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Frost dates for Cedar Rapids, Iowa

In a typical year, Cedar Rapids’s last spring frost lands around Apr 28 and the first fall frost around Oct 12, a growing season of about 167 days. These are odds drawn from 30-year NOAA climate normals, not a promise. USDA zone 5b.

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

Last spring frost and first fall frost odds for Cedar Rapids, Iowa
OddsLast spring frostFirst fall frost
10 percentApr 14Sep 29
50 percentApr 28Oct 12
90 percentMay 13Oct 25

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 Rapids is typically around 51°F at 4 inches this time of year, estimated from the last two weeks of normal air temperatures.

See what is plantable in your ZIP with the what-to-plant lookup.

Common questions

When is the last frost in Cedar Rapids, Iowa?

Cedar Rapids’s last spring frost falls around April 28 in a typical year. One year in ten it is done by April 14, and one year in ten frost holds on until May 13. Frost-sensitive planting usually waits for the late side of that band.

When is the first fall frost in Cedar Rapids?

The first fall frost arrives around October 12 in a typical year, as early as September 29 in an early year and as late as October 25 in a late one.

How long is the growing season in Cedar Rapids?

About 167 days, counted between the typical last spring frost and the typical first fall frost.

What USDA zone is Cedar Rapids in?

Cedar Rapids is in USDA hardiness zone 5b 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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