Frost dates 2026–2027

Frost dates for Sturgis, South Dakota

Median (50% chance) dates of the last and first 32°F frost, from NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Ft Meade, 1.1 mi away (close match).

Last spring frostMay 8
First fall frostOct 3
147 frost-free days
Last spring frostMay 81 year in 10 after May 21
First fall frostOct 31 year in 10 by Sep 19
Growing season147 daysbetween median 32°F dates
Hardiness zoneZone 5a−20 to −15°F average extreme low

Checking current alerts… View NWS forecast and alerts.

Will it freeze in Sturgis in the next 7 nights?

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

Tonight: forecast low 35°F. Frost possible.

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

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 Sturgis

The median first fall hard-freeze date (28°F) is October 13, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 Climate Normals at Ft Meade. 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 May 6 · May 19 · May 31 Sep 11 · Sep 24 · Oct 6 127 days
32°F freeze Apr 26 · May 8 · May 21 Sep 19 · Oct 3 · Oct 17 147 days
28°F hard freeze Apr 13 · Apr 28 · May 11 Sep 27 · Oct 13 · Oct 27 167 days
NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00393069. How to read these probabilities.

Average high temperature by month

1991–2020 normals at Ft Meade

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 Sturgis, SD come from the nearest weather station with freeze statistics in NOAA’s 1991–2020 Climate Normals: Ft Meade (station USC00393069, elevation 3,308 ft), 1.1 mi from Sturgis. 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 Sturgis

CityDistanceLast spring frostFirst fall frost
Spearfish, SD 17 mi May 12 Oct 2
Belle Fourche, SD 25 mi May 10 Sep 30
Rapid City, SD 27 mi May 3 Oct 8
Box Elder, SD 29 mi May 12 Oct 1
Gillette, WY 99 mi May 15 Oct 1
Douglas, WY 149 mi May 19 Sep 23
Pierre, SD 157 mi May 6 Oct 3
Alliance, NE 163 mi May 11 Oct 3
Torrington, WY 166 mi May 11 Sep 29
Dickinson, ND 175 mi May 20 Sep 22

Frequently asked questions

When is the last frost in Sturgis?

On average, the last spring frost (32°F) in Sturgis is around May 8. In about 1 year in 10 it comes after May 21, and in 9 years in 10 it comes after April 26.

When is the first frost in Sturgis?

The first fall frost (32°F) usually arrives around October 3. There’s a 10% chance of a freeze by September 19 and a 90% chance by October 17.

Can it frost in Sturgis 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 19.

What growing zone is Sturgis?

Sturgis is in USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 5a (average annual extreme minimum temperature −20 to −15°F), based on the 2023 USDA map for ZIP code 57793. See growing zones in South Dakota.

More: all South Dakota frost dates · South Dakota growing zones · frost vs. freeze