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Frost dates for Cedar Falls, Iowa

In a typical year, Cedar Falls’s last spring frost lands around Apr 27 and the first fall frost around Oct 10, a growing season of about 166 days. These are odds drawn from 30-year NOAA climate normals, not a promise. USDA zone 5a.

Right now the typical frost season has arrived; planting waits for spring.

Last spring frost and first fall frost odds for Cedar Falls, Iowa
OddsLast spring frostFirst fall frost
10 percentApr 11Sep 26
50 percentApr 27Oct 10
90 percentMay 10Oct 21

A 10 percent year is an early year, a 90 percent year a late one. Frost-sensitive planting usually waits for the 90 percent side of the last-frost band.

Soil in Cedar Falls is typically around 50°F at 4 inches this time of year, estimated from the last two weeks of normal air temperatures.

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Common questions

When is the last frost in Cedar Falls, Iowa?

Cedar Falls’s last spring frost falls around April 27 in a typical year. One year in ten it is done by April 11, and one year in ten frost holds on until May 10. Frost-sensitive planting usually waits for the late side of that band.

When is the first fall frost in Cedar Falls?

The first fall frost arrives around October 10 in a typical year, as early as September 26 in an early year and as late as October 21 in a late one.

How long is the growing season in Cedar Falls?

About 166 days, counted between the typical last spring frost and the typical first fall frost.

What USDA zone is Cedar Falls in?

Cedar Falls is in USDA hardiness zone 5a under the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map.

Dates come from 30-year NOAA climate normals for the nearest reporting station. They describe odds, not a forecast.

Nearby cities

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