Ohio frost dates

Average last spring and first fall frost dates for Ohio’s largest cities, with each city’s USDA hardiness zone.

Reviewed October 2026

Among Ohio’s 20 largest cities, the average last spring frost ranges from Apr 8 in Cleveland to May 1 in Youngstown. Elevation, distance from the coast and city heat all shift the date, so use your own ZIP code below for the closest match.

City	Average last spring frost	Average first fall frost	Frost-free days	Hardiness zone	Weather station used
Columbus	Apr 20	Oct 24	187	6b	Columbus Wcmh, OH, 4 mi
Cleveland	Apr 8	Nov 12	218	6b–7a	Cleveland Burke Airport, OH, 3 mi
Cincinnati	Apr 16	Oct 25	192	6b	Cincinnati Lunken Airport, OH, 5 mi
Toledo	Apr 20	Oct 27	190	6b	Toledo Metcalf Fld, OH, 9 mi
Akron	Apr 24	Oct 28	187	6b	Akron Fulton Intl Airport, OH, 4 mi
Dayton	Apr 18	Oct 25	190	6b	Dayton Mcd, OH, 2 mi
Parma	Apr 20	Nov 3	197	6a–7a	Cleveland, OH, 7 mi
Canton	Apr 24	Oct 26	185	6b	Akron Canton Rgnl Airport, OH, 8 mi
Lorain	Apr 24	Oct 24	183	6b–7a	Elyria Lorain Co Airport, OH, 6 mi
Hamilton	Apr 22	Oct 18	179	6b	Hamilton Butler Co Rgnl Airport, OH, 3 mi
Youngstown	May 1	Oct 17	169	6a	Youngstown Rgnl Airport, OH, 11 mi
Springfield	Apr 25	Oct 19	177	6a	Springfield Wtp, OH, 3 mi
Kettering	Apr 18	Oct 25	190	6b	Dayton Mcd, OH, 5 mi
Elyria	Apr 22	Nov 1	193	6b	Elyria 3 E, OH, 3 mi
Middletown	Apr 24	Oct 19	178	6b	Franklin, OH, 4 mi
Newark	Apr 29	Oct 16	170	6a	Newark Wtr Wks, OH
Cuyahoga Falls	Apr 30	Oct 21	174	6b	Stow 4 Se, OH, 6 mi
Lakewood	Apr 20	Nov 3	197	6b–7a	Cleveland, OH, 6 mi
Dublin	Apr 22	Oct 23	184	6b	Columbus Ohio State Univ Airport, OH, 4 mi
Euclid	Apr 8	Nov 12	218	6b–7a	Cleveland Burke Airport, OH, 10 mi

Frost dates are the dates after (spring) or before (fall) which the chance of a 32°F freeze is below 50%, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals for the weather station nearest each city’s center. Zones are from the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map for the ZIP codes around each city; a range means nearby ZIP codes differ. Cities are the 20 largest by Census Bureau 2024 population estimates.

An average is not a guarantee. There’s still about a 1 in 2 chance of frost after the average last spring date. Many gardeners wait an extra week or two before setting out tomatoes, peppers and basil, and keep covers handy.

Planting dates for Columbus

Timed from Columbus’s average last frost of Apr 20, using University of New Hampshire Extension’s planting guidance. For your exact dates, enter your ZIP code in the calendar below.

Crop	Start seeds indoors	Plant outside
Tomatoes	Mar 2 to Mar 16	Apr 27 to May 4
Peppers	Feb 23 to Mar 9	May 4
Lettuce	Feb 16 to Feb 23	Mar 23 to Mar 30
Broccoli	Feb 9 to Feb 23	Mar 23 to Apr 6
Cucumbers	Mar 30 to Apr 6	Apr 27 to May 4
Basil	Mar 9 to Mar 23	May 4

When to plant, for your garden

Your seed-starting and planting dates, timed from your last spring frost. Full calendar, 12 crops.

ZIP code

Last frost date

Enter your ZIP code to look up your average last frost date and hardiness zone, or type the date in yourself.

Frost dates: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020. Hardiness zones: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, 2023, ZIP code data from PRISM Group, Oregon State University, prism.oregonstate.edu, accessed Oct. 20, 2026.

More about frost dates

How to find your last frost date, and what your zone means · Full planting calendar · How to start seeds indoors

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