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USDA Hardiness Zone 5a

Frost Dates for 53588 — Spring Green, Wisconsin

NOAA 1991–2020 normals from Lone Rock Tri Co Airport, WI (717 ft), 6 miles northwest.

Updated

In Spring Green, the last spring frost (32°F) is around April 30 in half of years and has passed by May 14 in nine years out of ten. The first fall frost comes around October 9, as early as September 25 one year in ten, leaving a typical freeze-free season of 161 days (NOAA, Lone Rock Tri Co Airport, WI).

Last spring frost
April 30

50% probability

First fall frost
October 9

50% probability

Growing season
161 days

freeze-free, 50%

Hardiness zone
5a

-20 to -15°F (-28.9 to -26.1°C) coldest night

First snow
December 2

median, 1991–2020

Last snow
March 21

median, 1991–2020

Winters with snow
100%

18 of 18 observed

Snow per year
30"

NOAA normal

Frost risk by date in Spring Green

Half of springs at Lone Rock Tri Co Airport, WI see their last 32°F night by April 30; only one in ten is past it by April 15, and one in ten still has one after May 14. Planting tender crops after May 6 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after May 9 20%, and after May 14 10%. The 14 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is narrower than at 58% of the 182 Wisconsin stations behind this site's ZIP pages.

In fall the first 32°F night comes by October 9 in half of years, as early as September 25 one year in ten, and holds off past October 21 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 9 days later, around October 18; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is May 5, 9 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 161 days in a typical year, longer than at 62% of the 182 Wisconsin stations; it reaches 181 days one year in ten and falls short of 142 one year in ten. On average 151 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 9 days longer, to about May 9, and return around September 30. Severe cold of 16°F or below comes every winter, usually between November 18 and March 18.

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

Freeze probabilities 1991–2020 at Lone Rock Tri Co Airport, WI, 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 53588 →Compare Spring Green with another place →

Weather by month in Spring Green

July is the warmest month at Lone Rock Tri Co Airport, WI, averaging 83°F by day and 61°F at night; January is the coldest at 28°F and 10°F. A freezing night is all but certain in every month from October to April (a 90% chance or more). From June to August the chance of a 32°F night stays under 10% each month. In spring, May still brings one in 46% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 2,745 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 86% of the 182 Wisconsin stations. 35% of them (953) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 682. Precipitation totals 34.2 inches a year, most in June (5.3") and least in January (0.9"); May to September bring 62% of it.

Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Lone Rock Tri Co Airport, WI
MonthHigh °FLow °FPrecip. in32°F nightNights ≤ 32°FGDD 50°F
Jan28100.9100%300
Feb32140.9100%271
Mar45261.9100%2418
Apr58363.7100%1176
May70483.746%2301
Jun79585.30%0558
Jul83614.50%0682
Aug81594.20%0615
Sep74513.422%1372
Oct61392.598%9110
Nov46282.0100%2112
Dec33171.2100%281

Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Lone Rock Tri Co Airport, WI (717 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, Mazomanie Wwtp, WI, 13 miles east of Spring Green, has a last frost 7 days later (May 7), a first frost 8 days earlier (October 1), a season 13 days shorter.

Frost dates for 53572 (Mount Horeb) →

When it snows in Spring Green, Wisconsin

The first measurable snow (0.1 inch or more) in Spring Green usually arrives around December 2, and the last of the season around March 21. Those are the middle dates across the winters of 1991–2020 at Mazomanie Wwtp, WI, 12.8 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 40 days after the last snow.

Planting calendar for 53588

What to do and when, from the 50% frost dates for Spring Green, Wisconsin
WhenWhat to do
February 19 – March 5Start peppers and aubergines indoorsThey need eight to ten weeks under lights before they can go out.
March 5 – March 19Start tomatoes indoorsSix to eight weeks gives a transplant big enough to set fruit early.
April 2 – April 16Sow peas, spinach, lettuce, radish outdoorsThese tolerate light frost and prefer to germinate in cool soil.
April 30 onwardTransplant tomatoes, peppers, basil, squash, cucumbersThe average last freeze has passed — still watch the actual forecast.
by July 17Sow the autumn crop of carrots, beets and brassicasThey need about twelve weeks to size up before growth stops.
by September 25Harvest tender crops, or be ready to cover themA first freeze two weeks early is well within normal variation.
October 9 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 53588 is 6 miles from Lone Rock Tri Co Airport, WI, which stands at 717 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. 1 other ZIP code shares the station. The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 53588 in zone 5a, the band where the coldest night of the year averaged -20 to -15°F (-28.9 to -26.1°C) over 1991–2020; a zone describes winter lows, not frost dates.

Frost dates across Wisconsin →

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 5a places in Wisconsin