Michigan frost dates
The typical last spring frost ranges from Apr 21 in Detroit to May 12 in Traverse City.
9 of the 9 Michigan cities listed have typical frost dates. The longest frost-free season is 190 days in Detroit; the shortest is 155 days in Traverse City. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ann Arbor | May 3 | May 20 | Oct 13 | Sep 29 | Apr 23 / Oct 26 | 160 days |
| Dearborn | May 1 | May 18 | Oct 15 | Oct 1 | Apr 20 / Oct 28 | 166 days |
| Detroit | Apr 21 | May 6 | Oct 31 | Oct 17 | Apr 8 / Nov 9 | 190 days |
| Grand Rapids | Apr 29 | May 15 | Oct 20 | Oct 4 | Apr 16 / Nov 2 | 174 days |
| Lansing | May 1 | May 18 | Oct 13 | Sep 29 | Apr 21 / Oct 27 | 162 days |
| Mackinac Island | May 7 | May 22 | Oct 23 | Oct 6 | Apr 25 / Nov 3 | 167 days |
| Sterling Heights | Apr 21 | May 6 | Oct 31 | Oct 17 | Apr 8 / Nov 9 | 190 days |
| Traverse City | May 12 | May 27 | Oct 16 | Oct 1 | Apr 30 / Oct 30 | 155 days |
| Warren | Apr 21 | May 6 | Oct 31 | Oct 17 | Apr 8 / Nov 9 | 190 days |
Reading the table: Dearborn
In Dearborn, the last spring frost typically comes around May 1: in half of years it is earlier, in half later. In 1 year in 10 it comes after May 18, 17 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 Oct 15, and in 1 year in 10 before Oct 1. Hard freezes (28°F) usually end earlier in spring and start later in fall: around Apr 20 and Oct 28 in Dearborn.
Frost dates at more Michigan weather stations
NOAA stations across Michigan used by our ZIP code lookup, named for the town they are in.
| Station | Elevation | Last spring frost | First fall frost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adrian 2 Nne | 760 ft | May 1 (1 in 10 after May 17) | Oct 15 (before Oct 1) |
| Adrian Lenawee Co Airport | 796 ft | Apr 27 (1 in 10 after May 14) | Oct 20 (before Oct 4) |
| Alma | 729 ft | May 1 (1 in 10 after May 19) | Oct 13 (before Sep 29) |
| Alpena Co Rgnl Airport | 684 ft | May 17 (1 in 10 after May 31) | Oct 1 (before Sep 18) |
| Bad Axe | 715 ft | May 5 (1 in 10 after May 20) | Oct 19 (before Oct 2) |
| Battle Creek Kellogg Airport | 928 ft | Apr 30 (1 in 10 after May 17) | Oct 19 (before Oct 3) |
| Benton Harbor Airport | 643 ft | May 4 (1 in 10 after May 22) | Oct 17 (before Sep 30) |
| Bergland Dam | 1,300 ft | May 26 (1 in 10 after Jun 8) | Sep 27 (before Sep 10) |
| Big Rapids WTP | 898 ft | May 13 (1 in 10 after May 28) | Oct 2 (before Sep 18) |
| Bloomingdale | 736 ft | May 7 (1 in 10 after May 22) | Oct 11 (before Sep 28) |
| Cadillac | 1,295 ft | May 19 (1 in 10 after Jun 3) | Oct 1 (before Sep 17) |
| Caro Wwtp | 690 ft | May 7 (1 in 10 after May 24) | Oct 9 (before Sep 25) |
| Cass City 1 Ssw | 698 ft | May 7 (1 in 10 after May 22) | Oct 10 (before Sep 26) |
| Central Michigan Univ | 795 ft | Apr 30 (1 in 10 after May 16) | Oct 20 (before Oct 5) |
| Charlotte | 902 ft | May 1 (1 in 10 after May 18) | Oct 15 (before Oct 1) |
| Chatham Exp Farm 2 | 870 ft | May 30 (1 in 10 after Jun 21) | Sep 27 (before Sep 6) |
| Coldwater St School | 984 ft | May 2 (1 in 10 after May 18) | Oct 13 (before Sep 30) |
| Cornell 5SE | 794 ft | May 19 (1 in 10 after Jun 3) | Oct 1 (before Sep 16) |
| Detroit Metro Airport | 631 ft | Apr 20 (1 in 10 after May 8) | Oct 27 (before Oct 14) |
| Engadine Mdot | 685 ft | May 26 (1 in 10 after Jun 10) | Sep 30 (before Sep 13) |
| Farmington | 720 ft | May 1 (1 in 10 after May 16) | Oct 17 (before Oct 1) |
| Flint Bishop Intl Airport | 770 ft | May 6 (1 in 10 after May 23) | Oct 10 (before Sep 26) |
| Frankfort 2NE | 948 ft | May 2 (1 in 10 after May 20) | Oct 26 (before Oct 7) |
| Gladwin | 775 ft | May 9 (1 in 10 after May 23) | Oct 4 (before Sep 22) |
| Greenville 2 Nne | 882 ft | May 18 (1 in 10 after Jun 3) | Sep 28 (before Sep 15) |
| Hale Loud Dam | 728 ft | May 16 (1 in 10 after May 30) | Oct 5 (before Sep 22) |
| Hancock Houghton Co Airport | 1,063 ft | May 17 (1 in 10 after Jun 3) | Oct 1 (before Sep 16) |
| Harbor Beach 1 Sse | 595 ft | May 2 (1 in 10 after May 17) | Oct 24 (before Oct 7) |
| Hastings | 821 ft | May 3 (1 in 10 after May 22) | Oct 12 (before Sep 29) |
| Hillsdale | 1,080 ft | May 3 (1 in 10 after May 19) | Oct 12 (before Sep 29) |
| Holland Tulip City Airport | 689 ft | Apr 28 (1 in 10 after May 16) | Oct 21 (before Oct 4) |
| Houghton Lk Roscommon Airport | 1,151 ft | May 19 (1 in 10 after Jun 3) | Sep 23 (before Sep 6) |
| Ionia 2SSW | 805 ft | May 3 (1 in 10 after May 21) | Oct 12 (before Sep 29) |
| Iron Mtn-Kingsford Wwtp | 1,071 ft | May 17 (1 in 10 after May 31) | Oct 1 (before Sep 17) |
| Jackson Reynolds Fld | 998 ft | May 1 (1 in 10 after May 18) | Oct 14 (before Sep 30) |
| Kalamazoo Battle Ck Intl Airport | 868 ft | Apr 28 (1 in 10 after May 13) | Oct 18 (before Oct 2) |
| Kalkaska | 1,035 ft | May 24 (1 in 10 after Jun 7) | Oct 1 (before Sep 14) |
| Lapeer Wwtp | 820 ft | May 4 (1 in 10 after May 22) | Oct 14 (before Sep 29) |
| Lexington WTP | 622 ft | May 4 (1 in 10 after May 20) | Oct 24 (before Oct 7) |
| Manistee 3SE | 670 ft | May 14 (1 in 10 after May 31) | Oct 12 (before Sep 27) |
| Maple City 1E | 799 ft | May 22 (1 in 10 after Jun 6) | Oct 9 (before Sep 25) |
| Milford Gm Proving Ground | 970 ft | May 6 (1 in 10 after May 22) | Oct 12 (before Sep 27) |
| Mt Clemens Ang Base | 580 ft | Apr 30 (1 in 10 after May 15) | Oct 24 (before Oct 7) |
| Muskegon Co Airport | 625 ft | Apr 30 (1 in 10 after May 18) | Oct 19 (before Oct 2) |
| Owosso Wwtp | 730 ft | May 1 (1 in 10 after May 17) | Oct 15 (before Oct 1) |
| Pellston Rgnl Airport | 705 ft | May 31 (1 in 10 after Jun 21) | Sep 18 (before Sep 2) |
| Pontiac Oakland Co Intl Airport | 976 ft | Apr 29 (1 in 10 after May 14) | Oct 20 (before Oct 5) |
| Pontiac Wwtp | 890 ft | Apr 26 (1 in 10 after May 12) | Oct 22 (before Oct 7) |
| Port Huron | 590 ft | Apr 19 (1 in 10 after May 4) | Nov 3 (before Oct 20) |
| Richmond 4 Nnw | 765 ft | May 1 (1 in 10 after May 17) | Oct 20 (before Oct 4) |
| Saginaw #3 | 600 ft | Apr 29 (1 in 10 after May 13) | Oct 21 (before Oct 5) |
| Saginaw Mbs Intl Airport | 660 ft | Apr 26 (1 in 10 after May 13) | Oct 17 (before Oct 2) |
| Saint Johns | 743 ft | Apr 28 (1 in 10 after May 12) | Oct 24 (before Oct 7) |
| Sandusky | 774 ft | May 2 (1 in 10 after May 17) | Oct 16 (before Oct 1) |
| Sault Ste Marie Sanderson Fld | 722 ft | May 9 (1 in 10 after May 27) | Oct 11 (before Sep 26) |
| Stambaugh 2SSE | 1,450 ft | Jun 4 (1 in 10 after Jun 26) | Sep 10 (before Aug 21) |
| Standish 4NE | 615 ft | May 5 (1 in 10 after May 23) | Oct 10 (before Sep 26) |
| Stephenson 5WSW | 690 ft | May 22 (1 in 10 after Jun 4) | Sep 27 (before Sep 10) |
| Three Rivers | 810 ft | Apr 30 (1 in 10 after May 15) | Oct 17 (before Oct 1) |
| Yale 1 Nnw | 820 ft | May 12 (1 in 10 after May 26) | Oct 5 (before Sep 23) |
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.