Frost dates in Maryland

Across Maryland's 43 NOAA stations with a frost every year, the typical last spring frost ranges from March 22 at Solomons (10 feet above sea level) to May 9 at Sines Deep Creek (2,040 feet above sea level). The middle station's date is April 8.

Look up your ZIP code

Your ZIP code stays on this computer. Your browser downloads the frost data for every ZIP code that starts with the same three digits and finds yours itself, so the ZIP you type isn't sent to anyone.

Last frost across Maryland

The frost-free season runs from 155 days at Sines Deep Creek to 248 days at Solomons.

The station with the latest frost sits about 2,000 feet higher than the one with the earliest.

These are typical dates: in half of springs the last frost comes later. Each place's page, and each ZIP code lookup, also gives the late-year date, after which only 1 spring in 10 has a frost. That's the safer date for tender plants.

Frost dates for Maryland's larger places

PlaceLast spring frostFirst fall frostSeasonZone
BaltimoreMarch 24November 21244 days7b
FrederickApril 2November 6218 days7b
GaithersburgApril 1November 6219 days7b

Typical (1-in-2) dates. Each place's page has the early and late years, a planting calendar and a printable planner. Zones are for the ZIP code nearest each place's center.

Hardiness zones in Maryland

Maryland's 598 ZIP codes in the USDA list fall in zones 6a to 8a: 6a (2 percent), 6b (1 percent), 7a (16 percent), 7b (61 percent) and 8a (20 percent). Compared with the 2012 map, 76 percent of them moved to a warmer half zone (6 by a full zone or more), 24 percent stayed the same and 1 moved to a colder one.

A hardiness zone is about the coldest night of winter, which decides which shrubs, trees and perennials survive. Frost dates are about spring and fall, which decide when to plant. You need both. Read more about what the zones mean and what changed in 2023.

Every NOAA station in Maryland

All 43 stations in Maryland with frost statistics in NOAA's 1991 to 2020 normals, from A to Z. Station names are usually a town, an airport, or a distance and direction from a town. Find one near you and at a similar elevation.

StationElevation (feet)Last spring frostFirst fall frostSeason (days)
Aberdeen Phillips Field60April 10October 30201
Annapolis Naf10March 23November 20241
Annapolis Police Barracks30March 27November 13234
Assateague10March 31November 15228
Baltimore Wash International Airport160April 10October 31204
Beltsville140April 10November 1202
Catoctin Mountain Park1,610April 14October 30197
Chestertown40April 3November 5217
Conowingo Dam40April 3November 6217
Cumberland 2730April 15October 24190
Cylburn240April 2November 7220
Dalecarlia Reservoir150April 9October 31202
Damascus 3 SSW700April 14October 29196
Emmitsburg 2 SE400April 22October 20179
Frederick Police Barracks380April 2November 6218
Frostburg 22,170April 29October 18171
Glenn Dale Bell Station150April 22October 22183
Hagerstown 1 E530April 11October 28199
Hagerstown Washington Co Airport700April 7November 4209
Laurel 3 W400April 5November 9218
MD Sci Center Baltimore20March 24November 21244
Mechanicsville 5 NE100April 17October 27195
Millers 4 NE860April 19October 25188
Natl Arboretum DC50March 29November 8224
Oakland 1 SE2,420May 6October 9156
Ocean City Municipal Airport10April 7November 2209
Oxon Hill190April 3November 8217
Patuxent River NAS40March 29November 15230
Rockville 1 NE440April 1November 6219
Royal Oak 2 SSW10April 1November 7220
Salisbury10April 3November 7217
Salisbury 2 N20April 2November 10222
Salisbury Wicomico Regional Airport50April 10October 30201
Savage River Dam1,500April 29October 20174
Sharpsburg 5 S400April 26October 18175
Sines Deep Creek2,040May 9October 11155
Smithsburg 2 NW670April 25October 19176
Snow Hill 4 N30April 10October 31202
Solomons10March 22November 26248
St Inigoes Webster Nolf20March 30November 14229
Stevensville 2 SW10March 29November 12228
Upper Marlboro 3 NNW130April 9October 29203
Vienna10April 8November 4209

Typical (1-in-2) dates at 32°F. For the early and late years, and a planting calendar built from your own dates, look up your ZIP code.