Frost dates for St. Paul Downtown Airport, MN
At St. Paul Downtown Airport, the median last spring frost (32°F) is Apr 24 and the median first fall frost is Oct 16, for a typical growing season of 174 days. For a 90% chance that the last frost has passed, wait until May 10. Nearby ZIP codes are in USDA hardiness zone 5a.
- Apr 24Last spring frost (median)50% chance of 32°F after this date
- May 10Safer planting date10% chance of 32°F after this date
- Oct 16First fall frost (median)50% chance of 32°F by this date
- 174 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 20 | May 4 | May 18 |
| 32°F | Apr 9 | Apr 24 | May 10 |
| 28°F | Apr 1 | Apr 13 | Apr 28 |
| 24°F | Mar 22 | Apr 4 | Apr 17 |
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 | Sep 23 | Oct 5 | Oct 19 |
| 32°F | Oct 2 | Oct 16 | Oct 29 |
| 28°F | Oct 11 | Oct 27 | Nov 8 |
| 24°F | Oct 22 | Nov 4 | Nov 18 |
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 | 134 days | 153 days | 172 days |
| 32°F | 154 days | 174 days | 193 days |
| 28°F | 174 days | 194 days | 213 days |
| 24°F | 193 days | 212 days | 233 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 55107 | 5a | -20 to -15°F | 2 km |
| 55101 | 5a | -20 to -15°F | 3 km |
| 55075 | 5a | -20 to -15°F | 5 km |
| 55130 | 5a | -20 to -15°F | 5 km |
| 55118 | 5a | -20 to -15°F | 5 km |
| 55055 | 5a | -20 to -15°F | 8 km |
| 55076 | 5a | -20 to -15°F | 11 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 USW00014927, at 44.9319, -93.0556, elevation 213 m (700 ft).
- Data quality: Representative (10+ years), 22 years of freeze data.
- Average days per year at or below 32°F: 146.
- Frost risk changes over short distances. Valleys and low spots freeze earlier than hillsides and city centers.
Nearby weather stations
- St. Paul (3 km)
- St. Paul 3sw (8 km)
- U Of Mn St. Paul (12 km)
- Vadnais Lake (13 km)
- Minneapolis/st Paul Airport (15 km)
- Lower St. Anthony Falls (16 km)
- Stillwater 2sw (20 km)
- Stillwater 1 SE (24 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.