Frost dates 2026–2027

Frost dates for College Park, Maryland

Median (50% chance) dates of the last and first 32°F frost, from NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Beltsville, 2.4 mi away (close match).

Last spring frostApr 10
First fall frostNov 1
202 frost-free days
Last spring frostApr 101 year in 10 after May 1
First fall frostNov 11 year in 10 by Oct 16
Growing season202 daysbetween median 32°F dates
Hardiness zoneZone 7b5 to 10°F average extreme low

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Will it freeze in College Park in the next 7 nights?

No overnight lows at or below 32°F are forecast in College Park during the next 7 nights in the available NWS frost forecast.

Tonight: forecast low 61°F. Above 36°F.

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

No nights at or below 36°F in the National Weather Service forecast for the next 7 nights.

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 College Park

The median first fall hard-freeze date (28°F) is November 11, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 Climate Normals at Beltsville. 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 10 · Apr 24 · May 11 Oct 7 · Oct 21 · Nov 2 178 days
32°F freeze Mar 27 · Apr 10 · May 1 Oct 16 · Nov 1 · Nov 14 202 days
28°F hard freeze Mar 12 · Mar 29 · Apr 10 Oct 29 · Nov 11 · Nov 30 229 days
NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00180700. How to read these probabilities.

Average high temperature by month

1991–2020 normals at Beltsville

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 College Park, MD come from the nearest weather station with freeze statistics in NOAA’s 1991–2020 Climate Normals: Beltsville (station USC00180700, elevation 145 ft), 2.4 mi from College Park. 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 College Park

CityDistanceLast spring frostFirst fall frost
Riverdale Park, MD 1.9 mi Mar 29 Nov 8
Hyattsville, MD 2.5 mi Mar 29 Nov 8
Greenbelt, MD 2.5 mi Apr 10 Nov 1
Takoma Park, MD 3.7 mi Mar 29 Nov 8
Bladensburg, MD 3.7 mi Mar 29 Nov 8
New Carrollton, MD 3.7 mi Apr 22 Oct 22
Mount Rainier, MD 3.7 mi Mar 29 Nov 8
Cheverly, MD 5.0 mi Mar 29 Nov 8
Glenarden, MD 6.2 mi Apr 22 Oct 22
Washington, DC 7.5 mi Mar 29 Nov 8

Frequently asked questions

When is the last frost in College Park?

On average, the last spring frost (32°F) in College Park is around April 10. In about 1 year in 10 it comes after May 1, and in 9 years in 10 it comes after March 27.

When is the first frost in College Park?

The first fall frost (32°F) usually arrives around November 1. There’s a 10% chance of a freeze by October 16 and a 90% chance by November 14.

Can it frost in College Park 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 24.

What growing zone is College Park?

College Park is in USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 7b (average annual extreme minimum temperature 5 to 10°F), based on the 2023 USDA map for ZIP code 20742. See growing zones in Maryland.

More: all Maryland frost dates · Maryland growing zones · UV index today in College Park · frost vs. freeze