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Frost Dates and Planting Windows in Rhode Island

The 32°F frost dates at the 11 weather stations in Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island

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 April 14 to May 8 across the state, and the first frost from October 4 to November 7.

32°F frost dates: earliest and latest among 11 stations, by risk level
Risk levelEarliest last frostLatest last frostEarliest first frostLatest first frost
Conservative (10%)April 21NEWPORT ROSE, RI USMay 18KINGSTON 1 W, RI USSeptember 30KINGSTON, RI USOctober 31NEWPORT ROSE, RI US
Typical (30%)April 14NEWPORT ROSE, RI USMay 82 stationsOctober 4KINGSTON, RI USNovember 7NEWPORT ROSE, RI US
Aggressive (50%)April 7NEWPORT ROSE, RI USMay 3KINGSTON, RI USOctober 8KINGSTON, RI USNovember 13NEWPORT ROSE, RI 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 11 stations
Risk levelShortestLongest
Conservative (90% chance of at least this long)142 daysKINGSTON, RI US194 daysNEWPORT ROSE, RI US
Typical (70% chance of at least this long)152 daysKINGSTON, RI US208 daysNEWPORT ROSE, RI US
Aggressive (50% chance of at least this long)159 daysKINGSTON, RI US216 daysNEWPORT ROSE, RI US
Number of stations by growing season length, Typical (70% chance of at least this long)
Growing seasonStations
140–159 days2
160–179 days4
180–199 days4
200–219 days1

Planting windows across Rhode Island

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 outdoorsApril 28May 2211 of 11
Bean: Sow outdoorsApril 14May 811 of 11
Beet: Sow outdoorsMarch 17May 811 of 11
Beet: Sow for fallJuly 12September 1811 of 11
Broccoli: Transplant outdoorsMarch 17April 2411 of 11
Broccoli: Transplant for fallJuly 2September 1811 of 11
Brussels sprouts: Transplant outdoorsMarch 17April 2411 of 11
Brussels sprouts: Transplant for fallJune 12September 2811 of 11
Cabbage: Transplant outdoorsMarch 17April 2411 of 11
Cabbage: Transplant for fallJune 27September 1811 of 11
Cantaloupe: Transplant outdoorsApril 28May 2211 of 11
Cantaloupe: Sow outdoorsApril 28May 2211 of 11
Carrot: Sow outdoorsMarch 17May 811 of 11
Carrot: Sow for fallJuly 2September 811 of 11
Cucumber: Transplant outdoorsApril 21May 1511 of 11
Cucumber: Sow outdoorsApril 14May 811 of 11
Eggplant: Transplant outdoorsApril 28May 2211 of 11
Garlic: Plant for fallOctober 4November 2111 of 11
Lettuce: Transplant outdoorsMarch 17April 2411 of 11
Lettuce: Sow outdoorsMarch 17April 2411 of 11
Lettuce: Sow for fallJuly 2September 2811 of 11
Onion: Transplant or plant setsMarch 17April 2411 of 11
Peas: Sow outdoorsMarch 17April 2411 of 11
Peas: Sow for fallJuly 10September 1811 of 11
Pepper: Transplant outdoorsApril 28May 2211 of 11
Potato: Plant seed potatoesMarch 17May 811 of 11
Pumpkin: Sow outdoorsApril 28May 2211 of 11
Radish: Sow outdoorsMarch 17April 2411 of 11
Radish: Sow for fallAugust 16October 1811 of 11
Spinach: Transplant outdoorsMarch 17April 2411 of 11
Spinach: Sow outdoorsMarch 17April 2411 of 11
Spinach: Sow for fallJuly 22October 111 of 11
Summer squash: Transplant outdoorsApril 21May 1511 of 11
Summer squash: Sow outdoorsApril 14May 811 of 11
Sweet corn: Sow outdoorsApril 14May 811 of 11
Sweet potato: Plant slipsApril 21May 2211 of 11
Tomato: Transplant outdoorsApril 28May 2211 of 11
Turnip: Sow outdoorsMarch 17April 2411 of 11
Turnip: Sow for fallJuly 22September 2811 of 11
Watermelon: Transplant outdoorsApril 28May 2211 of 11
Watermelon: Sow outdoorsApril 28May 2211 of 11

Weather stations in Rhode Island

Every station in Rhode Island 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.