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USDA Hardiness Zone 6b

Frost Dates for 47441 — Linton, Indiana

NOAA 1991–2020 normals from Shakamak Sp, IN (549 ft), 9 miles northwest.

Updated

In Linton, the last spring frost (32°F) is around April 14 in half of years and has passed by May 1 in nine years out of ten. The first fall frost comes around October 26, as early as October 12 one year in ten, leaving a typical freeze-free season of 193 days (NOAA, Shakamak Sp, IN).

Last spring frost
April 14

50% probability

First fall frost
October 26

50% probability

Growing season
193 days

freeze-free, 50%

Hardiness zone
6b

-5 to 0°F (-20.6 to -17.8°C) coldest night

First snow
December 7

median, 1991–2020

Last snow
March 10

median, 1991–2020

Winters with snow
100%

28 of 28 observed

Snow per year
—

NOAA normal

Frost risk by date in Linton

Half of springs at Shakamak Sp, IN see their last 32°F night by April 14; only one in ten is past it by March 31, and one in ten still has one after May 1. Planting tender crops after April 20 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after April 24 20%, and after May 1 10%. The 17 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is wider than at 66% of the 125 Indiana stations behind this site's ZIP pages.

In fall the first 32°F night comes by October 26 in half of years, as early as October 12 one year in ten, and holds off past November 6 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 8 days later, around November 3; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is April 17, 14 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 193 days in a typical year, longer than at 75% of the 125 Indiana stations; it reaches 212 days one year in ten and falls short of 172 one year in ten. On average 113 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 11 days longer, to about April 25, and return around October 16. Severe cold of 16°F or below comes every winter, usually between December 6 and March 3.

Spring: the chance of another night this cold after the date
Low90%80%70%60%50%40%30%20%10%
36°FApr 10Apr 15Apr 18Apr 22Apr 25Apr 28May 2May 6May 11
32°FMar 31Apr 4Apr 8Apr 10Apr 14Apr 16Apr 20Apr 24May 1
28°FMar 19Mar 24Mar 28Mar 31Apr 1Apr 4Apr 7Apr 11Apr 17
24°FMar 5Mar 12Mar 16Mar 20Mar 24Mar 27Mar 29Apr 1Apr 7
20°FFeb 23Mar 1Mar 6Mar 10Mar 13Mar 16Mar 19Mar 24Mar 28
16°FFeb 8Feb 16Feb 23Feb 28Mar 3Mar 6Mar 11Mar 15Mar 20
Fall: the chance the first night this cold has come by the date
Low10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%
36°FOct 3Oct 8Oct 11Oct 13Oct 16Oct 19Oct 21Oct 24Oct 28
32°FOct 12Oct 17Oct 21Oct 23Oct 26Oct 28Oct 30Nov 2Nov 6
28°FOct 23Oct 27Oct 31Nov 1Nov 3Nov 6Nov 9Nov 12Nov 17
24°FNov 2Nov 5Nov 8Nov 11Nov 14Nov 17Nov 20Nov 25Dec 1
20°FNov 7Nov 12Nov 16Nov 21Nov 25Nov 29Dec 3Dec 8Dec 15
16°FNov 14Nov 23Nov 28Dec 1Dec 6Dec 10Dec 15Dec 21Dec 27

Freeze probabilities 1991–2020 at Shakamak Sp, 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 47441 →Compare Linton with another place →

Weather by month in Linton

July is the warmest month at Shakamak Sp, IN, averaging 86°F by day and 66°F at night; January is the coldest at 38°F and 21°F. A freezing night is all but certain in every month from November to March (a 90% chance or more). From June to September the chance of a 32°F night stays under 10% each month. In spring, April still brings one in 88% of years and May still brings one in 10% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 3,846 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 76% of the 125 Indiana stations. 37% of them (1,420) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 804.

Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Shakamak Sp, IN
MonthHigh °FLow °F32°F nightNights ≤ 32°FGDD 50°F
Jan3821100%265
Feb4324100%238
Mar5333100%1761
Apr664488%4209
May755410%<1452
Jun83630%0685
Jul86660%0804
Aug85650%0767
Sep79570%<1548
Oct684574%3244
Nov5434100%1555
Dec4326100%238

Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Shakamak Sp, IN (549 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, Elnora, IN, 12 miles south of Linton, has a last frost 5 days earlier (April 9), a first frost 1 day earlier (October 25), a season 4 days longer.

Frost dates for 47562 (Odon) →

When it snows in Linton, Indiana

The first measurable snow (0.1 inch or more) in Linton usually arrives around December 7, and the last of the season around March 10. Those are the middle dates across the winters of 1991–2020 at Shakamak Sp, IN, 9.3 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 35 days after the last snow.

Planting calendar for 47441

What to do and when, from the 50% frost dates for Linton, Indiana
WhenWhat to do
February 3 – February 17Start peppers and aubergines indoorsThey need eight to ten weeks under lights before they can go out.
February 17 – March 3Start tomatoes indoorsSix to eight weeks gives a transplant big enough to set fruit early.
March 17 – March 31Sow peas, spinach, lettuce, radish outdoorsThese tolerate light frost and prefer to germinate in cool soil.
April 14 onwardTransplant tomatoes, peppers, basil, squash, cucumbersThe average last freeze has passed — still watch the actual forecast.
by August 3Sow the autumn crop of carrots, beets and brassicasThey need about twelve weeks to size up before growth stops.
by October 12Harvest tender crops, or be ready to cover themA first freeze two weeks early is well within normal variation.
October 26 onwardPlant 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 47441 is 9 miles from Shakamak Sp, IN, which stands at 549 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. 4 other ZIP codes share the station. The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 47441 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.

Frost dates across Indiana →

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.

ZIP codes measured at the same station

Other zone 6b places in Indiana