Marion, IA 52410 Frost Dates
Frost dates for Marion, IA, ZIP 52410
The last spring frost here typically falls around 04/28, about 243 days from today. The first fall frost typically arrives around 10/12, about 166 frost-free days later.
The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map puts Marion 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 Marion 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.
How much risk comes with planting early here
04/28 is the middle of 30 years of NOAA records, not a promise. Plant by 04/14 and you're betting against frost in roughly 9 years out of 10. 05/13 is the safer bet, historically only a 1-in-10 chance of frost that late.
How Marion compares
Marion's growing season runs about 166 days, ranking 30,289 of 40,283 US ZIP codes measured here, longest to shortest. Within IA, it ranks 445 of 1,042.
Learn more
local microclimates explains what one yard in Marion can differ from the 52410 normal, and zone vs. frost date explains why Zone 5a and Marion's frost date answer different questions.