Iowa climate

Iowa Frost Dates

The median last spring freeze and first fall freeze (32°F) at 150 NOAA stations in Iowa, 1991-2020, with the growing season between them.

Every station

A median date has an even chance of a later freeze in spring or an earlier one in fall. Each town page gives the dates at 36, 32 and 28°F and every probability from 10 to 90 percent.

StationElevationLast freezeFirst freezeSeason, daysTown page
Albia 3 Nne880 ftApril 24October 16175Albia
Algona1,214 ftApril 30October 6159Algona
Allerton1,090 ftApril 21October 19181Corydon
Allison1,038 ftApril 27October 8164Allison
Ames 5 Se870 ftApril 26October 12169Cambridge
Ames 8 Wsw1,099 ftApril 23October 14174Boone
Ames Muni AP930 ftApril 26October 8165Ames
Anamosa 1 Wnw805 ftMay 1October 4156Anamosa
Anamosa 3 Ssw906 ftApril 27October 13169Anamosa
Ankeny975 ftApril 23October 15175Ankeny
Atlantic 1 Ne1,152 ftApril 30October 2155Atlantic
Audubon1,280 ftMay 2October 3154Audubon
Battle Creek 3NE1,380 ftMay 1October 1153Battle Creek
Beaconsfield1,215 ftApril 23October 17177Mount Ayr
Bedford1,190 ftApril 24October 15174Bedford
Belle Plaine810 ftApril 28October 10165Belle Plaine
Bellevue L&d 12603 ftApril 25October 16174Bellevue
Bloomfield858 ftApril 16October 22189Bloomfield
Boone1,035 ftApril 28October 12167Boone
Britt 3E1,220 ftApril 29October 7161Britt
Burlington 2S690 ftApril 18October 20185Burlington
Burlington Muni AP692 ftApril 15October 20188Burlington
Carroll1,240 ftApril 27October 10166Carroll
Cascade814 ftApril 28October 10165Cascade
Castana Exp Farm1,400 ftApril 25October 12170Mapleton
Cedar Rapids #1813 ftApril 28October 12167Marion
Cedar Rapids Muni AP868 ftApril 27October 11167Swisher
Centerville905 ftApril 28October 14169Centerville
Chariton 1 E965 ftMay 5October 5153Chariton
Charles City993 ftApril 30October 6159Charles City
Cherokee1,210 ftMay 4October 4153Cherokee
Clarinda980 ftApril 25October 11169Clarinda
Clarion1,156 ftApril 30October 10163Clarion
Clinton #1585 ftApril 22October 16177Camanche
Coggon903 ftMay 3October 7157Coggon
Colo1,000 ftApril 24October 12171Colo
Columbus Junction590 ftApril 26October 10167Columbus Junction
Corning1,190 ftApril 27October 12168Corning
Cresco 1 Ne1,255 ftMay 8October 1146Cresco
Creston 2 Sw1,296 ftApril 28October 11166Creston
Dakota City1,110 ftApril 26October 12169Dakota City
Davenport754 ftApril 23October 15175Eldridge
Davenport WFO750 ftApril 21October 17179Eldridge
Decorah860 ftMay 3October 7157Decorah
Denison1,401 ftApril 27October 11167Denison
Des Moines 17 E921 ftApril 21October 15177Prairie City
Des Moines Intl AP957 ftApril 18October 20185Norwalk
Des Moines Wsfo-Johnston959 ftApril 19October 18182Polk City
Donnellson705 ftApril 17October 22188Donnellson
Dubuque L&d 11620 ftApril 19October 21185Dubuque
Dubuque Rgnl AP1,056 ftApril 28October 11166
Eldora1,073 ftApril 27October 10166Eldora
Elkader 6 Ssw788 ftMay 8October 1146Elkader
Emmetsburg1,225 ftApril 27October 7163Emmetsburg
Estherville 4E1,320 ftMay 2October 3154Estherville
Estherville Muni AP1,317 ftMay 2September 30151Estherville
Fairfield740 ftApril 27October 12168Fairfield
Fayette1,145 ftMay 4October 4153Fayette
Forest City 2 Nne1,280 ftApril 30October 7160Forest City
Ft Dodge 5NNW1,115 ftApril 28October 8163Badger
Ft Madison530 ftApril 12October 25196Fort Madison
Glenwood 3SW980 ftApril 23October 11171Glenwood
Greenfield1,316 ftApril 25October 12170Greenfield
Grinnell 3 Sw905 ftMay 3October 6156Grinnell
Grundy Ctr985 ftApril 29October 9163Grundy Center
Guthrie Ctr1,065 ftMay 2October 3154Guthrie Center
Guttenberg L&d 10618 ftApril 21October 18180Guttenberg
Hampton1,105 ftApril 29October 9163Hampton
Harlan1,270 ftApril 27October 9165Harlan
Hawarden1,190 ftMay 1October 4156Hawarden
Holstein1,370 ftApril 30October 9162Holstein
Humboldt Wtp1,100 ftApril 27October 9165Humboldt
Ida Grove 5NW1,320 ftApril 27October 12168Ida Grove
Independence #11,010 ftApril 30October 7160Independence
Indianola 2W924 ftApril 24October 12171Indianola
Iowa City640 ftApril 29October 9163Iowa City
Iowa City Muni AP650 ftApril 21October 18180University Heights
Iowa Falls1,055 ftApril 28October 10165Iowa Falls
Jefferson1,055 ftApril 26October 9166Jefferson
Keokuk Lock Dam 19527 ftApril 10October 27200Keokuk
Keosauqua629 ftApril 26October 13170Keosauqua
Knoxville895 ftApril 20October 19182Knoxville
Lake Park1,465 ftApril 30October 10163Lake Park
Lamoni1,128 ftApril 17October 21187Lamoni
Lamoni1,168 ftApril 16October 20187Lamoni
Lamoni Muni AP1,131 ftApril 16October 21188Lamoni
Le Claire L&d 14577 ftApril 16October 25192
Le Mars1,195 ftApril 30October 4157Le Mars
Leon 6 Ese1,000 ftApril 30October 8161Leon
Little Sioux 2 Nw1,025 ftMay 1October 3155
Logan990 ftApril 29October 8162Logan
Lowden738 ftApril 27October 10166Lowden
Manchester #2990 ftMay 3October 4154Manchester
Mapleton No.21,200 ftMay 3October 1151Mapleton
Maquoketa668 ftApril 25October 14172Maquoketa
Marshalltown870 ftApril 28October 7162Marshalltown
Marshalltown Muni AP974 ftApril 30October 6159Marshalltown
Mason City1,105 ftApril 29October 7161Mason City
Mason City Muni AP1,225 ftMay 3October 1151Clear Lake
Milford 4 Nw1,402 ftMay 1October 6158Okoboji
Mt Ayr1,140 ftApril 25October 12170Mount Ayr
Mt Pleasant 1 Ssw730 ftApril 30October 10163Mount Pleasant
Muscatine549 ftApril 24October 14173Muscatine
Muscatine 2N680 ftApril 18October 22187Muscatine
New Hampton1,148 ftMay 2October 5156New Hampton
Newton960 ftApril 22October 17178Newton
Northwood1,190 ftMay 4October 4153Northwood
Oakland1,260 ftApril 23October 14174Oakland
Oelwein 1E1,165 ftApril 27October 13169Oelwein
Oelwein 2 S1,010 ftApril 30October 9162Oelwein
Onawa 3NW1,060 ftMay 1October 3155Onawa
Osage1,170 ftApril 30October 9162Osage
Osceola1,028 ftApril 29October 9163Osceola
Oskaloosa830 ftApril 21October 16178Oskaloosa
Ottumwa Industrial AP842 ftApril 23October 14174Ottumwa
Perry950 ftApril 25October 10168Perry
Pocahontas1,212 ftApril 26October 7164Pocahontas
Postville1,165 ftMay 1October 3155Postville
Primghar1,520 ftApril 29October 10164Primghar
Rathbun Dam965 ftApril 18October 23188Moravia
Red Oak1,040 ftApril 24October 13172Red Oak
Rock Rapids1,350 ftMay 1October 4156Rock Rapids
Rockwell City1,214 ftApril 26October 10167Rockwell City
Sac City1,210 ftApril 30October 6159Sac City
Sanborn1,551 ftMay 1October 7159Sanborn
Sheldon1,420 ftMay 5September 28146Sheldon
Shenandoah999 ftApril 20October 17180Shenandoah
Sibley1,529 ftMay 5October 3151Sibley
Sidney 1SSE1,140 ftApril 19October 19183Sidney
Sigourney732 ftApril 24October 15174Sigourney
Sioux City Ang1,100 ftApril 29October 7161Sergeant Bluff
Sioux City Gateway AP1,095 ftApril 29October 5159Sergeant Bluff
Sioux Ctr 2 Se1,360 ftApril 30October 3156Sioux Center
Sioux Rapids 4 E1,420 ftApril 30October 5158Sioux Rapids
Spencer 1 N1,326 ftMay 1October 3155Spencer
Spencer Muni AP1,338 ftMay 2October 2153Spencer
Spirit Lake1,420 ftApril 28October 11166Spirit Lake
Stanley1,114 ftMay 4October 1150Hazleton
Storm Lake1,442 ftApril 25October 13171Storm Lake
Swea City 5N1,180 ftMay 4October 1150Swea City
Tipton820 ftApril 21October 15177Tipton
Toledo 3N935 ftApril 30October 9162Toledo
Tripoli1,055 ftApril 29October 9163Tripoli
Vinton850 ftMay 3October 3153Vinton
Washington687 ftApril 28October 11166Washington
Waterloo Muni AP868 ftApril 27October 10166Cedar Falls
Waukon1,275 ftMay 2October 11162Waukon
Webster City1,072 ftMay 3October 2152Webster City
Williamsburg 1E780 ftApril 28October 9164Williamsburg
Winterset 1S1,100 ftApril 30October 3156Buffalo (historical)

Sources

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991-2020, annual and seasonal freeze probabilities. Public domain.