Iowa Frost Dates
Iowa gardeners usually enjoy a productive summer once warmth settles in, but the shoulder seasons can be abrupt. Frost often hangs on longer in the north and low-lying fields, so tender planting waits more than it does in the milder southern part of the state.
Look up your exact frost dates
Frost timing shifts across Iowa with elevation and distance from water. Enter your ZIP code for dates from your nearest weather station.
Iowa locations
| ZIP | Area | Hardiness zone |
|---|---|---|
| 50022 | Atlantic | 5a |
| 50126 | Iowa Falls | 5a |
| 50208 | Newton | 5b |
| 50220 | Perry | 5a |
| 50321 | Des Moines | 5b |
| 50401 | Mason City | 5a |
| 50511 | Algona | 5a |
| 50529 | Dakota City | 5a |
| 50548 | Humboldt | 5a |
| 50579 | Rockwell City | 5a |
| 51025 | Holstein | 5a |
| 51034 | Mapleton | 5a |
| 51201 | Sheldon | 5a |
| 51246 | Rock Rapids | 5a |
| 52172 | Waukon | 5a |
| 52205 | Anamosa | 5a |
| 52349 | Vinton | 5a |
| 52537 | Bloomfield | 5b |
| 52557 | Fairfield | 5b |
| 52801 | Davenport | 5b |
| 50001 | Ackworth | 5b |
| 50002 | Adair | 5b |
| 50003 | Adel | 5b |
| 50005 | Albion | 5a |
| 50006 | Alden | 5a |
| 50007 | Alleman | 5b |
| 50008 | Allerton | 5b |
| 50009 | Altoona | 5b |
| 50010 | Ames | 5b |
| 50012 | Ames | 5b |
| 50013 | Ames | 5b |
| 50014 | Ames | 5b |
| 50020 | Anita | 5b |
| 50021 | Ankeny | 5b |
| 50023 | Ankeny | 5b |
| 50025 | Audubon | 5a |
| 50026 | Bagley | 5a |
| 50027 | Barnes City | 5b |
| 50028 | Baxter | 5b |
| 50029 | Bayard | 5a |
| 50031 | Beaver | 5a |
| 50032 | Des Moines | 5b |
| 50033 | Bevington | - |
| 50034 | Blairsburg | 5a |
| 50035 | Bondurant | 5b |
| 50036 | Boone | 5a |
| 50038 | Waukee | 5b |
| 50039 | Bouton | 5a |
| 50040 | Boxholm | 5a |
| 50041 | Bradford | - |
| 50042 | Brayton | 5a |
| 50044 | Bussey | 5b |
| 50046 | Cambridge | 5b |
| 50047 | Carlisle | 5b |
| 50048 | Casey | 5b |
| 50049 | Chariton | 5b |
| 50050 | Churdan | 5a |
| 50051 | Clemons | 5a |
| 50052 | Clio | 5b |
| 50054 | Colfax | 5b |
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals (public domain) and USDA 2023 Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Page updated Aug 4, 2026.