Frost dates for Rochester, Minnesota
Minnesota · first & last freeze, from NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals
In a typical year, the last spring freeze around Rochester comes near April 30 and the first fall freeze near October 6. One year in ten, a freeze still arrives after May 13 in spring — and one year in ten, the first fall freeze has already landed by September 22. NCEI's own growing-season statistic (days between freezes, percentiled per year) puts the median at 159 days.
Freeze-date probabilities, three thresholds
| Threshold | Last spring — 9 in 10 years past by | Last spring — typical (median) | Last spring — 1 in 10 years later than | First fall — 1 in 10 years by | First fall — typical (median) | First fall — 9 in 10 years by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F — near-freezing (frost can occur) | April 28 | May 9 | May 21 | September 14 | September 28 | October 11 |
| 32°F — freezing | April 15 | April 30 | May 13 | September 22 | October 6 | October 20 |
| 28°F — hard freeze | April 4 | April 18 | May 2 | October 4 | October 17 | October 31 |
Measured at Rochester Intl Ap, MN (USW00014925), 7.6 mi from the city's census reference point, elev. 1,304 ft. NOAA/NCEI 1991–2020 normals. Read each date column as odds over the 30-year record — e.g. "9 in 10 years past by" means only one spring in ten saw a later freeze than that date.
Frost-free windows (computed)
| Window (32°F ends) | Opens | Closes | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cautious (1-in-10 freeze risk at each end) | May 13 | September 22 | 132 days |
| Typical (median freeze dates) | April 30 | October 6 | 159 days |
| Gambler's (9-in-10 freeze risk at each end) | April 15 | October 20 | 188 days |
Pure arithmetic on the freeze-date percentiles above — the "cautious" window opens on the date only 1 year in 10 still sees a later spring freeze, and closes on the date by which only 1 year in 10 has already frozen.
About this city's numbers
- Census entity: Rochester city, Minnesota — official 2024 population estimate 123,624.
- Weather station: Rochester Intl Ap, MN (USW00014925), 7.6 mi from the city's census-gazetteer reference point at elevation 1,304 ft. Frost dates are that station's history — neighborhoods vary.
- Data pulled 2026-09-05; normals period 1991-2020 (replaced by NOAA roughly once a decade).