Frost and Freeze Information for Central Indiana

Frost / Freeze Dates for Central Indiana

Frost can be very localized and variable across a small area. Many of these locations represent locations that typically will be a few degrees warmer than the surrounding countryside. If you live in a rural or a low lying area, your first frost could be earlier than the dates presented below. Conversely, if you live in a heavily urbanized area, your first frost could be later than the dates presented.

Above are maps of the dates of the average first 32 degree and 28 degree temperatures. Maps are courtesy of the Midwest Regional Climate Center. Click the maps for a larger version.

Below is data on typical frosts and freezes for selected locations in Central Indiana. Information presented contains the normal, earliest, and latest dates that selected temperatures have occurred at the locations. Data is from the National Climatic Data Center.

Low Temperature of 36 degrees or lower

(Patchy frost possible in outlying, low areas)

Location	Normal First Date	Latest Date	Earliest Date	Records Back to
Anderson	October 6	October 26, 2005*	September 8, 1956	1895
Bloomington	October 16	November 6, 2016	September 13, 1899	1895
Columbus	October 15	November 6, 1919	September 6, 1924	1893
Farmland	October 5	October 27, 1914	August 29, 1965	1893
Frankfort	October 5	October 27, 2005	August 29, 1965	1914
Greenfield	October 12	November 5, 2016	September 14, 1923	1903
Indianapolis Airpt	October 17	November 10, 2016	September 23, 1995*	1943
Kokomo	October 8	November 5, 2016	September 8, 1986	1901
Martinsville	October 6	October 22, 2016	September 8, 1986	1950
New Castle	October 5	October 25, 2016	September 8, 1956	1949
Rockville	October 2	October 25, 2005*	September 13, 1902	1893
Rushville	October 13	November 5, 2016	August 30, 1946	1901
Shelbyville	October 12	November 6, 2016	September 6, 1924	1897
Shoals	October 4	October 27, 1914	September 10, 1924	1913
Spencer	October 10	October 23, 2016	September 12, 1955	1949
Terre Haute	October 7	October 27, 1956	September 14, 1964	1955
Washington	October 15	November 8, 1956	September 13, 1902	1897
West Lafayette	September 30	November 7, 1940	August 29, 1965	1901
Whitestown	October 8	October 27, 1914	September 3, 1908	1901

Low Temperature of 32 degrees or lower

Low Temperature of 28 degrees or lower

(Widespread Hard Freeze is Likely)

Period of record is indicated for each individual site. Sites represent the nearest available official observation (with a significant period of record) to each one of the towns indicated. * indicates last of several occurrences.

The “Normal First Date” column indicates the 1991-2020 normal date of first occurrence.

Spring Last Freeze Information

As Spring progresses, many residents of Central Indiana begin to think of planting flowers and vegetables, and often wonder exactly when the threat of a freeze (defined here as a low temperature of 32 degrees or lower) will pass.

Above are maps of the dates of the average final 32 degree and 28 degree temperatures of the Spring. Maps are courtesy of the Midwest Regional Climate Center. Click the maps for a larger version.

Here is some information on the final spring freeze (32 degrees), including its average date of occurrence, and the earliest and latest dates in the spring that the final freeze has happened. All data is from Co-op and ASOS observations.

Location	Normal Last Date	Latest Date	Earliest Date	Records Back to
Anderson	April 19	May 27, 1961	March 23, 1981	1895
Bloomington	April 15	May 27, 1961	March 25, 1998	1895
Columbus	April 11	May 27, 1965	March 25, 2005	1893
Crane Naval Depot	April 09	May 11, 1947	March 22, 1967	1942
Delphi	April 22	May 30, 1961	March 30, 1999	1893
Elwood	April 24	May 27, 1961	March 31, 1999	1948
Farmland	April 25	May 25, 1925	April 5, 1915	1893
Frankfort	April 21	May 27, 1961	March 30, 1999	1914
Freelandville	April 09	May 10, 1966	March 22, 2005	1929
Greencastle	April 27	May 25, 1925	March 25, 1998	1895
Greenfield	April 19	May 27, 1961	March 30, 1999	1903
Indianapolis Airport	April 15	May 27, 1961	March 24, 1998	1943
Kokomo	April 27	May 27, 1915	April 2, 1941	1901
Martinsville	April 24	May 27, 1961	March 29, 1959	1950
Muncie	April 16	May 19, 2002	March 28, 1999	1965
New Castle	April 27	May 27, 1961	March 31, 1999	1949
Rockville	April 30	May 25, 1925	March 27, 1999	1893
Rushville	April 19	June 1, 1966	March 31, 1999	1901
Seymour	April 16	May 27, 1961	March 23, 1895	1893
Shelbyville	April 17	May 27, 1961	March 30, 1999	1897
Shoals	April 15	May 28, 1961	March 27, 1913	1913
Spencer	April 20	May 27, 1961	April 4, 1965	1949
Terre Haute	April 15	May 27, 1961	March 27, 1999	1955
Washington	April 10	May 20, 1897	March 20, 1925	1897
West Lafayette	April 26	May 27, 1961	March 30, 1941	1901
Whitestown	April 21	May 30, 1947	April 3, 1965	1901
Winchester Airpt	April 20	May 27, 1961	March 30, 1999	1942

For frost/freeze data for sites from all sections of Indiana, please visit the National Climatic Data Center.

The “Normal First Date” column indicates the 1991-2020 normal date of first occurrence.

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Data compiled by Climate Services Team