McIntosh, SD 57639 Frost Dates
When can you plant in McIntosh, SD?
Around 05/09 is the usual last spring frost, about 254 days away. The first fall frost typically arrives around 09/30, about 143 frost-free days later.
McIntosh sits in USDA Zone 4a (-30 to -25°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 5 weeks of growing season left in McIntosh 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
05/09 is the middle of 30 years of NOAA records, not a promise. Plant by 04/28 and you're betting against frost in roughly 9 years out of 10. 05/24 is the safer bet, historically only a 1-in-10 chance of frost that late.
How McIntosh compares
About 143 days separate McIntosh's last and first frost, putting it 36,661 of 40,283 ZIP codes nationally. Within SD, it ranks 273 of 378.
Learn more
local microclimates covers what one yard in McIntosh can differ from the 57639 normal. zone vs. frost date covers why Zone 4a and McIntosh's frost date answer different questions.