Story City, IA 50248 Frost Dates
When can you plant in Story City, IA?
Typically, the last spring freeze lands around 04/26, roughly 241 days out. The first fall frost typically arrives around 10/08, about 164 frost-free days later.
The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map puts Story City in Zone 5a (-20 to -15°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 Story City before the first fall frost — a cold frame or row cover can stretch harvest weeks past that date.
Why 04/26 isn't a guarantee
04/26 is the middle of 30 years of NOAA records, not a promise. Plant by 04/11 and you're betting against frost in roughly 9 years out of 10. 05/09 is the safer bet, historically only a 1-in-10 chance of frost that late.
How Story City compares
Story City's growing season runs about 164 days, ranking 30,935 of 40,283 US ZIP codes measured here, longest to shortest. Within IA, it ranks 585 of 1,042.
Learn more
the frost range covers how to read the range around Story City's dates instead of trusting one. local microclimates covers what one yard in Story City can differ from the 50248 normal.