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USDA Hardiness Zone 6b

Frost Dates for 62858 — Louisville, Illinois

NOAA 1991–2020 normals from Flora 5 NW, IL (500 ft), 8 miles southwest.

Updated

In Louisville, the last spring frost (32°F) is around April 10 in half of years and has passed by April 26 in nine years out of ten. The first fall frost comes around October 23, as early as October 7 one year in ten, leaving a typical freeze-free season of 196 days (NOAA, Flora 5 NW, IL).

Last spring frost
April 10

50% probability

First fall frost
October 23

50% probability

Growing season
196 days

freeze-free, 50%

Hardiness zone
6b

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

First snow
December 13

median, 1991–2020

Last snow
February 26

median, 1991–2020

Winters with snow
100%

19 of 19 observed

Snow per year
8.3"

NOAA normal

Frost risk by date in Louisville

Half of springs at Flora 5 NW, IL see their last 32°F night by April 10; only one in ten is past it by March 26, and one in ten still has one after April 26. Planting tender crops after April 17 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after April 21 20%, and after April 26 10%. The 16 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is narrower than at 22% of the 158 Illinois stations behind this site's ZIP pages.

In fall the first 32°F night comes by October 23 in half of years, as early as October 7 one year in ten, and holds off past November 5 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 10 days later, around November 2; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is April 16, 10 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 196 days in a typical year, longer than at 81% of the 158 Illinois stations; it reaches 215 days one year in ten and falls short of 172 one year in ten. On average 99 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 23, and return around October 13. Severe cold of 16°F or below comes every winter, usually between December 7 and February 28.

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

Freeze probabilities 1991–2020 at Flora 5 NW, IL, 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 62858 →Compare Louisville with another place →

Weather by month in Louisville

July is the warmest month at Flora 5 NW, IL, averaging 88°F by day and 67°F at night; January is the coldest at 40°F and 23°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 79% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 4,159 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 89% of the 158 Illinois stations. 38% of them (1,586) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 840. Precipitation totals 46.4 inches a year, most in May (5.3") and least in February (2.6"); May to September bring 44% of it.

Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Flora 5 NW, IL
MonthHigh °FLow °FPrecip. in32°F nightNights ≤ 32°FGDD 50°F
Jan40233.4100%247
Feb46262.6100%2014
Mar57353.899%1482
Apr69454.679%4250
May77555.32%0503
Jun85634.80%0729
Jul88673.80%0840
Aug86653.40%0789
Sep81573.35%<1572
Oct70464.378%4283
Nov56364.1100%1277
Dec44273.0100%2213

Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Flora 5 NW, IL (500 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, Flora, IL, 9 miles south of Louisville, has a last frost 1 day earlier (April 9), a first frost 1 day later (October 24), a season 2 days longer.

Frost dates for 62839 (Flora) →

When it snows in Louisville, Illinois

The first measurable snow (0.1 inch or more) in Louisville usually arrives around December 13, and the last of the season around February 26. Those are the middle dates across the winters of 1991–2020 at Flora 5 NW, IL, 8.4 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 43 days after the last snow.

Planting calendar for 62858

What to do and when, from the 50% frost dates for Louisville, Illinois
WhenWhat to do
January 30 – February 13Start peppers and aubergines indoorsThey need eight to ten weeks under lights before they can go out.
February 13 – February 27Start tomatoes indoorsSix to eight weeks gives a transplant big enough to set fruit early.
March 13 – March 27Sow peas, spinach, lettuce, radish outdoorsThese tolerate light frost and prefer to germinate in cool soil.
April 10 onwardTransplant tomatoes, peppers, basil, squash, cucumbersThe average last freeze has passed — still watch the actual forecast.
by July 31Sow the autumn crop of carrots, beets and brassicasThey need about twelve weeks to size up before growth stops.
by October 9Harvest tender crops, or be ready to cover themA first freeze two weeks early is well within normal variation.
October 23 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 62858 is 8 miles from Flora 5 NW, IL, which stands at 500 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 62858 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 Illinois →

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.

Other zone 6b places in Illinois