Maryland frost dates
The typical last spring frost ranges from Mar 24 in Baltimore to Apr 10 in Columbia.
5 of the 5 Maryland cities listed have typical frost dates. The longest frost-free season is 244 days in Baltimore; the shortest is 204 days in Columbia. For a single address, look up your ZIP code: rural ZIPs use their nearest suitable station.
| City | Last spring frost | 1 in 10 after | First fall frost | 1 in 10 before | Hard freeze (28°F) | Season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore | Mar 24 | Apr 4 | Nov 21 | Nov 7 | Mar 11 / Dec 5 | 244 days |
| Columbia | Apr 10 | Apr 25 | Oct 31 | Oct 17 | Mar 28 / Nov 10 | 204 days |
| Frederick | Apr 2 | Apr 15 | Nov 6 | Oct 23 | Mar 21 / Nov 21 | 218 days |
| Gaithersburg | Apr 1 | Apr 15 | Nov 6 | Oct 24 | Mar 22 / Nov 19 | 219 days |
| Ocean City | Apr 7 | Apr 23 | Nov 2 | Oct 20 | Mar 26 / Nov 14 | 209 days |
Reading the table: Frederick
In Frederick, the last spring frost typically comes around Apr 2: in half of years it is earlier, in half later. In 1 year in 10 it comes after Apr 15, 13 days later, so tender plants set out after that date have a 90% chance of escaping frost. In fall, the first frost typically arrives around Nov 6, and in 1 year in 10 before Oct 23. Hard freezes (28°F) usually end earlier in spring and start later in fall: around Mar 21 and Nov 21 in Frederick.
Frost dates at more Maryland weather stations
NOAA stations across Maryland used by our ZIP code lookup, named for the town they are in.
| Station | Elevation | Last spring frost | First fall frost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aberdeen Phillips Fld | 57 ft | Apr 10 (1 in 10 after Apr 30) | Oct 30 (before Oct 14) |
| Annapolis Naf | 8 ft | Mar 23 (1 in 10 after Apr 6) | Nov 20 (before Nov 4) |
| Beltsville | 145 ft | Apr 10 (1 in 10 after May 1) | Nov 1 (before Oct 16) |
| Catoctin Mtn Park | 1,610 ft | Apr 14 (1 in 10 after Apr 30) | Oct 30 (before Oct 14) |
| Chestertown | 40 ft | Apr 3 (1 in 10 after Apr 16) | Nov 5 (before Oct 24) |
| Conowingo Dam | 40 ft | Apr 3 (1 in 10 after Apr 18) | Nov 6 (before Oct 26) |
| Cumberland 2 | 730 ft | Apr 15 (1 in 10 after May 5) | Oct 24 (before Oct 9) |
| Cylburn | 235 ft | Apr 2 (1 in 10 after Apr 13) | Nov 7 (before Oct 27) |
| Dalecarlia Rsvr | 150 ft | Apr 9 (1 in 10 after Apr 26) | Oct 31 (before Oct 16) |
| Damascus 3 Ssw | 700 ft | Apr 14 (1 in 10 after May 2) | Oct 29 (before Oct 13) |
| Emmitsburg 2 Se | 403 ft | Apr 22 (1 in 10 after May 9) | Oct 20 (before Oct 7) |
| Frostburg 2 | 2,170 ft | Apr 29 (1 in 10 after May 15) | Oct 18 (before Oct 5) |
| Hagerstown Washington Co Airport | 698 ft | Apr 7 (1 in 10 after Apr 21) | Nov 4 (before Oct 22) |
| Laurel 3 W | 400 ft | Apr 5 (1 in 10 after Apr 19) | Nov 9 (before Oct 27) |
| Mechanicsville 5 Ne | 100 ft | Apr 17 (1 in 10 after May 2) | Oct 27 (before Oct 12) |
| Millers 4 Ne | 860 ft | Apr 19 (1 in 10 after May 8) | Oct 25 (before Oct 8) |
| Natl Arboretum Dc | 50 ft | Mar 29 (1 in 10 after Apr 11) | Nov 8 (before Oct 26) |
| Oakland 1 Se | 2,420 ft | May 6 (1 in 10 after May 23) | Oct 9 (before Sep 26) |
| Patuxent River NAS | 39 ft | Mar 29 (1 in 10 after Apr 10) | Nov 15 (before Nov 1) |
| Royal Oak 2 Ssw | 10 ft | Apr 1 (1 in 10 after Apr 15) | Nov 7 (before Oct 24) |
| Salisbury Wicomico Rgnl Airport | 48 ft | Apr 10 (1 in 10 after Apr 30) | Oct 30 (before Oct 15) |
| Savage Rvr Dam | 1,495 ft | Apr 29 (1 in 10 after May 15) | Oct 20 (before Oct 4) |
| Sharpsburg 5 S | 400 ft | Apr 26 (1 in 10 after May 15) | Oct 18 (before Oct 5) |
| Smithsburg 2NW | 670 ft | Apr 25 (1 in 10 after May 11) | Oct 19 (before Oct 6) |
| Snow Hill 4 N | 30 ft | Apr 10 (1 in 10 after Apr 28) | Oct 31 (before Oct 16) |
| St Inigoes Webster Nolf | 21 ft | Mar 30 (1 in 10 after Apr 11) | Nov 14 (before Oct 29) |
| Stevensville 2SW | 10 ft | Mar 29 (1 in 10 after Apr 8) | Nov 12 (before Oct 29) |
| Upper Marlboro 3 Nnw | 130 ft | Apr 9 (1 in 10 after Apr 24) | Oct 29 (before Oct 14) |
| Vienna | 10 ft | Apr 8 (1 in 10 after Apr 23) | Nov 4 (before Oct 22) |
32°F dates from NOAA 1991-2020 freeze probabilities for each city's station. "1 in 10 after": a 10% chance of a later spring frost (planting is 90% safe after it). How to read frost dates.