USDA Hardiness Zone 6b
Frost Dates for 47201 — Columbus, Indiana
NOAA 1991–2020 normals from Columbus, IN (609 ft), 2 miles southeast.
Updated
In Columbus, the last spring frost (32°F) is around April 11 in half of years and has passed by April 30 in nine years out of ten. The first fall frost comes around October 25, as early as October 12 one year in ten, leaving a typical freeze-free season of 195 days (NOAA, Columbus, IN).
- Last spring frost
- April 11
- First fall frost
- October 25
- Growing season
- 195 days
- Hardiness zone
- 6b
50% probability
50% probability
freeze-free, 50%
-5 to 0°F (-20.6 to -17.8°C) coldest night
- First snow
- December 16
- Last snow
- March 9
- Winters with snow
- 100%
- Snow per year
- 16.3"
median, 1991–2020
median, 1991–2020
26 of 26 observed
NOAA normal
Frost risk by date in Columbus
Half of springs at Columbus, IN see their last 32°F night by April 11; only one in ten is past it by March 31, and one in ten still has one after April 30. Planting tender crops after April 18 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after April 23 20%, and after April 30 10%. The 19 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is wider than at 94% of the 125 Indiana stations behind this site's ZIP pages.
In fall the first 32°F night comes by October 25 in half of years, as early as October 12 one year in ten, and holds off past November 7 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 11 days later, around November 5; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is April 14, 16 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 195 days in a typical year, longer than at 79% of the 125 Indiana stations; it reaches 213 days one year in ten and falls short of 173 one year in ten. On average 108 nights a year drop to 32°F or below. Nights of 36°F, when frost can still settle on leaves in low, open spots, continue 13 days longer, to about April 24, and return around October 15. Severe cold of 16°F or below comes every winter, usually between December 9 and February 28.
| Low | 90% | 80% | 70% | 60% | 50% | 40% | 30% | 20% | 10% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Apr 10 | Apr 14 | Apr 18 | Apr 21 | Apr 24 | Apr 28 | Apr 30 | May 5 | May 10 |
| 32°F | Mar 31 | Apr 3 | Apr 6 | Apr 8 | Apr 11 | Apr 15 | Apr 18 | Apr 23 | Apr 30 |
| 28°F | Mar 16 | Mar 21 | Mar 26 | Mar 30 | Apr 1 | Apr 3 | Apr 5 | Apr 9 | Apr 14 |
| 24°F | Mar 4 | Mar 10 | Mar 15 | Mar 18 | Mar 21 | Mar 24 | Mar 27 | Mar 31 | Apr 4 |
| 20°F | Feb 20 | Feb 27 | Mar 3 | Mar 6 | Mar 11 | Mar 14 | Mar 17 | Mar 21 | Mar 27 |
| 16°F | Feb 7 | Feb 14 | Feb 20 | Feb 26 | Feb 28 | Mar 4 | Mar 7 | Mar 12 | Mar 17 |
| Low | 10% | 20% | 30% | 40% | 50% | 60% | 70% | 80% | 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Oct 4 | Oct 8 | Oct 11 | Oct 13 | Oct 15 | Oct 17 | Oct 20 | Oct 23 | Oct 27 |
| 32°F | Oct 12 | Oct 17 | Oct 21 | Oct 23 | Oct 25 | Oct 28 | Oct 30 | Nov 1 | Nov 7 |
| 28°F | Oct 24 | Oct 29 | Nov 1 | Nov 2 | Nov 5 | Nov 9 | Nov 12 | Nov 16 | Nov 22 |
| 24°F | Nov 2 | Nov 7 | Nov 11 | Nov 14 | Nov 17 | Nov 21 | Nov 26 | Dec 1 | Dec 5 |
| 20°F | Nov 11 | Nov 16 | Nov 21 | Nov 26 | Nov 29 | Dec 1 | Dec 5 | Dec 11 | Dec 19 |
| 16°F | Nov 20 | Nov 28 | Dec 1 | Dec 5 | Dec 9 | Dec 14 | Dec 19 | Dec 25 | Dec 31 |
Freeze probabilities 1991–2020 at Columbus, IN, from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals. Where a temperature is reached in fewer than 99.5% of years, the dates describe only the years that reach it. Not a forecast.
Frost risk on any date in 47201 →Compare Columbus with another place →
Frost risk through the year in Columbus
In Columbus, the spring curve drops under 10% on April 30 and the fall curve passes 10% on October 12, 165 days later; that gap is longer than at 78% of the 125 Indiana stations with frost dates. The spring risk falls from 90% to 10% over 30 days (March 31 to April 30) and the fall risk climbs from 10% to 90% over 26 days (October 12 to November 7): both ends of the season vary about as much. At Seymour 2 N, IN, 14 miles south, the same gap runs from May 2 to October 7, 7 days shorter.
| Planted on | Another 32°F night | 28°F night |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 28 | over 90% | 65% |
| Apr 4 | 77% | 35% |
| Apr 1150% date | 50% | 16% |
| Apr 18 | 30% | under 10% |
| Apr 25 | 17% | under 10% |
| May 2 | under 10% | under 10% |
Weather by month in Columbus
July is the warmest month at Columbus, IN, averaging 86°F by day and 65°F at night; January is the coldest at 39°F and 22°F. A freezing night is all but certain in every month from November to March (a 90% chance or more). From May to September the chance of a 32°F night stays under 10% each month. In spring, April still brings one in 85% of years.
Warmth for growing adds up to 3,724 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 73% of the 125 Indiana stations. 37% of them (1,364) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 798. Precipitation totals 47.3 inches a year, most in June (5.3") and least in February (2.9"); May to September bring 45% of it.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | 32°F night | Nights ≤ 32°F | GDD 50°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 39 | 22 | 3.4 | 100% | 25 | 5 |
| Feb | 43 | 24 | 2.9 | 100% | 22 | 7 |
| Mar | 54 | 32 | 3.8 | 100% | 17 | 52 |
| Apr | 66 | 42 | 5.0 | 85% | 4 | 184 |
| May | 75 | 53 | 5.0 | 9% | <1 | 437 |
| Jun | 83 | 62 | 5.3 | 0% | 0 | 679 |
| Jul | 86 | 65 | 4.5 | 0% | 0 | 798 |
| Aug | 85 | 63 | 3.5 | 0% | 0 | 755 |
| Sep | 80 | 55 | 3.2 | 0% | 0 | 527 |
| Oct | 68 | 44 | 3.4 | 74% | 3 | 220 |
| Nov | 54 | 34 | 3.6 | 100% | 14 | 50 |
| Dec | 43 | 26 | 3.7 | 100% | 23 | 9 |
Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Columbus, IN (609 ft), NOAA NCEI. "32°F night": chance of at least one in the month. GDD: growing degree days, base 50°F.
Compared with the next station
The nearest other station, Seymour 2 N, IN, 14 miles south of Columbus, has a last frost 5 days later (April 16), a first frost 4 days earlier (October 21), a season 8 days shorter.
When it snows in Columbus, Indiana
The first measurable snow (0.1 inch or more) in Columbus usually arrives around December 16, and the last of the season around March 9. Those are the middle dates across the winters of 1991–2020 at Columbus, IN, 1.8 miles away: half of years saw snow earlier, half later. Every one of those winters saw snow. The last 32°F night of spring typically comes 33 days after the last snow.
Planting calendar for 47201
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| January 31 – February 14 | Start peppers and aubergines indoorsThey need eight to ten weeks under lights before they can go out. |
| February 14 – February 28 | Start tomatoes indoorsSix to eight weeks gives a transplant big enough to set fruit early. |
| March 14 – March 28 | Sow peas, spinach, lettuce, radish outdoorsThese tolerate light frost and prefer to germinate in cool soil. |
| April 11 onward | Transplant tomatoes, peppers, basil, squash, cucumbersThe average last freeze has passed — still watch the actual forecast. |
| by August 2 | Sow the autumn crop of carrots, beets and brassicasThey need about twelve weeks to size up before growth stops. |
| by October 11 | Harvest tender crops, or be ready to cover themA first freeze two weeks early is well within normal variation. |
| October 25 onward | Plant garlic, mulch beds, lift tender bulbsGarlic wants a cold spell; bare soil loses structure over winter. |
The weeks before and after the 50% dates are general rules of thumb, not NOAA figures; a seed packet gives the timing for each variety.
Where these figures come from
ZIP 47201 is 2 miles from Columbus, IN, which stands at 609 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. 3 other ZIP codes share the station. The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 47201 in zone 6b, the band where the coldest night of the year averaged -5 to 0°F (-20.6 to -17.8°C) over 1991–2020; a zone describes winter lows, not frost dates.
Hardiness zone and temperature range: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023 (USDA-ARS, Oregon State University), ZIP-code listing, unchanged. °C converted from °F by this site.
Thirty-year averages, not a forecast: check the forecast before planting out. How stations are matched and which pages are offered to search engines: methodology.