Frost dates in South Dakota
Across South Dakota's 166 NOAA stations with a frost every year, the typical last spring frost ranges from April 26 at Sioux Falls WFO Airport (1,430 feet above sea level) to June 1 at Hill City (4,950 feet above sea level). The middle station's date is May 8.
Look up your ZIP code
Last frost across South Dakota
The frost-free season runs from 102 days at Hill City to 169 days at Sioux Falls WFO Airport.
The station with the latest frost sits about 3,500 feet higher than the one with the earliest.
At 1 station, all high or far north, frost is possible in every month.
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 South Dakota's larger places
| Place | Last spring frost | First fall frost | Season | Zone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aberdeen | May 9 | September 26 | 139 days | 4a |
| Rapid City | May 12 | October 1 | 139 days | 5a |
| Sioux Falls | May 1 | October 6 | 157 days |
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 South Dakota
South Dakota's 382 ZIP codes in the USDA list fall in zones 4a to 5b: 4a (6 percent), 4b (48 percent), 5a (44 percent) and 5b (2 percent). Compared with the 2012 map, 43 percent of them moved to a warmer half zone (1 by a full zone or more), 57 percent stayed the same and 2 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 South Dakota
All 167 stations in South Dakota 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aberdeen | 1,300 | May 9 | September 26 | 139 |
| Aberdeen 3 E | 1,300 | May 8 | September 29 | 144 |
| Aberdeen 35 WNW | 1,960 | May 10 | September 30 | 143 |
| Academy 2 NE | 1,680 | April 30 | October 8 | 159 |
| Alexandria | 1,360 | May 8 | September 29 | 143 |
| Andover #2 | 1,480 | May 6 | October 4 | 150 |
| Antelope RS | 2,820 | May 19 | September 19 | 121 |
| Ardmore 1 NW | 3,540 | May 16 | September 23 | 128 |
| Arlington 1 W | 1,820 | May 3 | October 2 | 151 |
| Armour | 1,510 | May 3 | October 6 | 157 |
| Astoria 4 S | 1,890 | May 6 | October 3 | 150 |
| Bear Ridge | 3,900 | May 17 | September 27 | 132 |
| Belle Fourche | 3,020 | May 10 | September 30 | 143 |
| Belle Fourche 22 NNW | 3,200 | May 15 | September 24 | 130 |
| Bison | 2,780 | May 10 | October 1 | 144 |
| Bonesteel | 1,980 | May 3 | October 10 | 159 |
| Bridgewater | 1,420 | April 30 | October 7 | 161 |
| Britton | 1,350 | May 13 | September 26 | 135 |
| Brookings 2 NE | 1,640 | May 6 | October 1 | 145 |
| Buffalo 13 ESE | 2,880 | May 20 | September 19 | 120 |
| Buffalo Asos | 3,010 | May 10 | October 1 | 141 |
| Camp Crook | 3,120 | May 17 | September 24 | 128 |
| Canton | 1,320 | May 2 | October 2 | 151 |
| Castlewood | 1,690 | May 10 | September 27 | 139 |
| Castlewood #2 | 1,690 | May 6 | October 1 | 145 |
| Cedar Butte | 2,360 | May 6 | October 4 | 151 |
| Centerville 6 SE | 1,280 | May 2 | October 1 | 151 |
| Chamberlain 5 S | 1,700 | May 3 | October 7 | 156 |
| Chamberlain Municipal Airport | 1,700 | May 1 | October 7 | 158 |
| Clark | 1,800 | May 5 | October 5 | 153 |
| Clark No2 | 1,810 | May 5 | October 5 | 152 |
| Clear Lake | 1,810 | May 7 | October 1 | 146 |
| Columbia 8 N | 1,310 | May 7 | September 29 | 145 |
| Conde | 1,330 | May 6 | September 29 | 144 |
| Cottonwood 2 E | 2,370 | May 16 | September 26 | 132 |
| Custer | 5,480 | May 18 | September 28 | 129 |
| Custer Co Airport | 5,540 | May 23 | September 24 | 122 |
| De Smet | 1,710 | May 5 | October 4 | 151 |
| Deadwood | 4,670 | May 24 | September 25 | 125 |
| Dupree | 2,390 | May 8 | October 1 | 144 |
| Dupree 15 SSE | 2,100 | May 6 | October 2 | 148 |
| Edgemont | 3,430 | May 23 | September 20 | 117 |
| Edgemont 23 NNW | 4,400 | May 18 | September 27 | 130 |
| Elm Springs 3 ESE | 2,640 | May 8 | October 3 | 146 |
| Eureka | 1,870 | May 12 | September 27 | 137 |
| Faith | 2,590 | May 6 | October 5 | 151 |
| Faith Municipal Airport | 2,580 | May 7 | October 3 | 147 |
| Faulkton 1 NW | 1,600 | May 10 | September 28 | 139 |
| Flandreau | 1,570 | May 5 | October 1 | 148 |
| Forestburg 4 NNE | 1,280 | May 9 | September 28 | 140 |
| Fort Meade | 3,310 | May 8 | October 3 | 147 |
| Fort Pierre 17 WSW | 1,590 | May 10 | September 27 | 138 |
| Gann Valley 3 NNE | 1,650 | May 7 | October 1 | 146 |
| Gann Valley 4 NW | 1,720 | May 6 | October 1 | 148 |
| Gettysburg | 2,080 | May 7 | October 2 | 147 |
| Glad Valley 2 W | 2,490 | May 11 | September 30 | 140 |
| Gregory | 2,160 | May 6 | October 3 | 149 |
| Harrington | 2,980 | May 11 | October 1 | 143 |
| Harrold 12 SSW | 1,700 | May 17 | September 24 | 129 |
| Hereford 12 SW | 2,810 | May 8 | October 3 | 147 |
| Highmore 1 W | 1,890 | May 12 | October 1 | 142 |
| Highmore 23 N | 1,870 | May 14 | September 29 | 138 |
| Hill City | 4,950 | June 1 | September 10 | 102 |
| Hoover | 2,770 | May 19 | September 21 | 122 |
| Hot Springs | 3,560 | May 16 | September 27 | 133 |
| Howard | 1,570 | May 5 | October 2 | 149 |
| Huron Regional Airport | 1,280 | May 6 | October 2 | 146 |
| Interior 3 NE | 2,440 | May 5 | October 7 | 152 |
| Ipswich | 1,550 | May 8 | September 29 | 143 |
| Johnson Siding | 4,180 | May 20 | September 25 | 126 |
| Kennebec | 1,680 | May 12 | September 28 | 137 |
| Kirley 6 N | 2,160 | May 6 | October 4 | 148 |
| Kyle 2 E | 2,960 | May 11 | October 1 | 139 |
| Ladner 9 SW | 3,000 | May 13 | September 27 | 135 |
| Lake Sharpe PRJ | 1,460 | May 6 | October 5 | 152 |
| Lead | 5,110 | May 18 | September 29 | 133 |
| Lemmon | 2,570 | May 10 | September 30 | 142 |
| Leola | 1,580 | May 9 | September 28 | 141 |
| Lodgepole 5 SW | 2,570 | May 30 | September 11 | 103 |
| Longvalley | 2,470 | May 9 | October 1 | 143 |
| Ludlow 3 SSE | 2,990 | May 16 | September 26 | 131 |
| Madison 2 SE | 1,640 | May 5 | September 30 | 148 |
| Manderson 3 NE | 3,090 | May 9 | October 4 | 147 |
| Martin | 3,330 | May 13 | October 2 | 141 |
| Martin 8 E | 3,030 | May 14 | October 1 | 139 |
| Maurine 12 SW | 2,630 | May 13 | September 28 | 136 |
| MC Intosh 6 SE | 2,180 | May 9 | September 30 | 143 |
| MC Laughlin | 2,000 | May 12 | September 28 | 137 |
| Mellette 4 W | 1,300 | May 11 | September 27 | 137 |
| Menno | 1,330 | May 1 | October 4 | 156 |
| Midland | 1,870 | May 12 | September 28 | 138 |
| Milbank | 1,140 | May 5 | October 2 | 150 |
| Milbank 4 NW | 1,150 | May 2 | October 4 | 153 |
| Milesville 5 NE | 2,240 | May 8 | October 2 | 147 |
| Miller | 1,570 | May 3 | October 3 | 152 |
| Mission | 2,590 | May 9 | October 1 | 146 |
| Mission 14 S | 2,810 | May 11 | October 2 | 145 |
| Mission Ridge 5 NW | 1,980 | May 6 | October 7 | 152 |
| Mitchell | 1,290 | April 27 | October 11 | 167 |
| Mitchell 2 N | 1,250 | May 2 | October 6 | 156 |
| Mitchell Municipal Airport | 1,300 | April 30 | October 5 | 159 |
| Mobridge 2 NNW | 1,690 | May 3 | October 8 | 157 |
| Mobridge Municipal Airport | 1,720 | May 5 | October 4 | 150 |
| Montrose 8 N | 1,720 | May 3 | October 4 | 153 |
| Mount Rushmore Nmem | 5,310 | May 15 | October 1 | 138 |
| Murdo | 2,320 | May 3 | October 9 | 158 |
| Newell | 2,860 | May 8 | October 1 | 144 |
| Oahe Dam | 1,660 | May 6 | October 5 | 152 |
| Oelrichs | 3,350 | May 15 | September 30 | 137 |
| Oglala 1 S | 3,000 | May 7 | October 4 | 149 |
| Onida 4 NW | 1,850 | May 8 | October 2 | 147 |
| Oral | 2,960 | May 15 | September 27 | 133 |
| Pactola Dam | 4,720 | May 28 | September 18 | 112 |
| Philip Airport | 2,200 | May 11 | September 30 | 141 |
| Pickstown | 1,490 | April 30 | October 13 | 165 |
| Pickstown 4 SSW | 1,710 | April 27 | October 13 | 168 |
| Pierre 24 S | 2,120 | May 6 | October 7 | 154 |
| Pierre Regional Airport | 1,740 | May 6 | October 3 | 148 |
| Pine Ridge Airport | 3,280 | May 16 | September 27 | 132 |
| Plainview 6 SSW | 2,380 | May 15 | September 27 | 134 |
| Pollock | 1,640 | May 8 | September 30 | 143 |
| Porcupine 11 N | 2,820 | May 17 | September 25 | 130 |
| Presho 7 NW | 1,810 | May 12 | September 29 | 140 |
| Ralph 1 N | 2,790 | May 18 | September 23 | 126 |
| Rapid City 4 NW | 3,480 | May 10 | October 5 | 147 |
| Rapid City Regional Airport | 3,160 | May 12 | October 1 | 139 |
| Rapid City WFO | 3,380 | May 3 | October 8 | 157 |
| Rauville 2 W | 1,740 | May 7 | September 28 | 143 |
| Red Owl | 2,770 | May 16 | September 26 | 131 |
| Redfield | 1,310 | May 8 | October 1 | 145 |
| Redig 11 NE | 3,070 | May 15 | September 24 | 131 |
| Rochford 2 WNW | 5,450 | Frost possible any month | 63 | |
| Roscoe | 1,830 | May 7 | October 3 | 148 |
| Roy Lake | 1,810 | May 2 | October 9 | 160 |
| Salem 5 NE | 1,590 | May 7 | September 29 | 144 |
| Selby | 1,910 | May 8 | October 1 | 145 |
| Shadehill Reservoir | 2,450 | May 16 | September 24 | 131 |
| Sioux Falls | 1,430 | May 1 | October 6 | 157 |
| Sioux Falls 14 NNE | 1,590 | May 1 | October 4 | 155 |
| Sioux Falls WFO Airport | 1,430 | April 26 | October 13 | 169 |
| Sisseton | 1,210 | May 4 | October 3 | 151 |
| Sisseton Municipal Airport | 1,160 | May 3 | September 30 | 149 |
| Spearfish | 3,630 | May 12 | October 2 | 143 |
| Stephan 2 NW | 1,800 | May 10 | September 29 | 140 |
| Summit 1 W | 1,960 | May 14 | September 28 | 136 |
| Timber Lake | 2,170 | May 10 | September 30 | 141 |
| Turton | 1,340 | May 7 | October 3 | 149 |
| Tyndall | 1,420 | May 1 | October 7 | 158 |
| Vermillion 2 SE | 1,140 | May 3 | October 3 | 153 |
| Victor 4 N | 1,100 | May 4 | October 3 | 152 |
| Wagner | 1,430 | April 29 | October 9 | 164 |
| Wasta | 2,330 | May 10 | October 1 | 141 |
| Watertown 2 S | 1,770 | May 3 | October 4 | 153 |
| Watertown Regional Airport | 1,750 | May 7 | September 30 | 145 |
| Waubay Natl Wild Life | 1,830 | May 1 | October 12 | 164 |
| Webster | 1,860 | May 4 | October 6 | 156 |
| Wentworth 2.5 WNW | 1,720 | May 2 | October 5 | 156 |
| Wessington Springs | 1,720 | May 2 | October 8 | 157 |
| White Lake | 1,630 | May 3 | October 5 | 153 |
| Wilmot | 1,200 | May 5 | October 1 | 149 |
| Wind Cave | 4,150 | May 15 | September 29 | 133 |
| Winfred 2 S | 1,710 | May 6 | October 3 | 151 |
| Winner | 2,020 | May 1 | October 9 | 159 |
| Winner Wiley Field | 2,030 | May 1 | October 10 | 162 |
| Wood | 2,180 | May 10 | October 1 | 143 |
| Yankton 2 E | 1,180 | April 27 | October 11 | 164 |
| Zeona 10 SSW | 2,730 | May 11 | September 28 | 137 |
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.