Ely, IA 52227 Frost Dates
When can you plant in Ely, IA?
Around 04/27 is the usual last spring frost, about 242 days away. The first fall frost typically arrives around 10/11, about 165 frost-free days later.
The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map puts Ely 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 Ely before the first fall frost — a cold frame or row cover can stretch harvest weeks past that date.
How much risk comes with planting early here
04/27 is the middle of 30 years of NOAA records, not a promise. Plant by 04/13 and you're betting against frost in roughly 9 years out of 10. 05/11 is the safer bet, historically only a 1-in-10 chance of frost that late.
How Ely compares
Ely's growing season runs about 165 days, ranking 30,597 of 40,283 US ZIP codes measured here, longest to shortest. Within IA, it ranks 501 of 1,042.
Learn more
local microclimates covers what one yard in Ely can differ from the 52227 normal. zone vs. frost date covers why Zone 5a and Ely's frost date answer different questions.