Garden Yardstick

Frost Dates in Vermont

Across 45 NOAA weather stations in Vermont, the average last spring frost falls between April 28 at S Hero and June 1 at Sutton 2NE. At a typical Vermont station it is around May 13, with the first fall frost around October 1 and a frost-free season of about 141 days.

Find the frost dates for your ZIP code

A typical Vermont season

What shapes frost dates in Vermont

  • The frost-free season ranges from 103 days at Sutton 2NE to 174 days at S Hero.
  • Elevation matters: Mt Mansfield, at 3,950 ft, averages its last frost on May 23, while S Hero, at 110 ft, averages April 28.
  • Gardens in valleys and low spots, where cold air settles, often frost a week or more later in spring than the nearest station.

Frost dates at major airports

StationLast frostSafer dateFirst frostSeason (days)
Barre Montpelier AirportMay 16May 30Sep 29136
Bennington Morse St AirportMay 11May 28Oct 2143
Burlington Intl AirportApr 29May 11Oct 15169
Morrisville Stowe State AirportMay 20Jun 4Sep 28129
Saint JohnsburyMay 10May 23Oct 3147
Springfield Hartness AirportMay 13May 28Oct 3143

All 45 weather stations in Vermont

StationElevation (ft)Last frostSafer dateFirst frostSeason (days)
Averill1,699May 25Jun 8Sep 22120
Barre Montpelier Airport1,126May 16May 30Sep 29136
Bennington Morse St Airport826May 11May 28Oct 2143
Burlington Intl Airport330Apr 29May 11Oct 15169
Cavendish842May 16May 31Sep 29136
Chelsea 2 NW1,440May 9May 24Oct 1143
Corinth1,180May 14May 29Sep 29136
Cornwall345May 5May 20Oct 3151
E Haven1,000May 30Jun 11Sep 16109
Eden 2 S1,456May 5May 20Oct 8155
Enosburg Falls420May 14May 28Oct 1139
Enosburg Falls 2425May 18Jun 2Sep 30134
Essex Junction 1 N340May 2May 17Oct 11160
Island Pond1,200May 19Jun 3Sep 29129
Island Pond Airport1,194May 16Jun 2Sep 28132
Jay Peak1,840May 14May 31Oct 1138
Johnson 2 N980May 9May 24Oct 1142
Montpelier 2530May 5May 21Oct 9157
Morrisville 4 SSW760May 24Jun 5Sep 27123
Morrisville Stowe State Airport732May 20Jun 4Sep 28129
Mt Mansfield3,950May 23Jun 8Sep 30130
N Hartland Lake570May 8May 22Oct 6150
N Springfield Lake560May 9May 22Oct 2146
Newport790May 14May 28Sep 30138
Northfield670May 18May 30Sep 28133
Peru1,700May 16May 31Oct 2140
Plainfield800May 25Jun 7Sep 22119
Pownal 1 NE1,110May 7May 22Oct 8154
Rochester830May 13May 29Oct 2141
Rutland620May 15May 31Sep 27132
S Hero110Apr 28May 10Oct 20174
S Lincoln1,341May 21Jun 6Sep 25124
Saint Johnsbury700May 13May 25Oct 3143
Saint Johnsbury700May 10May 23Oct 3147
Salisbury 2 N420May 21Jun 7Sep 26127
Springfield Hartness Airport578May 13May 28Oct 3143
St Albans Radio380May 1May 16Oct 12161
Sunderland 2900May 13May 28Sep 29137
Sutton1,500May 9May 25Oct 1143
Sutton 2NE1,000Jun 1Jun 15Sep 13103
Union Village Dam460May 9May 22Oct 2145
Vergennes196Apr 30May 11Oct 17168
Waitsfield 2 SE1,142May 11May 27Oct 1142
Woodstock600May 13May 27Oct 1141
Worcester 2 W1,360May 4May 18Oct 5153

Last frost and first frost are averages (a 50% chance of frost later in spring or earlier in fall). Safer date is the spring date with only a 10% chance of a later frost.

Using these dates

Plant hardy crops like peas and spinach several weeks before your last frost, and tender crops like tomatoes and peppers after it, once nights stay above 50°F. The Seed Starting Calculator turns your frost date into sowing and planting dates, and When to Plant Tomatoes explains the timing in detail.

Data: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, 32°F threshold.

Frost dates in other states