Frost dates in Massachusetts
Across Massachusetts's 69 NOAA stations with a frost every year, the typical last spring frost ranges from April 4 at Boston Logan International Airport (10 feet above sea level) to May 17 at E Hawley (1,650 feet above sea level). The middle station's date is April 27.
Look up your ZIP code
Last frost across Massachusetts
The frost-free season runs from 136 days at E Hawley to 221 days at Chatham.
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 Massachusetts's larger places
| Place | Last spring frost | First fall frost | Season | Zone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston | April 4 | November 9 | 218 days | 7a |
| Lowell | April 30 | October 10 | 164 days | 6b |
| Springfield | May 3 | October 8 | 158 days | 6a |
| Worcester | April 23 | October 21 | 181 days | 6a |
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 Massachusetts
Massachusetts's 674 ZIP codes in the USDA list fall in zones 5b to 7b: 5b (8 percent), 6a (23 percent), 6b (42 percent), 7a (23 percent) and 7b (5 percent). Compared with the 2012 map, 56 percent of them moved to a warmer half zone (4 by a full zone or more) and 44 percent stayed the same.
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 Massachusetts
All 69 stations in Massachusetts 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.
| Station | Elevation (feet) | Last spring frost | First fall frost | Season (days) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amherst | 140 | May 5 | October 8 | 156 |
| Ashburnham | 1,110 | May 2 | October 13 | 163 |
| Ashburnham N | 1,150 | May 5 | October 7 | 152 |
| Barre Falls Dam | 830 | May 12 | October 1 | 141 |
| Bedford | 160 | April 27 | October 13 | 169 |
| Bedford Hanscom Field | 130 | April 28 | October 10 | 165 |
| Belchertown | 550 | May 3 | October 14 | 164 |
| Beverly | 70 | May 4 | October 12 | 160 |
| Beverly Municipal Airport | 110 | April 24 | October 17 | 177 |
| Birch Hill Dam | 860 | May 6 | October 1 | 148 |
| Blue Hill | 630 | April 19 | October 24 | 187 |
| Blue Hill Coop | 630 | April 18 | October 26 | 190 |
| Boston Logan International Airport | 10 | April 4 | November 9 | 218 |
| Bridgewater | 40 | May 1 | October 9 | 161 |
| Brockton | 80 | April 22 | October 19 | 178 |
| Buffumville Lake | 520 | May 1 | October 10 | 162 |
| Chatham | 40 | April 5 | November 15 | 221 |
| Chatham Municipal Airport | 70 | April 13 | November 4 | 206 |
| E Brimfield Lake | 700 | April 28 | October 15 | 169 |
| E Hawley | 1,650 | May 17 | October 1 | 136 |
| E Sandwich | 150 | April 26 | October 26 | 180 |
| E Wareham | 30 | April 21 | October 24 | 186 |
| Edgartown | 30 | April 17 | November 3 | 199 |
| Fitchburg Coop | 670 | May 1 | October 9 | 162 |
| Fitchburg Municipal Airport | 350 | April 29 | October 11 | 164 |
| Greenfield #3 | 130 | May 1 | October 11 | 162 |
| Groveland | 30 | May 3 | October 8 | 158 |
| Haverhill | 20 | May 1 | October 12 | 163 |
| Hingham | 40 | April 25 | October 22 | 177 |
| Hyannis | 60 | April 16 | October 30 | 195 |
| Hyannis Barnstable Municipal Airport | 60 | April 22 | October 28 | 188 |
| Jamaica Plain | 100 | April 19 | October 23 | 185 |
| Lawrence | 50 | April 13 | October 28 | 198 |
| Lawrence Municipal Airport | 150 | April 21 | October 21 | 182 |
| Lenox Dale | 1,000 | May 7 | October 3 | 147 |
| Leverett #2 | 310 | May 2 | October 9 | 160 |
| Lowell | 110 | April 30 | October 10 | 164 |
| Marblehead | 90 | April 25 | October 20 | 176 |
| Maynard 2 | 210 | May 2 | October 6 | 156 |
| Middleboro | 50 | April 23 | October 16 | 174 |
| Middleton | 110 | May 3 | October 9 | 157 |
| Nantucket Mem Airport | 50 | April 13 | November 8 | 208 |
| Natick | 180 | April 26 | October 12 | 169 |
| New Bedford Coop | 20 | April 11 | November 5 | 208 |
| New Bedford Municipal Airport | 80 | April 29 | October 15 | 167 |
| North Adams Harriman Airport | 650 | May 10 | October 4 | 147 |
| Norton W | 100 | April 27 | October 15 | 168 |
| Norwood Mem Airport | 50 | April 25 | October 9 | 167 |
| NWS Boston/norton | 90 | April 23 | October 17 | 177 |
| Orange Municipal Airport | 550 | May 4 | October 8 | 157 |
| Pittsfield Municipal Airport | 1,190 | May 5 | October 5 | 152 |
| Plymouth Municipal Airport | 150 | April 30 | October 16 | 170 |
| Plymouth-Kingston | 50 | April 15 | November 1 | 198 |
| Reading | 110 | April 25 | October 17 | 174 |
| Rochester | 70 | April 23 | October 21 | 180 |
| Rowe 3 NE | 1,740 | May 14 | October 4 | 143 |
| Southbridge 3 SW | 690 | April 25 | October 13 | 168 |
| Taunton | 20 | April 22 | October 19 | 179 |
| Taunton Municipal Airport | 40 | May 2 | October 8 | 158 |
| Tully Lake | 680 | April 25 | October 17 | 175 |
| Vineyard Haven Airport | 70 | May 7 | October 9 | 156 |
| W Harwich | 20 | April 13 | November 3 | 204 |
| Walpole 2 | 170 | April 27 | October 14 | 169 |
| West Medway | 210 | April 30 | October 9 | 162 |
| Westfield 3 SW | 430 | April 28 | October 17 | 171 |
| Westfield Barnes Municipal Airport | 270 | May 3 | October 8 | 158 |
| Woods Hole Golf Club | 80 | April 11 | November 11 | 213 |
| Worcester Regional Airport | 1,000 | April 23 | October 21 | 181 |
| Worthington | 1,290 | May 13 | October 2 | 144 |
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.