When to Expect the First Frost in Your Area

For residents of the Northern Hemisphere, Saturday, September 23, 2023, became the first official day of autumn. While some parts of the country are still reeling from the sweltering summer heat, other regions experienced at least a few days of cool weather.

While daytime temperatures may remain relatively warm, it won’t be long before some areas get cold enough to cause frost to form overnight. So, when can you expect your first frost and why does it matter? We’re glad you asked.

What are “frost dates” and why do they matter?

“Frost date” refers to the average date of the last light frost in the spring, or in our case, the first light frost in the fall. Frost affects the development of outdoor plants, shrubs and trees in different ways, so gardeners tend to pay attention to frost dates to ensure everything is winter-ready .

According to the Farmer’s Almanac, “light frost” is one of three categories, depending on how cold temperatures affect plants:

• Light frost: 29° to 32°F – kills tender plants.
• Moderate frost: 25° to 28°F – harms most vegetation.
• Hard frost: 24°F or below – severely damages most garden plants.

When to expect the first frosts in autumn 2023

Frost dates are forecast using climate data from previous years, but if the 2023 weather has taught us anything, it’s that there are no guarantees and historical precedent only takes you so far.

However, it’s best to have an idea of ​​when to expect the first frost, and Farmer’s Almanac has a simple online tool that can help. It uses data from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information to estimate the first fall frost date of 2023 in your area.

Visit the Frost Dates page on the Farmer’s Almanac website and enter your zip code in the yellow search bar at the top. You can also scroll down a bit and click “View Locations by State or Province,” then select your state and then the closest city.