Frost dates · Iowa
When is the first frost in Dubuque?
In a typical year, Dubuque’s first frost comes around October 11 and its last around April 28.
One year in ten the first frost comes as early as September 28, and nine years in ten it has arrived by October 23. One year in ten the last frost is over as early as April 13, and nine years in ten it is over by May 12. Dubuque averages about 144 nights a year at 32°F or colder, with about 165 frost-free days in between in a typical year. It’s frost season here, and the last frost usually comes around April 28. That makes it the 23rd earliest first frost of the 117 cities we track where it freezes most years.
Last updated
A freeze is in the forecast for the next 48 hours.
Dubuque gets its first frost in mid-October, when the bluffs over the river are at their most dramatic anyway.
Live 48-hour check from OpenWeatherMap, refreshed about every half hour. Alerts from the National Weather Service.
Frost dates, early, typical and late years
| Early year (1 in 10) | Typical | Late year (1 in 10) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| First frost | September 28 | October 11 | October 23 |
| Last frost | April 13 | April 28 | May 12 |
A frost date here is a night when the official thermometer reads 32°F or colder. Frost on the ground can show up on clear, calm nights a few degrees milder.
Cities with about the same first frost
- Binghamton, New York: first frost around October 11
- Madison, Wisconsin: first frost around October 10
- Spokane, Washington: first frost around October 12
Source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991 to 2020, station USW00094908.