Onward, IN 46961 Frost Dates
When can you plant in Onward, IN?
The last spring frost here typically falls around 04/20, about 235 days from today. The first fall frost typically arrives around 10/23, about 185 frost-free days later.
Onward sits in USDA Zone 6a (-10 to -5°F average annual minimum). The dates above are NOAA's 1991-2020 normal at the nearest reporting station, a 30-year average, not a forecast.
What to do before the first frost
About 8 weeks of growing season left in Onward before the first fall frost — a cold frame or row cover can stretch harvest weeks past that date.
Why 04/20 isn't a guarantee
04/20 is the middle of 30 years of NOAA records, not a promise. Plant by 04/06 and you're betting against frost in roughly 9 years out of 10. 05/06 is the safer bet, historically only a 1-in-10 chance of frost that late.
How Onward compares
Onward's growing season runs about 185 days, ranking 23,364 of 40,283 US ZIP codes measured here, longest to shortest. Within IN, it ranks 392 of 927.
Learn more
local microclimates covers what one yard in Onward can differ from the 46961 normal. zone vs. frost date covers why Zone 6a and Onward's frost date answer different questions.