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Frost Dates and Planting Windows in Wisconsin

The 32°F frost dates at the 204 weather stations in Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin

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 25 to June 11 across the state, and the first frost from September 11 to October 24.

32°F frost dates: earliest and latest among 204 stations, by risk level
Risk levelEarliest last frostLatest last frostEarliest first frostLatest first frost
Conservative (10%)May 2MILWAUKEE MITCHELL AP, WI USJune 27NORTH PELICAN, WI USSeptember 1NORTH PELICAN, WI USOctober 15MILWAUKEE MITCHELL AP, WI US
Typical (30%)April 252 stationsJune 11NORTH PELICAN, WI USSeptember 11NORTH PELICAN, WI USOctober 24MILWAUKEE MITCHELL AP, WI US
Aggressive (50%)April 192 stationsJune 3NORTH PELICAN, WI USSeptember 18NORTH PELICAN, WI USOctober 29MILWAUKEE MITCHELL AP, WI 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 204 stations
Risk levelShortestLongest
Conservative (90% chance of at least this long)74 daysNORTH PELICAN, WI US173 daysMILWAUKEE MITCHELL AP, WI US
Typical (70% chance of at least this long)96 daysNORTH PELICAN, WI US184 daysMILWAUKEE MITCHELL AP, WI US
Aggressive (50% chance of at least this long)106 daysNORTH PELICAN, WI US192 daysMILWAUKEE MITCHELL AP, WI US
Number of stations by growing season length, Typical (70% chance of at least this long)
Growing seasonStations
80–99 days1
100–119 days22
120–139 days49
140–159 days102
160–179 days28
180–199 days2

Planting windows across Wisconsin

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. A fall window is left out at stations where it would start on or before the last day of the spring window, so some rows cover fewer stations.

Typical planting windows (30% frost dates): earliest start and latest end among stations
Crop and taskEarliest startLatest endStations
Basil: Transplant outdoorsMay 9June 25204 of 204
Bean: Sow outdoorsApril 25June 11204 of 204
Beet: Sow outdoorsMarch 28June 11204 of 204
Beet: Sow for fallJune 19September 4204 of 204
Broccoli: Transplant outdoorsMarch 28May 28204 of 204
Broccoli: Transplant for fallJune 9September 4204 of 204
Brussels sprouts: Transplant outdoorsMarch 28May 28204 of 204
Brussels sprouts: Transplant for fallMay 23September 14203 of 204
Cabbage: Transplant outdoorsMarch 28May 28204 of 204
Cabbage: Transplant for fallJune 4September 4204 of 204
Cantaloupe: Transplant outdoorsMay 9June 25204 of 204
Cantaloupe: Sow outdoorsMay 9June 25204 of 204
Carrot: Sow outdoorsMarch 28June 11204 of 204
Carrot: Sow for fallJune 12August 25203 of 204
Cucumber: Transplant outdoorsMay 2June 18204 of 204
Cucumber: Sow outdoorsApril 25June 11204 of 204
Eggplant: Transplant outdoorsMay 9June 25204 of 204
Garlic: Plant for fallSeptember 11November 7204 of 204
Lettuce: Transplant outdoorsMarch 28May 28204 of 204
Lettuce: Sow outdoorsMarch 28May 28204 of 204
Lettuce: Sow for fallJune 9September 14204 of 204
Onion: Transplant or plant setsMarch 28May 28204 of 204
Peas: Sow outdoorsMarch 28May 28204 of 204
Peas: Sow for fallJune 17September 4204 of 204
Pepper: Transplant outdoorsMay 9June 25204 of 204
Potato: Plant seed potatoesMarch 28June 11204 of 204
Pumpkin: Sow outdoorsMay 9June 25204 of 204
Radish: Sow outdoorsMarch 28May 28204 of 204
Radish: Sow for fallJuly 24October 4204 of 204
Spinach: Transplant outdoorsMarch 28May 28204 of 204
Spinach: Sow outdoorsMarch 28May 28204 of 204
Spinach: Sow for fallJune 29September 17204 of 204
Summer squash: Transplant outdoorsMay 2June 18204 of 204
Summer squash: Sow outdoorsApril 25June 11204 of 204
Sweet corn: Sow outdoorsApril 25June 11204 of 204
Sweet potato: Plant slipsMay 2June 25204 of 204
Tomato: Transplant outdoorsMay 9June 25204 of 204
Turnip: Sow outdoorsMarch 28May 28204 of 204
Turnip: Sow for fallJune 29September 14204 of 204
Watermelon: Transplant outdoorsMay 9June 25204 of 204
Watermelon: Sow outdoorsMay 9June 25204 of 204

Weather stations in Wisconsin

Every station in Wisconsin with NOAA frost-date normals, with its Typical 32°F frost dates and growing season. 1 of them have no 32°F frost dates.

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.