Chilton, WI 53014 Frost Dates
When can you plant in Chilton, WI?
The last spring frost here typically falls around 05/01, about 246 days from today. The first fall frost typically arrives around 10/14, about 162 frost-free days later.
Chilton sits in USDA Zone 5b (-15 to -10°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 7 weeks of growing season left in Chilton 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
05/01 is the middle of 30 years of NOAA records, not a promise. Plant by 04/19 and you're betting against frost in roughly 9 years out of 10. 05/17 is the safer bet, historically only a 1-in-10 chance of frost that late.
How Chilton compares
Chilton's growing season runs about 162 days, ranking 31,723 of 40,283 US ZIP codes measured here, longest to shortest. Within WI, it ranks 265 of 860.
Learn more
local microclimates covers what one yard in Chilton can differ from the 53014 normal. zone vs. frost date covers why Zone 5b and Chilton's frost date answer different questions.