Kentucky Frost Dates: Last and First Frost by Town

97 NOAA weather stations · 1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals · Data updated 2026-10-29

Quick answer

Across Kentucky's 97 NOAA stations with regular frost, the median last spring frost is April 15 and the median first fall frost is October 25. Last frost dates range from March 27 at Eddyville 5S to May 2 at Grayson 3 SW, so enter your ZIP code below for the station nearest you.

How frost dates vary across Kentucky

North vs south: stations in the northern third of the state (north of 37.9°N) reach their median last frost about 8 days later than the southern third (south of 37.3°N).
Safety margin: the median 10%-risk date (May 3) is about 18 days after the median last frost. Waiting until then cuts the chance of a killing frost on tender transplants from 1 in 2 to 1 in 10.

Frost dates at Kentucky's major weather stations

These National Weather Service stations, mostly at airports, have the longest and most complete records in the state.


Bowling Green 21 NNE	790	Apr 4	Apr 24	Oct 31	209
Bowling Green Warren County Airport	523	Apr 5	Apr 21	Oct 31	208
Cincinnati Northern Ky Airport	869	Apr 18	May 7	Oct 25	188
Frankfort Capital City Airport	804	Apr 15	May 5	Oct 24	192
Jackson	1,364	Apr 6	Apr 25	Nov 1	208
Lexington Bluegrass Airport	980	Apr 13	May 1	Oct 28	196
London Corbin Airport	1,188	Apr 15	May 3	Oct 25	192
Louisville Bowman Field	540	Apr 3	Apr 19	Nov 3	214
Louisville Intl Airport	488	Mar 31	Apr 16	Nov 7	222
Paducah	392	Apr 5	Apr 21	Oct 28	206
Versailles 3 NNW	891	Apr 12	May 2	Oct 28	198

All 97 stations in Kentucky

Last frost and first frost are medians: a 50% chance of a 32°F night after (spring) or before (fall) that date. 10% risk is the spring date with only a 1-in-10 chance of a later frost. Click a column to sort.

Filter by station name


Ashland	560	Apr 22	May 11	Oct 23	181
Augusta 2	508	Apr 11	May 2	Oct 30	200
Barbourville	990	Apr 19	May 6	Oct 24	187
Bardstown 5E	780	Apr 13	May 3	Oct 25	195
Bardwell 2 E	410	Apr 6	Apr 22	Oct 30	204
Barren River Lake	615	Apr 12	Apr 30	Oct 29	198
Baxter	1,164	Apr 15	May 1	Oct 30	197
Beattyville 4N	1,080	Apr 12	May 6	Oct 25	192
Beaver Dam	400	Apr 10	Apr 29	Oct 22	192
Benton	365	Apr 9	Apr 28	Oct 19	192
Berea College	1,070	Apr 5	Apr 23	Nov 2	213
Bernheim Forest	550	Apr 18	May 6	Oct 25	189
Booneville 12SW	880	Apr 24	May 12	Oct 19	178
Bowling Green 21 NNE	790	Apr 4	Apr 24	Oct 31	209
Bowling Green Warren County Airport	523	Apr 5	Apr 21	Oct 31	208
Bradfordsville	660	Apr 22	May 9	Oct 20	180
Brandenburg	615	Apr 19	May 2	Oct 24	186
Buckhorn Lake	780	Apr 19	May 2	Oct 25	188
Calhoun Lock 2	402	Apr 2	Apr 20	Nov 1	211
Cave Run Lake	840	Apr 17	May 6	Oct 25	189
Charley 2 SW	740	Apr 24	May 12	Oct 17	174
Cincinnati Northern Ky Airport	869	Apr 18	May 7	Oct 25	188
Corners	615	Apr 25	May 12	Oct 16	172
Crab Orchard 6 N	1,025	Apr 18	May 9	Oct 24	188
Cressy	720	Apr 20	May 8	Oct 19	182
Crestwood 4NE	780	Apr 12	May 1	Oct 25	193
Cynthiana	700	Apr 18	May 5	Oct 23	188
Danville	900	Apr 9	Apr 29	Oct 27	199
Dix Dam	870	Apr 7	Apr 24	Nov 1	206
Eastern Kentucky University	1,000	Apr 15	Apr 30	Oct 22	190
Eddyville 5S	523	Mar 27	Apr 12	Nov 8	225
Elizabethtown Wp Cs	690	Apr 16	May 4	Oct 25	191
Elkton	619	Apr 3	Apr 21	Oct 29	207
Flemingsburg 2 N	940	Apr 12	May 2	Oct 30	200
Frankfort Capital City Airport	804	Apr 15	May 5	Oct 24	192
Gimlet 9N	1,120	Apr 10	May 2	Oct 31	201
Glasgow	770	Apr 9	Apr 28	Oct 27	201
Glencoe 6 NW	490	Apr 23	May 9	Oct 21	179
Grayson 2 E	580	Apr 27	May 15	Oct 17	172
Grayson 3 SW	700	May 2	May 20	Oct 11	160
Greensburg	585	Apr 15	May 2	Oct 24	192
Heidelberg	665	Apr 17	May 5	Oct 22	189
Henderson 8 SSW	449	Apr 4	Apr 19	Oct 29	207
Henderson State Police	420	Apr 9	Apr 24	Oct 26	198
Hodgenville Lincoln P	788	Apr 16	May 3	Oct 25	191
Hopkinsville	520	Apr 4	Apr 19	Nov 2	211
Inez 2 E	710	Apr 20	May 9	Oct 24	186
Jackson	1,364	Apr 6	Apr 25	Nov 1	208
Jamestown Wwtp	890	Apr 18	May 3	Oct 24	189
Kenlake Resort	484	Mar 30	Apr 16	Nov 4	221
Knob Lick 4S	1,020	Apr 5	Apr 24	Nov 2	211
Leitchfield 2 N	620	Apr 26	May 11	Oct 15	172
Lexington Bluegrass Airport	980	Apr 13	May 1	Oct 28	196
London Corbin Airport	1,188	Apr 15	May 3	Oct 25	192
Louisville Bowman Field	540	Apr 3	Apr 19	Nov 3	214
Louisville Intl Airport	488	Mar 31	Apr 16	Nov 7	222
Louisville McAlpine	440	Mar 31	Apr 14	Nov 9	225
Louisville WFO	632	Apr 6	Apr 23	Nov 1	209
Madisonville	425	Apr 2	Apr 18	Nov 1	212
Mammoth Cave	760	Apr 9	Apr 29	Oct 30	204
Manchester 4 W	870	Apr 29	May 13	Oct 16	170
Maysville Wwtp	515	Apr 18	May 4	Oct 30	195
McDaniels	425	Apr 11	Apr 28	Oct 26	196
Millerstown 4E	600	Apr 21	May 6	Oct 18	178
Monticello 3 NE	979	Apr 18	May 5	Oct 26	190
Mount Sterling	960	Apr 24	May 12	Oct 18	175
Mount Vernon	1,160	Apr 18	May 6	Oct 24	189
Murray	527	Apr 5	Apr 20	Nov 1	209
Nolin River Lake	623	Apr 22	May 11	Oct 22	182
Olive Hill 5NE	888	Apr 24	May 12	Oct 18	174
Oneida	760	Apr 16	May 3	Oct 26	192
Paducah	392	Apr 5	Apr 21	Oct 28	206
Paintsville 1E	630	Apr 19	May 6	Oct 25	188
Prestonsburg 3WSW	760	Apr 23	May 10	Oct 23	183
Princeton 1 SE	497	Apr 11	Apr 30	Oct 24	196
Providence	409	Apr 7	Apr 24	Oct 28	203
Quicksand	745	Apr 19	May 5	Oct 24	187
Rochester Ferry	390	Apr 15	May 3	Oct 20	187
Rough River Lake	560	Apr 17	May 5	Oct 23	187
Russellville	570	Apr 9	Apr 30	Oct 28	200
Salyersville Wtr Wks	970	Apr 25	May 11	Oct 21	179
Scottsville	743	Apr 15	May 2	Oct 25	194
Shelbyville 1 E	730	May 1	May 15	Oct 10	161
Skyline 1 SE	1,083	Apr 18	May 2	Oct 28	191
Somerset 2 N	1,020	Apr 5	Apr 25	Oct 30	206
Stanton 2W	720	Apr 19	May 5	Oct 20	184
Stearns 2S	1,220	Apr 24	May 11	Oct 18	177
Summer Shade	864	Apr 26	May 16	Oct 18	174
Taylorsville Lake	700	Apr 23	May 7	Oct 16	176
Versailles 3 NNW	891	Apr 12	May 2	Oct 28	198
W Liberty 3NW	780	Apr 29	May 16	Oct 16	169
W Paducah 2W	413	Apr 3	Apr 20	Oct 27	205
Warnock 2	910	Apr 20	May 10	Oct 22	182
Warsaw Markland Dam	451	Apr 17	May 4	Oct 29	194
Whitesburg 2SE	1,240	Apr 21	May 6	Oct 22	183
Williamsburg	940	Apr 21	May 5	Oct 22	182
Williamstown	969	Apr 11	Apr 30	Oct 29	199

Frequently asked questions

When is the last frost in Kentucky?

The median last spring frost (32°F) across Kentucky's NOAA weather stations is April 15, based on 1991–2020 climate normals. It ranges from March 27 at Eddyville 5S to May 2 at Grayson 3 SW. For a safer planting date, use the 10%-risk date; the state median for that is May 3.

When is the first frost in Kentucky?

The median first fall frost across Kentucky's stations is October 25. The earliest median first frost is October 10 at Shelbyville 1 E, and the latest is November 9 at Louisville McAlpine.

How long is the growing season in Kentucky?

The median frost-free season is 192 days across Kentucky's stations, from 160 days at Grayson 3 SW to 225 days at Louisville McAlpine.

When should I plant tomatoes in Kentucky?

Plant tomatoes outdoors after your local last frost, ideally after the 10%-risk date when nights stay above 50°F. At a typical Kentucky station that means starting seeds indoors 6–8 weeks before April 15 and transplanting from about May 3. Check your ZIP code, because dates vary by weeks across the state.

How to use these dates

Frost dates are 30-year averages from NOAA, not forecasts. Use them to plan seed starting and planting, then watch the 10-day forecast as the date approaches. Cold air settles in valleys and low spots, so a garden at the bottom of a slope can frost a week or more later in spring than the nearest station shows.

Ready to plan? The planting calendar by ZIP code turns these dates into start-indoors, transplant and sowing dates for 30 crops.

Sources and method

Dates are the 32°F freeze probabilities published in the NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals for each station. Station names are NOAA's, lightly expanded for readability. See the methodology or download the full table.