Frost dates for Indianapolis, Indiana
In a typical year, Indianapolis’s last spring frost lands around Apr 20 and the first fall frost around Oct 21, a growing season of about 184 days. These are odds drawn from 30-year NOAA climate normals, not a promise. USDA zone 6b.
Right now the typical frost season has arrived; planting waits for spring.
| Odds | Last spring frost | First fall frost |
|---|---|---|
| 10 percent | Apr 6 | Oct 7 |
| 50 percent | Apr 20 | Oct 21 |
| 90 percent | May 5 | Nov 3 |
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 Indianapolis is typically around 52°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 Indianapolis, Indiana?
Indianapolis’s last spring frost falls around April 20 in a typical year. One year in ten it is done by April 6, and one year in ten frost holds on until May 5. Frost-sensitive planting usually waits for the late side of that band.
When is the first fall frost in Indianapolis?
The first fall frost arrives around October 21 in a typical year, as early as October 7 in an early year and as late as November 3 in a late one.
How long is the growing season in Indianapolis?
About 184 days, counted between the typical last spring frost and the typical first fall frost.
What USDA zone is Indianapolis in?
Indianapolis is in USDA hardiness zone 6b 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
- Lafayette, IN (around Apr 26 to Oct 18)
- Bedford, IN (around Apr 20 to Oct 20)
- Richmond, IN (around Apr 24 to Oct 20)
- Peru, IN (around Apr 23 to Oct 21)
- Terre Haute, IN (around Apr 15 to Oct 19)
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