Frost Dates for 66701 — Fort Scott, Kansas

Half of springs at Fort Scott, KS see their last 32°F night by April 5; only one in ten is past it by March 21, and one in ten still has one after April 22. Planting tender crops after April 12 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after April 17 20%, and after April 22 10%. The 17 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is wider than at 85% of the 110 Kansas stations behind this site's ZIP pages.

In fall the first 32°F night comes by October 28 in half of years, as early as October 14 one year in ten, and holds off past November 11 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 9 days later, around November 6; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is April 9, 13 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 204 days in a typical year, longer than at 91% of the 110 Kansas stations; it reaches 225 days one year in ten and falls short of 184 one year in ten. On average 101 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 12 days longer, to about April 17, and return around October 19. Severe cold of 16°F or below comes every winter, usually between December 10 and February 27.

July is the warmest month at Fort Scott, KS, averaging 91°F by day and 70°F at night; January is the coldest at 42°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 66% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 4,457 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 88% of the 110 Kansas stations. 37% of them (1,632) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 941. Precipitation totals 44.5 inches a year, most in May (6.2") and least in January (1.4"); May to September bring 56% of it.

The nearest other station, Nevada Wtp, MO, 20 miles east of Fort Scott, has a last frost 2 days later (April 7), a first frost 1 day earlier (October 27), a season 2 days shorter.

The first measurable snow (0.1 inch or more) in Fort Scott usually arrives around December 10, and the last of the season around February 16. Those are the middle dates across the winters of 1991–2020 at Fort Scott, KS, 2 miles away: half of years saw snow earlier, half later. Snow fell in 85% of those winters. The last 32°F night of spring typically comes 48 days after the last snow.

ZIP 66701 is 2 miles from Fort Scott, KS, which stands at 884 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 66701 in zone 7a, the band where the coldest night of the year averaged 0 to 5°F (-17.8 to -15.0°C) over 1991–2020; a zone describes winter lows, not frost dates.