Skip to content

Frost dates for Fort Dodge, Iowa

In a typical year, Fort Dodge’s last spring frost lands around Apr 28 and the first fall frost around Oct 8, a growing season of about 163 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 Fort Dodge, Iowa
OddsLast spring frostFirst fall frost
10 percentApr 13Sep 24
50 percentApr 28Oct 8
90 percentMay 9Oct 22

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 Fort Dodge is typically around 48°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 Fort Dodge, Iowa?

Fort Dodge’s last spring frost falls around April 28 in a typical year. One year in ten it is done by April 13, and one year in ten frost holds on until May 9. Frost-sensitive planting usually waits for the late side of that band.

When is the first fall frost in Fort Dodge?

The first fall frost arrives around October 8 in a typical year, as early as September 24 in an early year and as late as October 22 in a late one.

How long is the growing season in Fort Dodge?

About 163 days, counted between the typical last spring frost and the typical first fall frost.

What USDA zone is Fort Dodge in?

Fort Dodge 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

Row & Bed is a plant reference built around your garden: your zone, your frost dates, your forecast, and a cited page for every variety in your beds.

Set up your garden