Frost dates for Topeka, Kansas
Kansas · first & last freeze, from NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals
In a typical year, the last spring freeze around Topeka comes near April 16 and the first fall freeze near October 22. One year in ten, a freeze still arrives after April 27 in spring — and one year in ten, the first fall freeze has already landed by October 6. NCEI's own growing-season statistic (days between freezes, percentiled per year) puts the median at 189 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 10 | April 24 | May 5 | September 28 | October 13 | October 26 |
| 32°F — freezing | April 1 | April 16 | April 27 | October 6 | October 22 | November 4 |
| 28°F — hard freeze | March 17 | April 5 | April 20 | October 17 | October 31 | November 16 |
Measured at Topeka - Nws, KS (USC00148171), 4.4 mi from the city's census reference point, elev. 880 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) | April 27 | October 6 | 162 days |
| Typical (median freeze dates) | April 16 | October 22 | 189 days |
| Gambler's (9-in-10 freeze risk at each end) | April 1 | November 4 | 217 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: Topeka city, Kansas — official 2024 population estimate 125,467.
- Weather station: Topeka - Nws, KS (USC00148171), 4.4 mi from the city's census-gazetteer reference point at elevation 880 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).
More Kansas cities
Wichita · Overland Park · Kansas City · Olathe · Lawrence · all of Kansas →