FrostDateCheck

West Milwaukee, WI 53219 Frost Dates

When can you plant in West Milwaukee, WI?

Zone 5b

Typically, the last spring freeze lands around 04/26, roughly 241 days out. The first fall frost typically arrives around 10/22, about 177 frost-free days later.

West Milwaukee 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 8 weeks of growing season left in West Milwaukee 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 04/12 and you're betting against frost in roughly 9 years out of 10. 05/12 is the safer bet, historically only a 1-in-10 chance of frost that late.

How West Milwaukee compares

West Milwaukee's growing season runs about 177 days, ranking 26,114 of 40,283 US ZIP codes measured here, longest to shortest. Within WI, it ranks 82 of 860.

Learn more

zone vs. frost date covers why Zone 5b and West Milwaukee's frost date answer different questions. the frost range covers how to read the range around West Milwaukee's dates instead of trusting one.