Wisconsin frost dates

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

Reviewed October 2026

Among Wisconsin’s 20 largest cities, the average last spring frost ranges from Apr 20 in Racine to May 7 in Green Bay. 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
Milwaukee	Apr 26	Oct 18	175	5b–6a	Mt Mary College, WI, 3 mi
Madison	May 1	Oct 9	161	5a–5b	Uw Arboretum - Madison, WI, 3 mi
Green Bay	May 7	Oct 9	155	5b	Green Bay Botanical, WI, 6 mi
Kenosha	Apr 28	Oct 19	174	5b–6a	Kenosha Rgnl Airport, WI, 3 mi
Racine	Apr 20	Oct 24	187	5b–6a	Racine, WI, 2 mi
Appleton	May 4	Oct 6	155	5b	Appleton, WI, 2 mi
Eau Claire	Apr 24	Oct 14	173	4b	Eau Claire 3Sw, WI, 2 mi
Waukesha	May 1	Oct 13	165	5b	Waukesha Wwtp, WI
Oshkosh	Apr 24	Oct 20	179	5b	Oshkosh, WI
Janesville	Apr 26	Oct 15	172	5b	Afton - Janesville Wwtp, WI, 4 mi
West Allis	Apr 26	Oct 22	179	5b–6a	West Allis, WI, 2 mi
La Crosse	Apr 27	Oct 13	169	5a	La Crosse Wfo, WI, 2 mi
Sheboygan	Apr 25	Oct 23	181	5b–6a	Sheboygan, WI
Wauwatosa	Apr 26	Oct 18	175	5b–6a	Mt Mary College, WI
Fond du Lac	Apr 27	Oct 19	175	5b	Fond Du Lac 2 Sw, WI
Brookfield	Apr 30	Oct 14	167	5b	Brookfield Wwtp, WI, 3 mi
Menomonee Falls	May 6	Oct 8	155	5b	Germantown, WI, 5 mi
New Berlin	May 3	Oct 14	164	5b	Hales Corners/Whitnall Park/Bo, WI, 6 mi
Wausau	May 6	Oct 4	151	4b	Wausau Dwtn Airport, WI, 3 mi
Sun Prairie	May 1	Oct 10	162	5a	Madison Dane Rgnl Airport, WI, 6 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 Milwaukee

Timed from Milwaukee’s average last frost of Apr 26, 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 8 to Mar 22	May 3 to May 10
Peppers	Mar 1 to Mar 15	May 10
Lettuce	Feb 22 to Mar 1	Mar 29 to Apr 5
Broccoli	Feb 15 to Mar 1	Mar 29 to Apr 12
Cucumbers	Apr 5 to Apr 12	May 3 to May 10
Basil	Mar 15 to Mar 29	May 10

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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