North Dakota Frost Dates: Last and First Frost by Town

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

Quick answer

Across North Dakota's 125 NOAA stations with regular frost, the median last spring frost is May 13 and the median first fall frost is September 27. Last frost dates range from May 2 at Hillsboro 3 N to May 24 at Hettinger Municipal Airport, so enter your ZIP code below for the station nearest you.

How frost dates vary across North Dakota

Elevation matters: across North Dakota's stations, each 1,000 ft of elevation delays the median last frost by about 4 days.
Safety margin: the median 10%-risk date (May 27) is about 14 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 North Dakota's major weather stations

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


Bismarck	1,658	May 14	May 27	Sep 27	136
Devils Lake Kdlr	1,464	May 6	May 19	Oct 5	152
Fargo Hector Intl Airport	900	May 10	May 23	Sep 30	143
Garrison	1,910	May 14	May 28	Sep 26	133
Grand Forks Intl Airport	842	May 16	May 31	Sep 27	133
Hettinger Municipal Airport	2,705	May 24	Jun 10	Sep 18	115
Jamestown 38 WSW	1,920	May 14	May 26	Sep 27	135
Jamestown Municipal Airport	1,494	May 11	May 24	Sep 28	138
Medora 7 E	2,771	May 9	May 21	Sep 30	142
Minot Intl Airport	1,665	May 10	May 22	Oct 1	144
Northgate 5 ESE	1,842	May 20	Jun 2	Sep 19	121
Pembina	790	May 16	May 31	Sep 29	137
Theodore Roosevelt Airport	2,580	May 18	May 31	Sep 25	129
Williston Sloulin Intl Airport	1,902	May 21	Jun 3	Sep 21	123

All 125 stations in North Dakota

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


Almont	1,915	May 17	Jun 1	Sep 21	124
Amidon	2,910	May 12	May 28	Sep 29	136
Ashley	2,014	May 13	May 26	Sep 28	137
Beach	2,800	May 16	May 30	Sep 26	130
Belcourt Keya Radio	1,960	May 19	Jun 1	Sep 24	126
Beulah 1 W	1,785	May 21	Jun 3	Sep 20	121
Bismarck	1,658	May 14	May 27	Sep 27	136
Bismarck 2.4 NNW	1,831	May 10	May 23	Sep 30	142
Bismarck WFO	1,651	May 14	May 27	Sep 30	138
Bottineau	1,619	May 15	May 28	Sep 25	133
Bowman	2,983	May 16	May 29	Sep 25	132
Breien	1,720	May 12	May 27	Sep 24	134
Butte 5SE	1,720	May 16	May 31	Sep 28	134
Carrington	1,586	May 10	May 23	Sep 28	139
Carrington 4 N	1,560	May 12	May 25	Sep 27	137
Carson	2,335	May 19	Jun 1	Sep 25	127
Casselton Agronomy Farm	935	May 9	May 21	Oct 1	143
Cavalier 7NW	899	May 12	May 27	Sep 30	139
Center 4SE	1,990	May 11	May 26	Sep 29	140
Colgate	1,180	May 10	May 25	Sep 24	136
Cooperstown	1,380	May 17	Jun 1	Sep 23	128
Crosby	1,959	May 17	May 28	Sep 23	128
Devils Lake	1,440	May 12	May 24	Sep 30	141
Devils Lake Kdlr	1,464	May 6	May 19	Oct 5	152
Dickinson	2,460	May 20	Jun 1	Sep 22	123
Dickinson Rch HQ	2,380	May 18	May 31	Sep 24	127
Drake 9 NE	1,547	May 12	May 25	Sep 27	137
Dunn Center 1E	2,187	May 20	Jun 1	Sep 21	125
Edgeley 3WNW	1,623	May 7	May 20	Oct 2	148
Edmore 4NW	1,539	May 15	May 31	Sep 22	128
Edmunds Arrowwood Ref	1,460	May 11	May 25	Sep 28	139
Ellendale	1,455	May 4	May 17	Oct 2	149
Enderlin 2W	1,164	May 3	May 16	Oct 5	155
Esmond 9 NNW	1,632	May 11	May 23	Sep 28	138
Fairfield	2,750	May 12	May 27	Sep 28	138
Fargo 3S	908	May 4	May 18	Oct 2	151
Fargo Hector Intl Airport	900	May 10	May 23	Sep 30	143
Fessenden	1,620	May 13	May 26	Sep 28	139
Flasher	1,980	May 13	May 28	Sep 27	135
Forman 5 SSE	1,250	May 7	May 20	Oct 1	146
Fortuna 1 W	2,350	May 19	May 31	Sep 17	121
Foxholm 7 N	1,675	May 11	May 29	Sep 29	138
Fullerton 1 ESE	1,435	May 9	May 23	Sep 28	141
Gackle	1,951	May 6	May 19	Oct 4	150
Garrison	1,932	May 12	May 24	Sep 30	140
Garrison	1,910	May 14	May 28	Sep 26	133
Grafton	827	May 4	May 18	Oct 7	156
Grand Forks Intl Airport	842	May 16	May 31	Sep 27	133
Grand Forks University (nws)	830	May 10	May 24	Oct 1	144
Granville	1,510	May 9	May 22	Oct 1	145
Grassy Butte 2ENE	2,670	May 18	Jun 1	Sep 23	125
Hansboro 4 NNE	1,540	May 18	May 31	Sep 23	127
Harvey 4NE	1,611	May 12	May 25	Sep 26	135
Hazelton 4NW	1,982	May 12	May 27	Sep 27	136
Heart Butte Dam	2,134	May 14	May 28	Sep 29	136
Hebron	2,160	May 19	Jun 2	Sep 21	123
Hettinger Experiment Station	2,703	May 21	Jun 5	Sep 21	120
Hettinger Municipal Airport	2,705	May 24	Jun 10	Sep 18	115
Hillsboro 3 N	910	May 2	May 17	Oct 9	158
Jamestown 38 WSW	1,920	May 14	May 26	Sep 27	135
Jamestown Municipal Airport	1,494	May 11	May 24	Sep 28	138
Jamestown State Hosp	1,467	May 8	May 21	Sep 29	143
Keene 3S	2,470	May 20	Jun 2	Sep 20	121
Kenmare 1 WSW	1,810	May 15	May 28	Sep 23	129
Killdeer	2,310	May 21	Jun 5	Sep 23	124
La Moure	1,334	May 10	May 22	Sep 28	140
Lake Metigoshe State Park	2,142	May 17	May 30	Sep 24	130
Langdon Experiment Farm	1,615	May 17	May 30	Sep 26	132
Larimore 4SW	1,152	May 11	May 25	Sep 28	139
Leeds	1,530	May 15	May 27	Sep 27	133
Lidgerwood	1,125	May 2	May 15	Oct 6	157
Linton	1,690	May 12	May 26	Sep 29	138
Lisbon	1,149	May 12	May 23	Sep 27	136
Mandan Experiment Station	1,750	May 13	May 26	Sep 27	136
Max	2,110	May 10	May 25	Sep 28	141
Mayville	983	May 13	May 25	Sep 27	136
Mc Clusky	1,927	May 8	May 20	Oct 1	145
Mc Henry 3W	1,555	May 12	May 25	Sep 28	139
Mc Leod 3 E	1,075	May 6	May 19	Sep 29	145
Medora	2,268	May 19	Jun 1	Sep 20	123
Medora 7 E	2,771	May 9	May 21	Sep 30	142
Minnewaukan	1,470	May 12	May 25	Sep 29	138
Minot Experiment Station	1,769	May 13	May 26	Sep 27	136
Minot Intl Airport	1,665	May 10	May 22	Oct 1	144
Moffit 3 SE	1,800	May 11	May 27	Sep 29	139
Mohall	1,641	May 17	May 30	Sep 23	127
Mott	2,426	May 16	May 30	Sep 25	129
Napoleon	1,980	May 13	May 26	Sep 28	136
New England	2,600	May 16	May 29	Sep 24	128
New Salem 5NW	2,150	May 18	Jun 1	Sep 24	127
Northgate 5 ESE	1,842	May 20	Jun 2	Sep 19	121
Oakes	1,324	May 8	May 21	Sep 28	144
Pembina	790	May 16	May 31	Sep 29	137
Petersburg 2 N	1,532	May 11	May 25	Sep 28	138
Powers Lake 1N	2,205	May 18	Jun 1	Sep 17	119
Pretty Rock	2,480	May 20	Jun 3	Sep 23	124
Richardton Abbey	2,470	May 9	May 23	Oct 1	145
Riverdale	1,962	May 12	May 27	Oct 3	143
Rolette 3SE	1,620	May 22	Jun 3	Sep 20	120
Rolla 1NE	1,833	May 20	May 31	Sep 26	128
Rugby	1,550	May 17	May 31	Sep 23	129
Stanley 3 NNW	2,280	May 17	May 29	Sep 23	127
Steele 4N	1,853	May 15	May 28	Sep 25	133
Streeter 5 NW	1,961	May 13	May 27	Sep 30	139
Taylor 7 NNW	2,220	May 23	Jun 5	Sep 20	119
Theodore Roosevelt Airport	2,580	May 18	May 31	Sep 25	129
Tioga 1E	2,245	May 11	May 24	Sep 26	136
Towner 2 NE	1,480	May 17	Jun 1	Sep 22	126
Trotters 3 SSE	2,420	May 15	May 29	Sep 25	132
Turtle Lake	1,893	May 14	May 26	Sep 26	136
Tuttle 12NNE	2,100	May 13	May 28	Sep 29	139
Underwood	2,045	May 10	May 25	Sep 29	139
Upham 3 N	1,425	May 15	May 26	Sep 25	132
Valley City 3 NNW	1,210	May 13	May 25	Sep 26	136
Velva	1,510	May 22	Jun 3	Sep 22	123
Washburn	1,755	May 12	May 25	Sep 30	140
Watford City	2,170	May 9	May 22	Sep 27	139
Watford City 14S	2,027	May 22	Jun 7	Sep 17	119
Westhope	1,502	May 14	May 26	Sep 25	133
Wildrose 3NW	2,227	May 18	May 30	Sep 20	124
Williston Experiment Farm	2,105	May 13	May 25	Sep 26	135
Williston Sloulin Intl Airport	1,902	May 21	Jun 3	Sep 21	123
Willow City	1,473	May 21	Jun 1	Sep 20	119
Wilton	2,188	May 11	May 25	Sep 30	142
Wishek	2,037	May 13	May 28	Sep 27	135

Frequently asked questions

When is the last frost in North Dakota?

The median last spring frost (32°F) across North Dakota's NOAA weather stations is May 13, based on 1991–2020 climate normals. It ranges from May 2 at Hillsboro 3 N to May 24 at Hettinger Municipal Airport. For a safer planting date, use the 10%-risk date; the state median for that is May 27.

When is the first frost in North Dakota?

The median first fall frost across North Dakota's stations is September 27. The earliest median first frost is September 17 at Fortuna 1 W, and the latest is October 9 at Hillsboro 3 N.

How long is the growing season in North Dakota?

The median frost-free season is 136 days across North Dakota's stations, from 115 days at Hettinger Municipal Airport to 158 days at Hillsboro 3 N.

When should I plant tomatoes in North Dakota?

Plant tomatoes outdoors after your local last frost, ideally after the 10%-risk date when nights stay above 50°F. At a typical North Dakota station that means starting seeds indoors 6–8 weeks before May 13 and transplanting from about May 27. 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.