Frost dates Missouri Kansas City

Frost dates in Kansas City, Missouri

Last spring frost Apr 4 First fall frost Nov 2 NOAA 1991-2020

The average last spring frost in Kansas City is Apr 4 and the average first fall frost is Nov 2, measured at KANSAS CITY DOWNTOWN AP, about 2 miles from the city centre. Below: how sure those dates are, and what to start, sow and set out each week.

Average last spring frostApr 432°F, 50% probability
Average first fall frostNov 232°F, 50% probability
Days between them212average frost-free season
How sure is that date? NOAA probability levels for a 32°F freeze
ProbabilityFreeze still comes after (spring)First freeze has come by (fall)
90%Mar 17Nov 16
50%Apr 4Nov 2
10%Apr 20Oct 21

Read it like this: in half of years the last 32°F freeze of spring comes after Apr 4, and in 1 year in 10 there is still a freeze after Apr 20. In 1 year in 10 the first fall freeze arrives before Oct 21.

Measured at: KANSAS CITY DOWNTOWN AP, MO (NOAA station USW00013988), about 2 miles away at 742 ft, 29 years of record in 1991-2020.

Other stations nearby, for comparison:

  • INDEPENDENCE, MO (NOAA station USC00234154), about 11 miles away at 985 ft, 29 years of record in 1991-2020: last spring frost Apr 10, first fall frost Oct 27
  • LEES SUMMIT MUNI AP, MO (NOAA station USW00053879), about 15 miles away at 997 ft, 19 years of record in 1991-2020: last spring frost Apr 7, first fall frost Oct 29

Seed-starting schedule for Kansas City, MO

Counted from a last frost date of Apr 4 (the average: a freeze comes later than this in half of years).

  1. Week of Dec 2714 weeks before last frost
    • Start seeds indoorsLeekDec 27 to Jan 10
    • Start seeds indoorsOnionDec 27 to Jan 10
  2. Week of Jan 313 weeks before last frost
    • Start seeds indoorsParsleyJan 3 to Jan 10
  3. Week of Jan 1012 weeks before last frost
    • Start seeds indoorsCeleryJan 10 to Jan 24
    • Start seeds indoorsSpinachJan 10 to Jan 24
  4. Week of Jan 2410 weeks before last frost
    • Start seeds indoorsBroccoliJan 24 to Feb 7
    • Start seeds indoorsBrussels sproutJan 24 to Feb 7
    • Start seeds indoorsCabbageJan 24 to Feb 7
    • Start seeds indoorsKaleJan 24 to Feb 7
    • Start seeds indoorsKohlrabiJan 24 to Feb 7
  5. Week of Jan 319 weeks before last frost
    • Start seeds indoorsLettuceJan 31 to Feb 7
  6. Week of Feb 78 weeks before last frost
    • Start seeds indoorsCauliflowerFeb 7 to Feb 21
    • Start seeds indoorsEggplantFeb 7 to Feb 21
    • Start seeds indoorsPepperFeb 7 to Feb 21
    • Start seeds indoorsSwiss chardFeb 7 to Feb 21
  7. Week of Feb 147 weeks before last frost
    • Start seeds indoorsTomatoFeb 14 to Feb 28
  8. Week of Feb 216 weeks before last frost
    • Start seeds indoorsBasilFeb 21 to Mar 7
    • Set transplants outSpinachFeb 21 to Mar 14
  9. Week of Mar 74 weeks before last frost
    • Sow seed outdoorsRadishMar 7 to Mar 21
    • Sow seed outdoorsSwiss chardfrom Mar 7
    • Sow seed outdoorsTurnipMar 7 to Mar 21
    • Set transplants outBroccoliMar 7 to Mar 21
    • Set transplants outBrussels sproutMar 7 to Mar 21
    • Set transplants outCabbagefrom Mar 7
    • Set transplants outKalefrom Mar 7
    • Set transplants outKohlrabifrom Mar 7
    • Set transplants outLeekfrom Mar 7
    • Set transplants outLettuceMar 7 to Mar 14
    • Set transplants outOnionfrom Mar 7
  10. Week of Mar 143 weeks before last frost
    • Start seeds indoorsCucumberMar 14 to Mar 21
    • Set transplants outParsleyMar 14 to Mar 21
  11. Week of Mar 212 weeks before last frost
    • Start seeds indoorsMelonMar 21 to Mar 28
    • Start seeds indoorsPumpkinMar 21 to Mar 28
    • Start seeds indoorsSummer squashMar 21 to Mar 28
    • Start seeds indoorsWinter squashMar 21 to Mar 28
    • Start seeds indoorsZucchiniMar 21 to Mar 28
    • Plant seed potatoes outdoorsPotatoMar 21 to Mar 28
    • Set transplants outCauliflowerfrom Mar 21
    • Set transplants outSwiss chardfrom Mar 21
  12. Week of Apr 4Last frost week
    • Sow seed outdoorsBeanfrom Apr 4
    • Sow seed outdoorsParsnipfrom Apr 4
    • Set transplants outCeleryfrom Apr 4
  13. Week of Apr 111 week after last frost
    • Plant slips outdoorsSweet potatoApr 11 to Apr 18
    • Set transplants outCucumberApr 11 to Apr 18
    • Set transplants outTomatoApr 11 to Apr 18
  14. Week of Apr 182 weeks after last frost
    • Set transplants outBasilfrom Apr 18
    • Set transplants outEggplantApr 18 to Apr 25
    • Set transplants outMelonfrom Apr 18
    • Set transplants outPepperfrom Apr 18
    • Set transplants outPumpkinfrom Apr 18
    • Set transplants outSummer squashfrom Apr 18
    • Set transplants outWinter squashfrom Apr 18
    • Set transplants outZucchinifrom Apr 18

Not in the city centre? Look up your own ZIP code

More in Missouri

Where the numbers come from

Sources and method

Frost dates. U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Annual/Seasonal Climate Normals (1991-2020), NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (Palecki, Durre, Applequist, Arguez and Lawrimore, 2021). These are 30-year station statistics for 1991 to 2020. "Frost" here means an air temperature of 32°F or lower at the station. We use 6,539 stations that have at least 10 years of record and a published date; 176 more are stations where a freeze is too rare for NOAA to date, and 180 are stations cold enough to have frost risk all year.

Probability level. The headline dates are NOAA's 50% level: in half of years the last spring freeze comes later than that date, and in half of years the first fall freeze comes earlier. The 10% and 90% levels are shown next to them. For tender plants, the 10% spring date is the safer one to plan from: a freeze follows it in only 1 year in 10.

Which station. Your ZIP code is matched to the nearest of those stations by straight-line distance from the ZIP code's centre point (GeoNames, geonames.org, CC BY 4.0; 40,979 ZIP codes in the 50 states and DC). Nearest is not always most alike: a station on a hill, in a valley or by the water can differ from your garden by a week or more. That is why the station's name, distance and elevation are shown with every result, along with two more stations nearby. NOAA makes the same point: the normals are limited between stations as distance grows horizontally and vertically.

Seed-starting offsets. Growing Vegetables: When to Plant Your Vegetable Garden, a fact sheet from University of New Hampshire Extension. It gives each crop's weeks from seed to transplant and when it is safe to set out or sow relative to the last frost. The method is theirs too: take the planting date and count back the seed-to-transplant weeks. Where the fact sheet gives a range of planting dates, the start-indoors dates count back from the earliest one. The figures used, as the fact sheet states them:

  • Basil: Seed to transplant 6-8 weeks; set out 2 weeks after last frost.
  • Bean: Plant seed in garden after last frost.
  • Broccoli: Seed to transplant 4-6 weeks; set out 2-4 weeks before last frost.
  • Brussels sprout: Seed to transplant 4-6 weeks; set out 2-4 weeks before last frost.
  • Cabbage: Seed to transplant 4-6 weeks; set out 4 weeks before last frost.
  • Cauliflower: Seed to transplant 4-6 weeks; set out 2 weeks before last frost.
  • Celery: Seed to transplant 10-12 weeks; set out after last frost.
  • Cucumber: Seed to transplant 3-4 weeks; set out 1-2 weeks after last frost.
  • Eggplant: Seed to transplant 8-10 weeks; set out 2-3 weeks after last frost.
  • Kale: Seed to transplant 4-6 weeks; set out 4 weeks before last frost.
  • Kohlrabi: Seed to transplant 4-6 weeks; set out 4 weeks before last frost.
  • Leek: Seed to transplant 8-10 weeks; set out 4 weeks before last frost.
  • Lettuce: Seed to transplant 4-5 weeks; set out 3-4 weeks before last frost.
  • Melon: Seed to transplant 3-4 weeks; set out 2 weeks after last frost.
  • Onion: Seed to transplant 8-10 weeks; set out 4 weeks before last frost.
  • Parsley: Seed to transplant 9-10 weeks; set out 2-3 weeks before last frost.
  • Parsnip: Plant seed in garden after last frost.
  • Pepper: Seed to transplant 8-10 weeks; set out 2 weeks after last frost.
  • Potato: Plant seed potatoes in garden 1-2 weeks before last frost.
  • Pumpkin: Seed to transplant 3-4 weeks; set out 2 weeks after last frost.
  • Radish: Plant seed in garden 2-4 weeks before last frost.
  • Spinach: Seed to transplant 4-6 weeks; set out 3-6 weeks before last frost.
  • Summer squash: Seed to transplant 3-4 weeks; set out 2 weeks after last frost.
  • Sweet potato: Plant slips in garden 1-2 weeks after last frost.
  • Swiss chard: Seed to transplant 4-6 weeks; set out 2 weeks before last frost; or plant seed in garden 4 weeks before last frost.
  • Tomato: Seed to transplant 6-8 weeks; set out 1-2 weeks after last frost.
  • Turnip: Plant seed in garden 2-4 weeks before last frost.
  • Winter squash: Seed to transplant 3-4 weeks; set out 2 weeks after last frost.
  • Zucchini: Seed to transplant 3-4 weeks; set out 2 weeks after last frost.

Not on the calendar. The same fact sheet times these by soil temperature, not by frost date, so they get no date here:

  • Pea: as soon as the soil thaws.
  • Beet: when the soil warms to 45°F.
  • Carrot: when the soil warms to 60°F.
  • Corn: when the soil warms to 60°F.
  • Cucumber, pumpkin, summer squash, winter squash, zucchini: direct-sow when the soil warms to 70°F.

Rutabaga is left out: the fact sheet gives it New Hampshire calendar dates, not a frost offset.

The fact sheet was written for New Hampshire. The offsets are relative to the last frost, so they carry to other places with a spring frost, but where winters are mild many cool-season crops are grown in fall and winter instead. Your state's extension service has the local calendar. Dates are 30-year statistics, not a forecast: check the forecast before setting tender plants out.

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