Frost dates 2026–2027

Frost dates for Junction City, Kansas

Median (50% chance) dates of the last and first 32°F frost, from NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Milford Lake, 4.1 mi away (close match).

Last spring frostApr 12
First fall frostOct 26
193 frost-free days
Last spring frostApr 121 year in 10 after Apr 29
First fall frostOct 261 year in 10 by Oct 13
Growing season193 daysbetween median 32°F dates
Hardiness zoneZone 6b−5 to 0°F average extreme low

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Will it freeze in Junction City in the next 7 nights?

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

Tonight: forecast low 37°F. Above 36°F.

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

1 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 Junction City

The median first fall hard-freeze date (28°F) is November 3, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 Climate Normals at Milford Lake. 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 23 · May 7 Oct 1 · Oct 17 · Oct 29 174 days
32°F freeze Mar 29 · Apr 12 · Apr 29 Oct 13 · Oct 26 · Nov 7 193 days
28°F hard freeze Mar 15 · Apr 2 · Apr 19 Oct 20 · Nov 3 · Nov 18 214 days
NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00145306. How to read these probabilities.

Average high temperature by month

1991–2020 normals at Milford Lake

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 Junction City, KS come from the nearest weather station with freeze statistics in NOAA’s 1991–2020 Climate Normals: Milford Lake (station USC00145306, elevation 1,213 ft), 4.1 mi from Junction City. 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 Junction City

CityDistanceLast spring frostFirst fall frost
Manhattan, KS 17 mi Apr 16 Oct 19
Abilene, KS 21 mi Apr 14 Oct 23
Salina, KS 43 mi Apr 18 Oct 23
Emporia, KS 56 mi Apr 15 Oct 23
Topeka, KS 62 mi Apr 16 Oct 22
McPherson, KS 63 mi Apr 18 Oct 24
Newton, KS 73 mi Apr 14 Oct 25
El Dorado, KS 83 mi Apr 13 Oct 25
Lawrence, KS 85 mi Apr 12 Oct 28
Beatrice, NE 86 mi Apr 24 Oct 15

Frequently asked questions

When is the last frost in Junction City?

On average, the last spring frost (32°F) in Junction City is around April 12. In about 1 year in 10 it comes after April 29, and in 9 years in 10 it comes after March 29.

When is the first frost in Junction City?

The first fall frost (32°F) usually arrives around October 26. There’s a 10% chance of a freeze by October 13 and a 90% chance by November 7.

Can it frost in Junction City 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 23.

What growing zone is Junction City?

Junction City 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 66441. See growing zones in Kansas.

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