Springfield, MA 01129 Frost Dates
When can you plant in Springfield, MA?
The last spring frost here typically falls around 05/03, about 248 days from today. The first fall frost typically arrives around 10/08, about 158 frost-free days later.
The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map puts Springfield in Zone 6a (-10 to -5°F average annual minimum); frost dates are NOAA's 1991-2020 station normal, not this year's forecast.
What to do before the first frost
About 6 weeks of growing season left in Springfield before the first fall frost — a cold frame or row cover can stretch harvest weeks past that date.
Why 05/03 isn't a guarantee
05/03 is the middle of 30 years of NOAA records, not a promise. Plant by 04/20 and you're betting against frost in roughly 9 years out of 10. 05/17 is the safer bet, historically only a 1-in-10 chance of frost that late.
How Springfield compares
Springfield's growing season runs about 158 days, ranking 32,859 of 40,283 US ZIP codes measured here, longest to shortest. Within MA, it ranks 548 of 712.
Learn more
local microclimates covers what one yard in Springfield can differ from the 01129 normal. zone vs. frost date covers why Zone 6a and Springfield's frost date answer different questions.