Last frost date in Elizabethtown, KY

Average last frost
April 16

In Elizabethtown, the last spring frost comes around April 16 in an average year. Wait until May 4 if you want 90% odds of no more frost. The first fall frost usually arrives about October 25, which leaves 191 frost-free days. An early freeze before October 13 happens one year in ten.

Safe after (10% risk)
May 4
Average first frost
Oct 25
Frost-free season
191 days
Hard freeze (28°F) ends
Apr 1
Next 7 nights in Elizabethtown

No frost in the next 7 nights

National Weather Service forecast, updated Oct 22, 12:57 UTC

  1. ThuOct 2242°
  2. FriOct 2341°
  3. SatOct 2444°
  4. SunOct 2545°
  5. MonOct 2646°
  6. TueOct 2748°
  7. WedOct 2846°
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost Apr 16First frost Oct 25191 frost-free daysBlue: chance of 32°F frost. Green: average frost-free season.JFMAMJJASOND191 frost-free days
Frost risk through the year at Elizabethtown Wp Cs, 1.7 miles from Elizabethtown.

Planting calendar for Elizabethtown

Windows count forward or back from the average frost dates above. Click a crop for dates across Kentucky.

Start indoorsPlant outSow outdoorsFall plantingAverage last and first frost
Warm-season crops
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
TomatoesApr 23–May 7
PumpkinsApr 30–May 14
SunflowersApr 16–May 7
CucumbersApr 30–May 7
CornApr 23–May 7
Sweet potatoesMay 7–May 21
WatermelonApr 30–May 14
Green beansApr 23–May 14
ZucchiniApr 23–May 7
OkraMay 7–May 21
PeppersApr 30–May 14
BasilApr 23–May 7
Butternut squashApr 23–May 7
CantaloupeApr 30–May 14
EggplantApr 30–May 14
Cool-season crops
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PotatoesMar 19–Apr 2
OnionsMar 5–Mar 26
CarrotsMar 26–Apr 30
LettuceApr 2–Apr 23
BroccoliMar 19–Apr 2
BeetsMar 19–Apr 30
PeasMar 5–Mar 19
CabbageMar 19–Apr 2
RadishesMar 12–Apr 23
Brussels sproutsApr 2–Apr 16
SpinachMar 5–Mar 26
CilantroApr 2–Apr 23
KaleMar 19–Apr 2
Collard greensMar 19–Apr 2
TurnipsMar 19–Apr 2
DillApr 16–Apr 30
CeleryApr 23–Apr 30
CauliflowerApr 2–Apr 16
LeeksApr 2–Apr 16
Swiss chardApr 2–Apr 30
ParsleyApr 2–Apr 23
Fall bulbs and garlic
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Tulip bulbsOct 11–Nov 15
GarlicOct 4–Nov 8
Daffodil bulbsSep 27–Nov 8
Perennials
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
StrawberriesMar 19–Apr 2
AsparagusMar 19–Apr 2

Frost probabilities

ThresholdSpring, 90% chance laterSpring, 50%Spring, 10%Fall, 10% chance earlierFall, 50%Fall, 90%
Light frost, 32°FMar 31Apr 16May 4Oct 13Oct 25Nov 3
Hard freeze, 28°FMar 17Apr 1Apr 18Oct 23Nov 3Nov 16

Read the spring 10% column as the date after which only one year in ten still gets frost. That is the safer date for tomatoes, peppers and basil.

Where these numbers come from

NOAA station Elizabethtown Wp Cs (USC00152512) sits 1.7 miles from the center of Elizabethtown at 690 feet. Its averages cover 1991 to 2020. Low spots, valleys and open fields can keep getting frost a week or two after the station stops; city centers and lakeshores usually get less of it.

Questions

When is the last frost in Elizabethtown, KY?

The average last frost date in Elizabethtown is April 16, based on NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals. There is a 10% chance of frost after May 4.

When is the first frost in Elizabethtown?

The first frost in fall usually comes around October 25. One year in ten it arrives before October 13.

How long is the growing season in Elizabethtown?

About 191 days between the average last and first frost.

When should I plant tomatoes in Elizabethtown?

Plant tomato seedlings outside from April 23 to May 7. Start seeds indoors six to eight weeks earlier.

Nearby in Kentucky

All 19 cities in Kentucky