Frost dates / Michigan / East Lansing

Frost dates in East Lansing, MI

The station on this page is EAST LANSING 4 S, MI US (USC00202395), 5.2 miles from the city point. Population in the Census 2024 estimate is 48,964.

Zone 6aUSDA average annual extreme minimum -10°F to -5°F, from ZIP 48825 (1.3 miles from the city point used on this page).

Median last 32°F is April 28. Median first 32°F is October 17. The 50% growing-season length is 173 days. The green band runs from the median last frost to the median first frost. Thin ticks mark the 10%, 50%, and 90% dates.

Outside the median season Growing seasonTicks: 10%, 50%, and 90%

Last 32°F in spring

NCEI’s probability is the chance the last spring minimum of 32°F or lower occurs on or after the date.

Probability	Date	How to read it
90%	April 13	Earlier date. A last 32°F on or after this day is common.
50%	April 28	Median.
10%	May 16	Later date. A last 32°F on or after this day is uncommon.

First 32°F in fall

NCEI’s probability is the chance the first autumn minimum of 32°F or lower occurs on or before the date.

Probability	Date	How to read it
10%	October 1	Earlier date. A first 32°F on or before this day is uncommon.
50%	October 17	Median.
90%	November 1	Later date. A first 32°F on or before this day is common.

32°F growing-season length

Days between the last spring 32°F and the first autumn 32°F. The figure is a length the season meets or exceeds at that probability, from NCEI, not a subtraction done on this site.

Probability the season is at least this long	Days
10%	194
50%	173
90%	150

28°F threshold

	10%	50%	90%
Last, on or after	May 1	April 15	April 2
First, on or before	October 14	October 30	November 13
Season at least	219 days	198 days	175 days

36°F threshold

	10%	50%	90%
Last, on or after	May 27	May 8	April 23
First, on or before	September 22	October 4	October 18
Season at least	172 days	149 days	127 days

Station EAST LANSING 4 S, MI US (USC00202395). Completeness flag R, 16 years used for the 32°F dates. NCEI’s annual probability of at least one day at or below 32°F is 100%. Freeze dates are conditional on that threshold occurring. Elevation 268.2 m. The same probability language applies to the 28°F and 36°F rows when those dates passed the same quality checks.

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East Lansing, MI

Zone 6aAverage annual extreme minimum -10°F to -5°F

Outside the median season Growing seasonTicks: 10%, 50%, and 90%

Michigan. Nearest qualified station: EAST LANSING 4 S, MI US (USC00202395), 5.2 miles. Median last 32°F April 28. Median first 32°F October 17. The 50% growing-season length is 173 days.

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32°F probabilities at this station

	10%	50%	90%
Last 32°F on or after	May 16	April 28	April 13
First 32°F on or before	October 1	October 17	November 1

Column order matches the NCEI file: for the last freeze, 10% is the later date and 90% is the earlier date. How to read the probabilities.

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Planting calendar

Frost dates for Michigan are above. Planting windows appear for states with a cited extension guide. The fall and seed tools use the numbers you enter and the station dates.

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