Ellsworth, ME 04680 Frost Dates
Frost dates for Ellsworth, ME, ZIP 04680
The last spring frost here typically falls around 05/03, about 248 days from today. The first fall frost typically arrives around 10/09, about 158 frost-free days later.
The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map puts Ellsworth 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
Zone 6a around Ellsworth has about 6 weeks left before the first fall frost — that's the usual window to get a cold frame up if you want to keep harvesting past it.
Why 05/03 isn't a guarantee
05/03 is the middle of 30 years of NOAA records, not a promise. Plant by 04/22 and you're betting against frost in roughly 9 years out of 10. 05/16 is the safer bet, historically only a 1-in-10 chance of frost that late.
How Ellsworth compares
Ellsworth's growing season runs about 158 days, ranking 32,947 of 40,283 US ZIP codes measured here, longest to shortest. Within ME, it ranks 177 of 456.
Learn more
local microclimates explains what one yard in Ellsworth can differ from the 04680 normal, and zone vs. frost date explains why Zone 6a and Ellsworth's frost date answer different questions.