South Dakota Frost Dates: Last and First Frost by Town

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

Quick answer

Across South Dakota's 166 NOAA stations with regular frost, the median last spring frost is May 8 and the median first fall frost is October 1. Last frost dates range from April 26 at Sioux Falls WFO Airport to June 1 at Hill City, so enter your ZIP code below for the station nearest you.

How frost dates vary across South Dakota

Elevation matters: across South Dakota's stations, each 1,000 ft of elevation delays the median last frost by about 5 days.
Safety margin: the median 10%-risk date (May 22) 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 South Dakota's major weather stations

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


Aberdeen	1,302	May 9	May 22	Sep 26	139
Aberdeen 35 WNW	1,957	May 10	May 22	Sep 30	143
Buffalo 13 ESE	2,883	May 20	Jun 2	Sep 19	120
Buffalo Asos	3,004	May 10	May 23	Oct 1	141
Chamberlain Municipal Airport	1,703	May 1	May 14	Oct 7	158
Custer County Airport	5,545	May 23	Jun 6	Sep 24	122
Faith Municipal Airport	2,580	May 7	May 20	Oct 3	147
Huron Regional Airport	1,280	May 6	May 20	Oct 2	146
Mitchell Municipal Airport	1,303	Apr 30	May 13	Oct 5	159
Mobridge Municipal Airport	1,715	May 5	May 20	Oct 4	150
Philip Airport	2,206	May 11	May 24	Sep 30	141
Pierre 24 S	2,124	May 6	May 20	Oct 7	154
Pierre Regional Airport	1,742	May 6	May 21	Oct 3	148
Pine Ridge Airport	3,278	May 16	May 31	Sep 27	132
Rapid City Regional Airport	3,160	May 12	May 26	Oct 1	139
Sioux Falls	1,430	May 1	May 14	Oct 6	157
Sioux Falls 14 NNE	1,594	May 1	May 15	Oct 4	155
Sisseton Municipal Airport	1,161	May 3	May 16	Sep 30	149
Watertown Regional Airport	1,748	May 7	May 20	Sep 30	145
Winner Wiley Field	2,032	May 1	May 15	Oct 10	162
Yankton 2 E	1,180	Apr 27	May 10	Oct 11	164

All 167 stations in South 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


Aberdeen	1,302	May 9	May 22	Sep 26	139
Aberdeen 3 E	1,301	May 8	May 21	Sep 29	144
Aberdeen 35 WNW	1,957	May 10	May 22	Sep 30	143
Academy 2NE	1,681	Apr 30	May 14	Oct 8	159
Alexandria	1,365	May 8	May 21	Sep 29	143
Andover #2	1,478	May 6	May 21	Oct 4	150
Antelope Ranger Station	2,820	May 19	Jun 2	Sep 19	121
Ardmore 1 NW	3,540	May 16	May 31	Sep 23	128
Arlington 1 W	1,824	May 3	May 15	Oct 2	151
Armour	1,510	May 3	May 18	Oct 6	157
Astoria 4S	1,890	May 6	May 20	Oct 3	150
Bear Ridge	3,900	May 17	May 30	Sep 27	132
Belle Fourche	3,020	May 10	May 25	Sep 30	143
Belle Fourche 22 NNW	3,200	May 15	May 28	Sep 24	130
Bison	2,780	May 10	May 24	Oct 1	144
Bonesteel	1,985	May 3	May 15	Oct 10	159
Bridgewater	1,417	Apr 30	May 11	Oct 7	161
Britton	1,355	May 13	May 27	Sep 26	135
Brookings 2 NE	1,639	May 6	May 19	Oct 1	145
Buffalo 13 ESE	2,883	May 20	Jun 2	Sep 19	120
Buffalo Asos	3,004	May 10	May 23	Oct 1	141
Camp Crook	3,120	May 17	May 30	Sep 24	128
Canton	1,316	May 2	May 15	Oct 2	151
Castlewood	1,685	May 10	May 23	Sep 27	139
Castlewood #2	1,689	May 6	May 20	Oct 1	145
Cedar Butte	2,355	May 6	May 22	Oct 4	151
Centerville 6 SE	1,276	May 2	May 15	Oct 1	151
Chamberlain 5 S	1,704	May 3	May 17	Oct 7	156
Chamberlain Municipal Airport	1,703	May 1	May 14	Oct 7	158
Clark	1,804	May 5	May 18	Oct 5	153
Clark No2	1,814	May 5	May 17	Oct 5	152
Clear Lake	1,812	May 7	May 21	Oct 1	146
Columbia 8 N	1,305	May 7	May 22	Sep 29	145
Conde	1,330	May 6	May 20	Sep 29	144
Cottonwood 2 E	2,373	May 16	May 29	Sep 26	132
Custer	5,480	May 18	Jun 1	Sep 28	129
Custer County Airport	5,545	May 23	Jun 6	Sep 24	122
De Smet	1,705	May 5	May 20	Oct 4	151
Deadwood	4,670	May 24	Jun 6	Sep 25	125
Dupree	2,388	May 8	May 22	Oct 1	144
Dupree 15 SSE	2,100	May 6	May 20	Oct 2	148
Edgemont	3,432	May 23	Jun 7	Sep 20	117
Edgemont 23 NNW	4,402	May 18	Jun 1	Sep 27	130
Elm Springs 3 ESE	2,645	May 8	May 22	Oct 3	146
Eureka	1,871	May 12	May 25	Sep 27	137
Faith	2,592	May 6	May 20	Oct 5	151
Faith Municipal Airport	2,580	May 7	May 20	Oct 3	147
Faulkton 1 NW	1,597	May 10	May 25	Sep 28	139
Flandreau	1,567	May 5	May 17	Oct 1	148
Forestburg 4 NNE	1,277	May 9	May 24	Sep 28	140
Fort Meade	3,308	May 8	May 21	Oct 3	147
Fort Pierre 17 WSW	1,590	May 10	May 25	Sep 27	138
Gann Valley 3 NNE	1,646	May 7	May 21	Oct 1	146
Gann Valley 4NW	1,720	May 6	May 19	Oct 1	148
Gettysburg	2,084	May 7	May 21	Oct 2	147
Glad Valley 2 W	2,487	May 11	May 24	Sep 30	140
Gregory	2,160	May 6	May 20	Oct 3	149
Harrington	2,980	May 11	May 24	Oct 1	143
Harrold 12 SSW	1,701	May 17	May 31	Sep 24	129
Hereford 12 SW	2,810	May 8	May 22	Oct 3	147
Highmore 1 W	1,888	May 12	May 28	Oct 1	142
Highmore 23 N	1,870	May 14	May 25	Sep 29	138
Hill City	4,946	Jun 1	Jun 19	Sep 10	102
Hoover	2,773	May 19	May 31	Sep 21	122
Hot Springs	3,560	May 16	May 31	Sep 27	133
Howard	1,570	May 5	May 18	Oct 2	149
Huron Regional Airport	1,280	May 6	May 20	Oct 2	146
Interior 3 NE	2,440	May 5	May 20	Oct 7	152
Ipswich	1,547	May 8	May 22	Sep 29	143
Johnson Siding	4,184	May 20	Jun 3	Sep 25	126
Kennebec	1,681	May 12	May 26	Sep 28	137
Kirley 6 N	2,160	May 6	May 21	Oct 4	148
Kyle 2 E	2,958	May 11	May 27	Oct 1	139
Ladner 9SW	3,000	May 13	May 25	Sep 27	135
Lake Sharpe Prj	1,461	May 6	May 20	Oct 5	152
Lead	5,112	May 18	Jun 1	Sep 29	133
Lemmon	2,567	May 10	May 24	Sep 30	142
Leola	1,580	May 9	May 21	Sep 28	141
Lodgepole 5SW	2,570	May 30	Jun 13	Sep 11	103
Longvalley	2,470	May 9	May 24	Oct 1	143
Ludlow 3 SSE	2,990	May 16	May 29	Sep 26	131
Madison 2SE	1,643	May 5	May 18	Sep 30	148
Manderson 3 NE	3,095	May 9	May 24	Oct 4	147
Martin	3,330	May 13	May 27	Oct 2	141
Martin 8 E	3,036	May 14	May 28	Oct 1	139
Maurine 12SW	2,629	May 13	May 27	Sep 28	136
Mc Intosh 6 SE	2,179	May 9	May 24	Sep 30	143
Mc Laughlin	2,001	May 12	May 25	Sep 28	137
Mellette 4 W	1,296	May 11	May 23	Sep 27	137
Menno	1,332	May 1	May 14	Oct 4	156
Midland	1,870	May 12	May 26	Sep 28	138
Milbank	1,142	May 5	May 18	Oct 2	150
Milbank 4 NW	1,145	May 2	May 15	Oct 4	153
Milesville 5 NE	2,237	May 8	May 22	Oct 2	147
Miller	1,576	May 3	May 16	Oct 3	152
Mission	2,587	May 9	May 21	Oct 1	146
Mission 14 S	2,810	May 11	May 25	Oct 2	145
Mission Ridge 5NW	1,982	May 6	May 22	Oct 7	152
Mitchell	1,287	Apr 27	May 10	Oct 11	167
Mitchell 2 N	1,250	May 2	May 15	Oct 6	156
Mitchell Municipal Airport	1,303	Apr 30	May 13	Oct 5	159
Mobridge 2NNW	1,693	May 3	May 16	Oct 8	157
Mobridge Municipal Airport	1,715	May 5	May 20	Oct 4	150
Montrose 8N	1,718	May 3	May 15	Oct 4	153
Mount Rushmore Nmem	5,311	May 15	May 29	Oct 1	138
Murdo	2,316	May 3	May 16	Oct 9	158
Newell	2,860	May 8	May 22	Oct 1	144
Oahe Dam	1,663	May 6	May 19	Oct 5	152
Oelrichs	3,348	May 15	May 28	Sep 30	137
Oglala 1S	2,995	May 7	May 21	Oct 4	149
Onida 4 NW	1,851	May 8	May 22	Oct 2	147
Oral	2,960	May 15	May 28	Sep 27	133
Pactola Dam	4,720	May 28	Jun 11	Sep 18	112
Philip Airport	2,206	May 11	May 24	Sep 30	141
Pickstown	1,490	Apr 30	May 12	Oct 13	165
Pickstown 4SSW	1,707	Apr 27	May 11	Oct 13	168
Pierre 24 S	2,124	May 6	May 20	Oct 7	154
Pierre Regional Airport	1,742	May 6	May 21	Oct 3	148
Pine Ridge Airport	3,278	May 16	May 31	Sep 27	132
Plainview 6 SSW	2,377	May 15	May 29	Sep 27	134
Pollock	1,639	May 8	May 21	Sep 30	143
Porcupine 11 N	2,820	May 17	Jun 1	Sep 25	130
Presho 7 NW	1,810	May 12	May 28	Sep 29	140
Ralph 1 N	2,790	May 18	May 31	Sep 23	126
Rapid City 4NW	3,479	May 10	May 25	Oct 5	147
Rapid City Regional Airport	3,160	May 12	May 26	Oct 1	139
Rapid City WFO	3,379	May 3	May 17	Oct 8	157
Rauville 2 W	1,737	May 7	May 20	Sep 28	143
Red Owl	2,773	May 16	May 27	Sep 26	131
Redfield	1,309	May 8	May 21	Oct 1	145
Redig 11 NE	3,070	May 15	May 27	Sep 24	131
Rochford 2 WNW	5,450	Any month	Any month	Any month	63
Roscoe	1,835	May 7	May 20	Oct 3	148
Roy Lake	1,810	May 2	May 15	Oct 9	160
Salem 5NE	1,594	May 7	May 19	Sep 29	144
Selby	1,908	May 8	May 21	Oct 1	145
Shadehill Rsvr	2,450	May 16	May 29	Sep 24	131
Sioux Falls	1,430	May 1	May 14	Oct 6	157
Sioux Falls 14 NNE	1,594	May 1	May 15	Oct 4	155
Sioux Falls WFO Airport	1,430	Apr 26	May 9	Oct 13	169
Sisseton	1,209	May 4	May 17	Oct 3	151
Sisseton Municipal Airport	1,161	May 3	May 16	Sep 30	149
Spearfish	3,633	May 12	May 25	Oct 2	143
Stephan 2 NW	1,805	May 10	May 24	Sep 29	140
Summit 1 W	1,955	May 14	May 28	Sep 28	136
Timber Lake	2,173	May 10	May 23	Sep 30	141
Turton	1,335	May 7	May 22	Oct 3	149
Tyndall	1,420	May 1	May 14	Oct 7	158
Vermillion 2 SE	1,137	May 3	May 16	Oct 3	153
Victor 4 N	1,095	May 4	May 17	Oct 3	152
Wagner	1,430	Apr 29	May 12	Oct 9	164
Wasta	2,328	May 10	May 25	Oct 1	141
Watertown 2 S	1,772	May 3	May 14	Oct 4	153
Watertown Regional Airport	1,748	May 7	May 20	Sep 30	145
Waubay Natl Wild Life	1,827	May 1	May 12	Oct 12	164
Webster	1,861	May 4	May 16	Oct 6	156
Wentworth 2.5 WNW	1,722	May 2	May 14	Oct 5	156
Wessington Springs	1,715	May 2	May 14	Oct 8	157
White Lake	1,629	May 3	May 17	Oct 5	153
Wilmot	1,201	May 5	May 18	Oct 1	149
Wind Cave	4,155	May 15	May 30	Sep 29	133
Winfred 2S	1,705	May 6	May 17	Oct 3	151
Winner	2,016	May 1	May 16	Oct 9	159
Winner Wiley Field	2,032	May 1	May 15	Oct 10	162
Wood	2,180	May 10	May 22	Oct 1	143
Yankton 2 E	1,180	Apr 27	May 10	Oct 11	164
Zeona 10 SSW	2,730	May 11	May 27	Sep 28	137

Frequently asked questions

When is the last frost in South Dakota?

The median last spring frost (32°F) across South Dakota's NOAA weather stations is May 8, based on 1991–2020 climate normals. It ranges from April 26 at Sioux Falls WFO Airport to June 1 at Hill City. For a safer planting date, use the 10%-risk date; the state median for that is May 22.

When is the first frost in South Dakota?

The median first fall frost across South Dakota's stations is October 1. The earliest median first frost is September 10 at Hill City, and the latest is October 13 at Sioux Falls WFO Airport.

How long is the growing season in South Dakota?

The median frost-free season is 145 days across South Dakota's stations, from 102 days at Hill City to 169 days at Sioux Falls WFO Airport.

When should I plant tomatoes in South Dakota?

Plant tomatoes outdoors after your local last frost, ideally after the 10%-risk date when nights stay above 50°F. At a typical South Dakota station that means starting seeds indoors 6–8 weeks before May 8 and transplanting from about May 22. Check your ZIP code, because dates vary by weeks across the state.

Can it frost in summer in South Dakota?

Yes, at 1 station in South Dakota a 32°F night is possible in any month, mostly at high elevation or far north. There is no reliable frost-free season there; use cold-hardy crops and row covers.

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.