When is the last frost in St. Louis, MO?

The average (50% probability) last spring frost in St. Louis is April 2, based on NOAA 1991–2020 normals. A 1-in-10 risk remains until April 17.

When is the first frost in St. Louis?

The average first fall frost in St. Louis is November 4, with a growing season of about 215 days.

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St. Louis, Missouri frost dates

Average last spring frost: April 2. Average first fall frost: November 4. That gives a growing season of about 215 days. For frost-tender plants, a safer planting date is April 17, after which a freeze happens in only 1 year in 10.

Last frost (50%)

Apr 2

1-in-10 risk after Apr 17

First frost (50%)

Nov 4

1-in-10 risk before Oct 23

Growing season

215 days

median frost-free days

Hard freeze (28°F)

Mar 23

median last 28°F in spring

Frost risk by date

Chance of frost	Spring: frost after	Fall: frost before
90%	March 17	November 18
70%	March 28	November 9
50%	April 2	November 4
30%	April 7	October 30
10%	April 17	October 23

Read the spring column like this: there is a 10% chance of a 32°F freeze after April 17. These are NOAA probabilities for the St Louis Lambert International Airport weather station (USW00013994, elevation 162 m), 1991–2020.

St. Louis vegetable planting calendar

Dates count from the 50% last-frost date (April 2). For tomatoes, peppers and other frost-tender crops, waiting until the 10% date (Apr 17) is the cautious choice.

Crop	Start seeds indoors	Plant out
Beans	Mar 12	Apr 9 (usually sown directly in the garden)
Broccoli	Jan 22	Mar 5
Brussels sprouts	Jan 22	Mar 5
Cabbage	Jan 15	Feb 26
Cauliflower	Feb 5	Mar 19
Sweet corn	Mar 5	Apr 2 (usually sown directly in the garden)
Cucumbers	Mar 19	Apr 9
Kale	Jan 15	Feb 26
Leeks	Dec 18	Feb 26
Lettuce	Feb 12	Mar 19
Melons	Mar 26	Apr 16
Onions	Dec 11	Feb 19 (from seed; sets and transplants go out at the same time)
Peas	Feb 5	Mar 5 (usually sown directly in the garden)
Peppers	Feb 19	Apr 16
Squash	Mar 26	Apr 16
Tomatoes	Feb 5	Apr 2

Offsets from Oregon State University Extension's seed-starting table. "Plant out" means transplant, or sow directly for crops usually grown from seed.

Fall frost and season extension

The first fall freeze usually arrives around November 4. There's a 1-in-10 chance it comes before October 23. Harvest tender crops such as basil, tomatoes, peppers and squash before then, or cover them on cold nights. Cool-season crops like kale, cabbage and Brussels sprouts handle light frost, and often taste sweeter after it. A hard freeze (28°F) typically comes around November 13.

Nearby cities

City	Last frost (50%)	First frost (50%)	Distance
Springfield, IL	Apr 14	Oct 20	~135 km
Peoria, IL	Apr 16	Oct 23	~221 km
Evansville, IN	Apr 4	Oct 29	~259 km
Springfield, MO	Apr 9	Oct 27	~311 km
Cedar Rapids, IA	Apr 27	Oct 11	~366 km
Indianapolis, IN	Apr 15	Oct 26	~370 km

More: all Missouri frost dates