Montpelier, ND 58497 Frost Dates
When can you plant in Montpelier, ND?
Typically, the last spring freeze lands around 05/08, roughly 253 days out. The first fall frost typically arrives around 09/29, about 143 frost-free days later.
Zone 4a (-30 to -25°F average annual minimum) comes from the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map; the frost dates above are the 1991-2020 normal at the nearest reporting NOAA station for Montpelier, not a forecast for this year.
What to do before the first frost
About 5 weeks of growing season left in Montpelier before the first fall frost — a cold frame or row cover can stretch harvest weeks past that date.
Why 05/08 isn't a guarantee
05/08 is the middle of 30 years of NOAA records, not a promise. Plant by 04/26 and you're betting against frost in roughly 9 years out of 10. 05/21 is the safer bet, historically only a 1-in-10 chance of frost that late.
How Montpelier compares
Montpelier's growing season runs about 143 days, ranking 36,675 of 40,283 US ZIP codes measured here, longest to shortest. Within ND, it ranks 101 of 405.
Learn more
local microclimates covers what one yard in Montpelier can differ from the 58497 normal. zone vs. frost date covers why Zone 4a and Montpelier's frost date answer different questions.