Cedar Rapids, IA 52404 Frost Dates
Frost dates for Cedar Rapids, IA, ZIP 52404
The last spring frost here typically falls around 04/27, about 242 days from today. The first fall frost typically arrives around 10/11, about 165 frost-free days later.
The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map puts Cedar Rapids 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
Zone 5a around Cedar Rapids 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 04/27 isn't a guarantee
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 Cedar Rapids compares
Cedar Rapids's growing season runs about 165 days, ranking 30,471 of 40,283 US ZIP codes measured here, longest to shortest. Within IA, it ranks 482 of 1,042.
Learn more
the frost range explains how to read the range around Cedar Rapids's dates instead of trusting one, and local microclimates explains what one yard in Cedar Rapids can differ from the 52404 normal.