Frost dates · Wisconsin
When is the first frost in Madison?
In a typical year, Madison’s first frost comes around October 10 and its last around May 1.
One year in ten the first frost comes as early as September 26, and nine years in ten it has arrived by October 24. One year in ten the last frost is over as early as April 16, and nine years in ten it is over by May 16. Madison averages about 147 nights a year at 32°F or colder, with about 160 frost-free days in between in a typical year. It’s frost season here, and the last frost usually comes around May 1. That makes it the 20th 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.
Madison’s frost comes back around early October, right when everyone had finally committed to summer clothes.
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 26 | October 10 | October 24 |
| Last frost | April 16 | May 1 | May 16 |
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
- Waterloo, Iowa: first frost around October 10
- Binghamton, New York: first frost around October 11
- Denver, Colorado: first frost around October 9
Source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991 to 2020, station USW00014837.