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Will it freeze in Yankton in the next 7 nights?
No overnight lows at or below 32°F are forecast in Yankton during the next 7 nights in the available NWS frost forecast.
Tonight: forecast low 34°F. Frost possible.
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.
- Tonight 34°F Frost possible · Cloudy
- Fri, Nov 6 33°F Frost possible · Mostly Cloudy
- Sat, Nov 7 36°F Frost possible · Mostly Clear
- Sun, Nov 8 43°F Above 36°F · Clear
- Mon, Nov 9 38°F Above 36°F · Mostly Clear
- Tue, Nov 10 39°F Above 36°F · Partly Cloudy
- Wed, Nov 11 40°F Above 36°F · Partly Cloudy
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 Yankton
The median first fall hard-freeze date (28°F) is October 21, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 Climate Normals at Yankton 2 E. This is the 50% probability date, not a forecast for this year.
| Temperature | Last 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 24 · May 6 · May 18 | Sep 17 · Oct 1 · Oct 14 | 147 days |
| 32°F freeze | Apr 13 · Apr 27 · May 10 | Sep 27 · Oct 11 · Oct 23 | 164 days |
| 28°F hard freeze | Apr 3 · Apr 18 · May 2 | Oct 6 · Oct 21 · Nov 3 | 184 days |
Average high temperature by month
1991–2020 normals at Yankton 2 E
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 Yankton, SD come from the nearest weather station with freeze statistics in NOAA’s 1991–2020 Climate Normals: Yankton 2 E (station USW00094911, elevation 1,180 ft), 1.7 mi from Yankton. 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 Yankton
| City | Distance | Last spring frost | First fall frost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vermillion, SD | 25 mi | May 3 | Oct 3 |
| Tea, SD | 48 mi | Apr 26 | Oct 13 |
| Wayne, NE | 49 mi | Apr 29 | Oct 11 |
| Harrisburg, SD | 51 mi | May 2 | Oct 2 |
| Sioux Falls, SD | 56 mi | Apr 26 | Oct 13 |
| Sioux City, IA | 58 mi | Apr 29 | Oct 7 |
| South Sioux City, NE | 58 mi | Apr 29 | Oct 7 |
| Norfolk, NE | 60 mi | May 1 | Oct 4 |
| Le Mars, IA | 62 mi | Apr 30 | Oct 4 |
| Sergeant Bluff, IA | 63 mi | Apr 29 | Oct 7 |
Frequently asked questions
When is the last frost in Yankton?
On average, the last spring frost (32°F) in Yankton is around April 27. In about 1 year in 10 it comes after May 10, and in 9 years in 10 it comes after April 13.
When is the first frost in Yankton?
The first fall frost (32°F) usually arrives around October 11. There’s a 10% chance of a freeze by September 27 and a 90% chance by October 23.
Can it frost in Yankton 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 6.
What growing zone is Yankton?
Yankton 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 57078. See growing zones in South Dakota.
More: all South Dakota frost dates · South Dakota growing zones · frost vs. freeze