Frost dates 2026–2027

Frost dates for Vandalia, Illinois

Median (50% chance) dates of the last and first 32°F frost, from NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Vandalia, 1.4 mi away (close match).

Last spring frostApr 10
First fall frostOct 24
196 frost-free days
Last spring frostApr 101 year in 10 after Apr 24
First fall frostOct 241 year in 10 by Oct 11
Growing season196 daysbetween median 32°F dates
Hardiness zoneZone 6b−5 to 0°F average extreme low

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Will it freeze in Vandalia in the next 7 nights?

The earliest overnight low at or below 32°F in the available NWS frost forecast is Fri, Nov 6: 30°F (Fri, Nov 6, 6:00 PM CST to Sat, Nov 7, 6:00 AM CST).

Tonight: forecast low 42°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 Vandalia

The median first fall hard-freeze date (28°F) is November 3, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 Climate Normals at Vandalia. 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 8 · Apr 22 · May 6 Sep 30 · Oct 14 · Oct 25 173 days
32°F freeze Mar 28 · Apr 10 · Apr 24 Oct 11 · Oct 24 · Nov 5 196 days
28°F hard freeze Mar 13 · Mar 31 · Apr 16 Oct 22 · Nov 3 · Nov 20 218 days
NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00118781. How to read these probabilities.

Average high temperature by month

1991–2020 normals at Vandalia

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 Vandalia, IL come from the nearest weather station with freeze statistics in NOAA’s 1991–2020 Climate Normals: Vandalia (station USC00118781, elevation 490 ft), 1.4 mi from Vandalia. 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 Vandalia

CityDistanceLast spring frostFirst fall frost
Greenville, IL 16 mi Apr 10 Oct 24
Hillsboro, IL 24 mi Apr 13 Oct 24
Salem, IL 25 mi Apr 9 Oct 26
Pana, IL 29 mi Apr 17 Oct 23
Centralia, IL 31 mi Apr 9 Oct 24
Effingham, IL 32 mi Apr 13 Oct 24
Litchfield, IL 33 mi Apr 13 Oct 24
Highland, IL 34 mi Apr 12 Oct 20
Taylorville, IL 42 mi Apr 12 Oct 20
Troy, IL 45 mi Apr 12 Oct 20

Frequently asked questions

When is the last frost in Vandalia?

On average, the last spring frost (32°F) in Vandalia is around April 10. In about 1 year in 10 it comes after April 24, and in 9 years in 10 it comes after March 28.

When is the first frost in Vandalia?

The first fall frost (32°F) usually arrives around October 24. There’s a 10% chance of a freeze by October 11 and a 90% chance by November 5.

Can it frost in Vandalia 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 April 22.

What growing zone is Vandalia?

Vandalia is in USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 6b (average annual extreme minimum temperature −5 to 0°F), based on the 2023 USDA map for ZIP code 62471. See growing zones in Illinois.

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