Frost dates 2026–2027

Frost dates for Chillicothe, Illinois

Median (50% chance) dates of the last and first 32°F frost, from NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Lacon, 8.5 mi away (close match).

Last spring frostApr 20
First fall frostOct 17
178 frost-free days
Last spring frostApr 201 year in 10 after May 7
First fall frostOct 171 year in 10 by Oct 3
Growing season178 daysbetween median 32°F dates
Hardiness zoneZone 6a−10 to −5°F average extreme low

Checking current alerts… View NWS forecast and alerts.

Will it freeze in Chillicothe in the next 7 nights?

The earliest overnight low at or below 32°F in the available NWS frost forecast is Fri, Nov 6: 29°F (Fri, Nov 6, 6:00 PM CST to Sat, Nov 7, 6:00 AM CST).

Tonight: forecast low 40°F. Above 36°F.

NWS forecast period: Thu, Nov 5, 6:00 PM CST to Fri, Nov 6, 6:00 AM CST.

3 of the next 7 nights are forecast at 36°F or colder, cold enough for frost on exposed plants.

Overnight lows from the National Weather Service forecast for this location. This covers the available forecast window, not the first freeze of the whole season. Frost can form above 32°F on clear, calm nights.

Frost and freeze probabilities

Freeze dates shift from year to year. Spring percentages describe the chance of a freeze after the stated date; fall percentages describe the chance of a freeze by that date. The 10% spring date is the cautious one: a later freeze happens about 1 year in 10.

These dates describe historical probabilities, not this year’s forecast or the earliest and latest possible freezes. Different weather stations or probability thresholds can produce different published dates for the same city.

Average first hard freeze in Chillicothe

The median first fall hard-freeze date (28°F) is October 28, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 Climate Normals at Lacon. This is the 50% probability date, not a forecast for this year.

TemperatureLast spring date
90% · 50% · 10% chance of a later freeze
First fall date
10% · 50% · 90% chance of an earlier freeze
Season
36°F frost possible Apr 17 · May 2 · May 20 Sep 23 · Oct 7 · Oct 20 157 days
32°F freeze Apr 5 · Apr 20 · May 7 Oct 3 · Oct 17 · Nov 1 178 days
28°F hard freeze Mar 22 · Apr 7 · Apr 24 Oct 15 · Oct 28 · Nov 12 203 days
NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00114805. How to read these probabilities.

Average high temperature by month

1991–2020 normals at Lacon

Average low temperature by month

Months with lows near or below freezing carry frost risk

Where these frost dates come from

The frost dates for Chillicothe, IL come from the nearest weather station with freeze statistics in NOAA’s 1991–2020 Climate Normals: Lacon (station USC00114805, elevation 458 ft), 8.5 mi from Chillicothe. Local conditions (valleys, hilltops, distance to water, city heat) can shift frost dates by days or weeks. The hardiness zone is from the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (USDA ARS and Oregon State University PRISM). See our methodology.

Frost dates near Chillicothe

CityDistanceLast spring frostFirst fall frost
Peoria Heights, IL 12 mi Apr 16 Oct 23
Peoria, IL 13 mi Apr 16 Oct 23
Washington, IL 15 mi Apr 21 Oct 17
East Peoria, IL 17 mi Apr 16 Oct 23
Eureka, IL 18 mi Apr 21 Oct 17
Bartonville, IL 21 mi Apr 16 Oct 23
Morton, IL 21 mi Apr 21 Oct 17
Pekin, IL 25 mi Apr 16 Oct 23
Kewanee, IL 31 mi Apr 24 Oct 17
Princeton, IL 32 mi Apr 22 Oct 17

Frequently asked questions

When is the last frost in Chillicothe?

On average, the last spring frost (32°F) in Chillicothe is around April 20. In about 1 year in 10 it comes after May 7, and in 9 years in 10 it comes after April 5.

When is the first frost in Chillicothe?

The first fall frost (32°F) usually arrives around October 17. There’s a 10% chance of a freeze by October 3 and a 90% chance by November 1.

Can it frost in Chillicothe after the last frost date?

Yes. Frost can form on clear, calm nights even when the air stays above 32°F. Temperatures of 36°F or lower, cold enough for frost on exposed plants, have a 50% chance of occurring after May 2.

What growing zone is Chillicothe?

Chillicothe is in USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 6a (average annual extreme minimum temperature −10 to −5°F), based on the 2023 USDA map for ZIP code 61523. See growing zones in Illinois.

More: all Illinois frost dates · Illinois growing zones · frost vs. freeze