Cranston, RI 02920 Frost Dates
When can you plant in Cranston, RI?
Around 04/11 is the usual last spring frost, about 226 days away. The first fall frost typically arrives around 10/30, about 199 frost-free days later.
The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map puts Cranston in Zone 7a (0 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 9 weeks of growing season left in Cranston before the first fall frost — a cold frame or row cover can stretch harvest weeks past that date.
Why 04/11 isn't a guarantee
04/11 is the middle of 30 years of NOAA records, not a promise. Plant by 04/01 and you're betting against frost in roughly 9 years out of 10. 04/23 is the safer bet, historically only a 1-in-10 chance of frost that late.
How Cranston compares
Cranston's growing season runs about 199 days, ranking 17,997 of 40,283 US ZIP codes measured here, longest to shortest. Within RI, it ranks 34 of 79.
Learn more
local microclimates covers what one yard in Cranston can differ from the 02920 normal. zone vs. frost date covers why Zone 7a and Cranston's frost date answer different questions.