until May 6. Nearby ZIP codes are in USDA hardiness zone 6b.
- Apr 21Last spring frost (median)50% chance of 32°F after this date
- May 6Safer planting date10% chance of 32°F after this date
- Oct 31First fall frost (median)50% chance of 32°F by this date
- 190 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 19 | May 1 | May 18 |
| 32°F | Apr 7 | Apr 21 | May 6 |
| 28°F | Mar 27 | Apr 8 | Apr 22 |
| 24°F | Mar 15 | Mar 30 | Apr 12 |
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 2 | Oct 18 | Oct 31 |
| 32°F | Oct 17 | Oct 31 | Nov 11 |
| 28°F | Oct 29 | Nov 9 | Nov 23 |
| 24°F | Nov 6 | Nov 21 | Dec 7 |
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 | 146 days | 167 days | 187 days |
| 32°F | 171 days | 190 days | 208 days |
| 28°F | 196 days | 214 days | 234 days |
| 24°F | 216 days | 236 days | 260 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 48213 | 6b | -5 to 0°F | 2 km |
| 48234 | 6b | -5 to 0°F | 3 km |
| 48205 | 6b | -5 to 0°F | 4 km |
| 48212 | 6b | -5 to 0°F | 4 km |
| 48211 | 6b | -5 to 0°F | 4 km |
| 48214 | 6b | -5 to 0°F | 5 km |
| 48215 | 6b | -5 to 0°F | 6 km |
| 48089 | 6b | -5 to 0°F | 7 km |
| 48207 | 6b | -5 to 0°F | 7 km |
| 48202 | 6b | -5 to 0°F | 7 km |
| 48091 | 6b | -5 to 0°F | 8 km |
| 48203 | 6b | -5 to 0°F | 8 km |
| 48201 | 6b | -5 to 0°F | 8 km |
| 48015 | 6b | -5 to 0°F | 8 km |
| 48243 | 6b | -5 to 0°F | 9 km |
| 48226 | 6b | -5 to 0°F | 9 km |
| 48030 | 6b | -5 to 0°F | 9 km |
| 48220 | 6b | -5 to 0°F | 12 km |
| 48093 | 6b | -5 to 0°F | 12 km |
| 48088 | 6b | -5 to 0°F | 12 km |
| 48092 | 6b | -5 to 0°F | 12 km |
| 48069 | 6b | -5 to 0°F | 13 km |
| 48071 | 6b | -5 to 0°F | 13 km |
| 48067 | 6b | -5 to 0°F | 14 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 USW00014822, at 42.4092, -83.0100, elevation 191 m (626 ft).
- Data quality: Standard (24+ years of data), 29 years of freeze data.
- Average days per year at or below 32°F: 112.
- Frost risk changes over short distances. Valleys and low spots freeze earlier than hillsides and city centers.
Nearby weather stations
- Grosse Pointe Farms (10 km)
- Dearborn #2 (15 km)
- Dearborn (21 km)
- Mount Clemens Ang Base (27 km)
- Farmington (30 km)
- Pontiac Wastewater Plant (33 km)
- Detroit Metro Airport (33 km)
- Pontiac Oakland Co Intl Airport (44 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.