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Frost Dates and Planting Windows in North Dakota

The 32°F frost dates at the 125 weather stations in North Dakota with NOAA's 1991–2020 Climate Normals, and the planting windows they give. These are long-term statistics, not a forecast. For the dates at the station nearest you, enter your ZIP code.

The planner uses the weather station nearest your ZIP code.

Frost dates across North Dakota

Each risk level uses a date with a set chance of frost. In spring, it's the chance of a 32°F frost on or after the last-frost date. In fall, it's the chance of the first 32°F frost on or before the first-frost date. At the Typical level (30%), the last frost ranges from May 7 to May 31 across the state, and the first frost from September 10 to October 3.

32°F frost dates: earliest and latest among 125 stations, by risk level
Risk levelEarliest last frostLatest last frostEarliest first frostLatest first frost
Conservative (10%)May 15LIDGERWOOD, ND USJune 10HETTINGER MUNI AP, ND USSeptember 1HETTINGER MUNI AP, ND USSeptember 26DEVILS LAKE KDLR, ND US
Typical (30%)May 7LIDGERWOOD, ND USMay 31HETTINGER MUNI AP, ND USSeptember 10HETTINGER MUNI AP, ND USOctober 3HILLSBORO 3 N, ND US
Aggressive (50%)May 22 stationsMay 24HETTINGER MUNI AP, ND USSeptember 173 stationsOctober 9HILLSBORO 3 N, ND US

Growing season length

The growing season is the stretch between the last spring frost and the first fall frost at 32°F. NOAA gives it as a length with a chance of being at least that long. Each risk level uses the length with that chance of a shorter season, so Conservative shows the shortest lengths.

Growing season at 32°F: shortest and longest among 125 stations
Risk levelShortestLongest
Conservative (90% chance of at least this long)92 daysHETTINGER MUNI AP, ND US140 daysLIDGERWOOD, ND US
Typical (70% chance of at least this long)106 daysHETTINGER MUNI AP, ND US150 days2 stations
Aggressive (50% chance of at least this long)115 daysHETTINGER MUNI AP, ND US158 daysHILLSBORO 3 N, ND US
Number of stations by growing season length, Typical (70% chance of at least this long)
Growing seasonStations
100–119 days27
120–139 days89
140–159 days9

Planting windows across North Dakota

For each crop, the earliest start and the latest end of its Typical windows among the stations. A window at any one station is shorter and falls inside this span. Transplant dates are for seedlings.

Typical planting windows (30% frost dates): earliest start and latest end among stations
Crop and taskEarliest startLatest endStations
Basil: Transplant outdoorsMay 21June 14125 of 125
Bean: Sow outdoorsMay 7May 31125 of 125
Beet: Sow outdoorsApril 9May 31125 of 125
Beet: Sow for fallJune 18August 14125 of 125
Broccoli: Transplant outdoorsApril 9May 17125 of 125
Broccoli: Transplant for fallJune 8August 14125 of 125
Brussels sprouts: Transplant outdoorsApril 9May 17125 of 125
Brussels sprouts: Transplant for fallMay 19August 24125 of 125
Cabbage: Transplant outdoorsApril 9May 17125 of 125
Cabbage: Transplant for fallJune 3August 14125 of 125
Cantaloupe: Transplant outdoorsMay 21June 14125 of 125
Cantaloupe: Sow outdoorsMay 21June 14125 of 125
Carrot: Sow outdoorsApril 9May 31125 of 125
Carrot: Sow for fallJune 8August 4125 of 125
Cucumber: Transplant outdoorsMay 14June 7125 of 125
Cucumber: Sow outdoorsMay 7May 31125 of 125
Eggplant: Transplant outdoorsMay 21June 14125 of 125
Garlic: Plant for fallSeptember 10October 17125 of 125
Lettuce: Transplant outdoorsApril 9May 17125 of 125
Lettuce: Sow outdoorsApril 9May 17125 of 125
Lettuce: Sow for fallJune 8August 24125 of 125
Onion: Transplant or plant setsApril 9May 17125 of 125
Peas: Sow outdoorsApril 9May 17125 of 125
Peas: Sow for fallJune 16August 14125 of 125
Pepper: Transplant outdoorsMay 21June 14125 of 125
Potato: Plant seed potatoesApril 9May 31125 of 125
Pumpkin: Sow outdoorsMay 21June 14125 of 125
Radish: Sow outdoorsApril 9May 17125 of 125
Radish: Sow for fallJuly 23September 13125 of 125
Spinach: Transplant outdoorsApril 9May 17125 of 125
Spinach: Sow outdoorsApril 9May 17125 of 125
Spinach: Sow for fallJune 28August 27125 of 125
Summer squash: Transplant outdoorsMay 14June 7125 of 125
Summer squash: Sow outdoorsMay 7May 31125 of 125
Sweet corn: Sow outdoorsMay 7May 31125 of 125
Sweet potato: Plant slipsMay 14June 14125 of 125
Tomato: Transplant outdoorsMay 21June 14125 of 125
Turnip: Sow outdoorsApril 9May 17125 of 125
Turnip: Sow for fallJune 28August 24125 of 125
Watermelon: Transplant outdoorsMay 21June 14125 of 125
Watermelon: Sow outdoorsMay 21June 14125 of 125

Weather stations in North Dakota

Every station in North Dakota with NOAA frost-date normals, with its Typical 32°F frost dates and growing season.

Data sources

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, frost dates, 1991–2020 normals, version 1.0.1
Files: us-climate-normals_1991-2020_v1.0.1_annualseasonal_multivariate_by-station_c20230404.tar.gz, inventory_30yr.txt from NOAA NCEI. Retrieved October 10, 2026.