Frost dates for Providence, Rhode Island
In Providence, half of springs have had their last frost by April 11 (and 1 spring in 10 still has one after April 23), and half of falls have had their first frost by October 30, leaving about 199 frost-free days in a typical year. Here is how sure those dates are, what they mean for planting, and where they come from.
Frost dates for
Providence, Rhode Island
Last spring frost
April 11
Half of springs have their last frost by this date. For a safer bet, wait until April 23: only 1 spring in 10 has a frost after that.
First fall frost
October 30
Half of falls have their first frost by this date. In 1 fall in 10 it comes by October 16.
Growing season
199 days
Frost-free days in a typical year. 9 years in 10 get at least 183.
Hardiness zone
7a
2023 USDA map: the coldest night of winter averages 0°F to 5°F. On the 2012 map it was 6b, half a zone colder. ZIP codes within about 6 miles of the city's center: 3 in 6b and 18 in 7a.
Print a year planner for Providence
Frost risk through the year
How sure are these dates?
A frost date is a probability, not a promise. NOAA worked out, from 30 years of nightly lows, how often the last spring frost and the first fall frost fall on each date. The middle column is the typical year. The outer columns are the early and late years that come about once a decade.
| Early year 1 in 10 | Typical year 1 in 2 | Late year 1 in 10 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Last frost in spring | April 1 | April 11 | April 23 |
| First frost in fall | October 16 | October 30 | November 12 |
The frost-free season between them runs 199 days in a typical year. In 1 year in 10 it is 216 days or longer, and in 1 year in 10 it is 183 days or shorter.
- Hard freeze (28°F): typically last on April 1 and first on November 9. It is a harder freeze than the 32°F frost line, cold enough to damage many garden plants; how hardy a crop is decides whether it comes through. (The National Weather Service's own hard-freeze threshold varies from office to office.)
- Frost possible (36°F at the station): typically last on April 26 and first on October 18. On clear, still nights the ground can be several degrees colder than the thermometer, so frost can form on plants when the official reading is in the mid-30s.
In 8 springs out of 10, the last frost in Providence comes between April 1 and April 23, a window of 22 days. That is narrower than at most NOAA stations (the typical window is 31 days), so the typical date is a steadier guide here than in most places.
Among Rhode Island's 11 NOAA stations with a frost every year, 55 percent have their typical last frost later than Providence does.
Planting calendar for Providence
These dates count from the typical last and first frosts, using the planting rules published by Colorado State University Extension (spring), Virginia Cooperative Extension (fall crops) and University of Minnesota Extension (garlic, where winters are hard). Weather in any one year can run early or late, so check the forecast before you plant tender crops.
| When | What to do | Why then |
|---|---|---|
| January | ||
| January 24 to February 21 | Broccoli and cabbage Start seeds indoors | 5 to 7 weeks before planting them out |
| February | ||
| February 7 to March 7 | Cauliflower Start seeds indoors | 5 to 7 weeks before planting out |
| February 21 to March 14 | Eggplant Start seeds indoors | 6 to 9 weeks before planting out |
| February 28 to March 14 | Peppers Start seeds indoors | 6 to 8 weeks before planting out |
| March | ||
| March 7 to 21 | Tomatoes Start seeds indoors | 5 to 7 weeks before planting out |
| March 14 to 28 | Peas, spinach, lettuce, radishes, onion sets, turnips Sow outdoors, as early as | hardy crops: 2 to 4 weeks before the typical last frost |
| March 14 to 28 | Broccoli and cabbage Plant out, as early as | hardy crops: 2 to 4 weeks before the typical last frost |
| March 28 to April 11 | Beets, carrots, potatoes, Swiss chard Plant outdoors, as early as | semi-hardy crops: up to 2 weeks before the typical last frost |
| March 28 to April 11 | Cauliflower Plant out, as early as | semi-hardy: up to 2 weeks before the typical last frost |
| April | ||
| April 11 | Snap beans, sweet corn, cucumbers, summer squash Sow outdoors around | tender crops: around the typical last frost date |
| April 25 | Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant Plant out from | very tender: 2 weeks or more after the typical last frost |
| April 25 | Melons, winter squash, pumpkins, lima beans Sow outdoors from | very tender: 2 weeks or more after the typical last frost |
| June | ||
| June 4 to 18 | Cabbage for fall Start seeds | set the plants out by July 23 |
| June 24 to July 8 | Broccoli for fall Start seeds | set the plants out by August 12 |
| August | ||
| August 3 | Snap beans for fall Last date to sow | 60 days to harvest, plus 2 weeks for slower fall growth, plus 2 weeks because frost kills it |
| August 7 | Carrots for fall Last date to sow | 70 days to harvest, plus 2 weeks for slower fall growth |
| August 8 | Cucumbers for fall Last date to sow | 55 days to harvest, plus 2 weeks for slower fall growth, plus 2 weeks because frost kills it |
| August 12 | Peas for fall Last date to sow | 65 days to harvest, plus 2 weeks for slower fall growth |
| August 13 | Summer squash for fall Last date to sow | 50 days to harvest, plus 2 weeks for slower fall growth, plus 2 weeks because frost kills it |
| August 17 | Leaf lettuce and beets for fall Last date to sow | 60 days to harvest, plus 2 weeks for slower fall growth |
| August 27 | Turnips and kohlrabi for fall Last date to sow | 50 days to harvest, plus 2 weeks for slower fall growth |
| September | ||
| September 6 | Spinach for fall Last date to sow | 40 days to harvest, plus 2 weeks for slower fall growth |
| September 16 | Radishes for fall Last date to sow | 30 days to harvest, plus 2 weeks for slower fall growth |
| October | ||
| October 16 | Tomatoes, peppers, squash, melons, cucumbers Watch the forecast from | in 1 fall in 10 the first frost comes by this date; pick tender crops before a frost |
| November | ||
| November 16 to 23 | Garlic Plant cloves | one or two weeks after the typical first hard freeze (28°F), our reading of the first killing frost |
Want more insurance? Shift every spring date 12 days later. That plans around April 23, the date after which only 1 spring in 10 has a frost.
For spring bulbs such as tulips and daffodils, plant once the soil has cooled to about 50 to 55°F and keep going until a couple of weeks before the ground freezes. Our guide to fall planting explains how to tell.
Where these numbers come from
These dates come from NOAA's weather station Providence T F Green Airport (station USW00014765), 7 miles from the center of Providence. It sits at about the same elevation, 60 feet above sea level. NOAA rates this station's record as standard: at least 24 of the 30 years, with gaps filled from nearby stations.
The same station also gives the frost dates for Cranston, Warwick, Pawtucket, East Providence and Central Falls.
Our ZIP code lookup matches these 24 ZIP codes to the same station, so they get the same dates: 02771, 02806, 02818, 02823, 02831, 02886, 02888, 02889, 02893, 02903, 02905, 02906, 02907, 02908, 02909, 02910, 02912, 02914, 02915, 02916, 02918, 02919, 02920, 02921. Hardiness zones are worked out separately for each ZIP code.
Nearby places
- Woonsocket, Rhode Island: last frost around April 22, first frost around October 19 (15 miles away)
- Newport, Rhode Island: last frost around April 11, first frost around November 4 (25 miles away)
- Worcester, Massachusetts: last frost around April 23, first frost around October 21 (35 miles away)
See frost dates across Rhode Island, or look up your own ZIP code for the station nearest you. Want the background? Read what a last frost date really means.