Frost Dates in Massachusetts
Across 69 NOAA weather stations in Massachusetts, the average last spring frost falls between April 4 at Boston Logan Intl Airport and May 17 at E Hawley. At a typical Massachusetts station it is around April 27, with the first fall frost around October 14 and a frost-free season of about 169 days.
Find the frost dates for your ZIP code
A typical Massachusetts season
What shapes frost dates in Massachusetts
- The frost-free season ranges from 136 days at E Hawley to 221 days at Chatham.
- Elevation matters: Rowe 3NE, at 1,735 ft, averages its last frost on May 14, while Boston Logan Intl Airport, at 12 ft, averages April 4.
- Gardens in valleys and low spots, where cold air settles, often frost a week or more later in spring than the nearest station.
Frost dates at major airports
| Station | Last frost | Safer date | First frost | Season (days) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bedford Hanscom Fld | Apr 28 | May 12 | Oct 10 | 165 |
| Beverly Muni Airport | Apr 24 | May 6 | Oct 17 | 177 |
| Blue Hill | Apr 19 | May 1 | Oct 24 | 187 |
| Boston Logan Intl Airport | Apr 4 | Apr 17 | Nov 9 | 218 |
| Chatham Muni Airport | Apr 13 | Apr 26 | Nov 4 | 206 |
| Fitchburg Muni Airport | Apr 29 | May 13 | Oct 11 | 164 |
| Hyannis Barnstable Muni Airport | Apr 22 | May 5 | Oct 28 | 188 |
| Lawrence Muni Airport | Apr 21 | May 1 | Oct 21 | 182 |
| Nantucket Mem Airport | Apr 13 | Apr 27 | Nov 8 | 208 |
| New Bedford Muni Airport | Apr 29 | May 15 | Oct 15 | 167 |
| North Adams Harriman Airport | May 10 | May 25 | Oct 4 | 147 |
| Norwood Mem Airport | Apr 25 | May 11 | Oct 9 | 167 |
| Orange Muni Airport | May 4 | May 17 | Oct 8 | 157 |
| Pittsfield Muni Airport | May 5 | May 21 | Oct 5 | 152 |
| Plymouth Muni Airport | Apr 30 | May 12 | Oct 16 | 170 |
| Taunton Muni Airport | May 2 | May 16 | Oct 8 | 158 |
| Vineyard Haven Airport | May 7 | May 27 | Oct 9 | 156 |
| Westfield Barnes Muni Airport | May 3 | May 17 | Oct 8 | 158 |
| Worcester Rgnl Airport | Apr 23 | May 5 | Oct 21 | 181 |
All 69 weather stations in Massachusetts
| Station | Elevation (ft) | Last frost | Safer date | First frost | Season (days) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amherst | 145 | May 5 | May 19 | Oct 8 | 156 |
| Ashburnham | 1,108 | May 2 | May 16 | Oct 13 | 163 |
| Ashburnham N | 1,146 | May 5 | May 19 | Oct 7 | 152 |
| Barre Falls Dam | 825 | May 12 | May 28 | Oct 1 | 141 |
| Bedford | 160 | Apr 27 | May 11 | Oct 13 | 169 |
| Bedford Hanscom Fld | 133 | Apr 28 | May 12 | Oct 10 | 165 |
| Belchertown | 550 | May 3 | May 16 | Oct 14 | 164 |
| Beverly | 65 | May 4 | May 17 | Oct 12 | 160 |
| Beverly Muni Airport | 108 | Apr 24 | May 6 | Oct 17 | 177 |
| Birch Hill Dam | 855 | May 6 | May 19 | Oct 1 | 148 |
| Blue Hill | 625 | Apr 19 | May 1 | Oct 24 | 187 |
| Blue Hill Coop | 625 | Apr 18 | Apr 30 | Oct 26 | 190 |
| Boston Logan Intl Airport | 12 | Apr 4 | Apr 17 | Nov 9 | 218 |
| Bridgewater | 40 | May 1 | May 15 | Oct 9 | 161 |
| Brockton | 75 | Apr 22 | May 5 | Oct 19 | 178 |
| Buffumville Lake | 520 | May 1 | May 13 | Oct 10 | 162 |
| Chatham | 40 | Apr 5 | Apr 18 | Nov 15 | 221 |
| Chatham Muni Airport | 68 | Apr 13 | Apr 26 | Nov 4 | 206 |
| E Brimfield Lake | 700 | Apr 28 | May 17 | Oct 15 | 169 |
| E Hawley | 1,647 | May 17 | May 30 | Oct 1 | 136 |
| E Sandwich | 150 | Apr 26 | May 9 | Oct 26 | 180 |
| E Wareham | 30 | Apr 21 | May 3 | Oct 24 | 186 |
| Edgartown | 30 | Apr 17 | May 3 | Nov 3 | 199 |
| Fitchburg Coop | 665 | May 1 | May 14 | Oct 9 | 162 |
| Fitchburg Muni Airport | 348 | Apr 29 | May 13 | Oct 11 | 164 |
| Greenfield #3 | 130 | May 1 | May 15 | Oct 11 | 162 |
| Groveland | 30 | May 3 | May 17 | Oct 8 | 158 |
| Haverhill | 20 | May 1 | May 14 | Oct 12 | 163 |
| Hingham | 35 | Apr 25 | May 8 | Oct 22 | 177 |
| Hyannis | 60 | Apr 16 | Apr 30 | Oct 30 | 195 |
| Hyannis Barnstable Muni Airport | 55 | Apr 22 | May 5 | Oct 28 | 188 |
| Jamaica Plain | 95 | Apr 19 | May 3 | Oct 23 | 185 |
| Lawrence | 50 | Apr 13 | Apr 29 | Oct 28 | 198 |
| Lawrence Muni Airport | 149 | Apr 21 | May 1 | Oct 21 | 182 |
| Lenox Dale | 1,004 | May 7 | May 21 | Oct 3 | 147 |
| Leverett #2 | 315 | May 2 | May 16 | Oct 9 | 160 |
| Lowell | 110 | Apr 30 | May 10 | Oct 10 | 164 |
| Marblehead | 84 | Apr 25 | May 13 | Oct 20 | 176 |
| Maynard 2 | 205 | May 2 | May 16 | Oct 6 | 156 |
| Middleboro | 45 | Apr 23 | May 6 | Oct 16 | 174 |
| Middleton | 110 | May 3 | May 20 | Oct 9 | 157 |
| Nantucket Mem Airport | 45 | Apr 13 | Apr 27 | Nov 8 | 208 |
| Natick | 180 | Apr 26 | May 9 | Oct 12 | 169 |
| New Bedford Coop | 18 | Apr 11 | Apr 22 | Nov 5 | 208 |
| New Bedford Muni Airport | 80 | Apr 29 | May 15 | Oct 15 | 167 |
| North Adams Harriman Airport | 654 | May 10 | May 25 | Oct 4 | 147 |
| Norton W | 95 | Apr 27 | May 10 | Oct 15 | 168 |
| Norwood Mem Airport | 50 | Apr 25 | May 11 | Oct 9 | 167 |
| Nws Boston/norton | 85 | Apr 23 | May 5 | Oct 17 | 177 |
| Orange Muni Airport | 555 | May 4 | May 17 | Oct 8 | 157 |
| Pittsfield Muni Airport | 1,194 | May 5 | May 21 | Oct 5 | 152 |
| Plymouth Muni Airport | 149 | Apr 30 | May 12 | Oct 16 | 170 |
| Plymouth-Kingston | 45 | Apr 15 | Apr 28 | Nov 1 | 198 |
| Reading | 110 | Apr 25 | May 8 | Oct 17 | 174 |
| Rochester | 65 | Apr 23 | May 7 | Oct 21 | 180 |
| Rowe 3NE | 1,735 | May 14 | May 26 | Oct 4 | 143 |
| Southbridge 3 SW | 685 | Apr 25 | May 8 | Oct 13 | 168 |
| Taunton | 20 | Apr 22 | May 6 | Oct 19 | 179 |
| Taunton Muni Airport | 43 | May 2 | May 16 | Oct 8 | 158 |
| Tully Lake | 680 | Apr 25 | May 8 | Oct 17 | 175 |
| Vineyard Haven Airport | 68 | May 7 | May 27 | Oct 9 | 156 |
| W Harwich | 15 | Apr 13 | Apr 26 | Nov 3 | 204 |
| Walpole 2 | 170 | Apr 27 | May 11 | Oct 14 | 169 |
| West Medway | 210 | Apr 30 | May 14 | Oct 9 | 162 |
| Westfield 3 SW | 430 | Apr 28 | May 11 | Oct 17 | 171 |
| Westfield Barnes Muni Airport | 271 | May 3 | May 17 | Oct 8 | 158 |
| Woods Hole Golf Club | 80 | Apr 11 | Apr 24 | Nov 11 | 213 |
| Worcester Rgnl Airport | 1,000 | Apr 23 | May 5 | Oct 21 | 181 |
| Worthington | 1,285 | May 13 | May 26 | Oct 2 | 144 |
No station matches that name. Try a nearby town, or look up your ZIP code above.
Last frost and first frost are averages (a 50% chance of frost later in spring or earlier in fall). Safer date is the spring date with only a 10% chance of a later frost.
Using these dates
Plant hardy crops like peas and spinach several weeks before your last frost, and tender crops like tomatoes and peppers after it, once nights stay above 50°F. The Seed Starting Calculator turns your frost date into sowing and planting dates, and When to Plant Tomatoes explains the timing in detail.
Data: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, 32°F threshold.
Frost dates in other states
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