Evanston, IL 60203 Frost Dates
When can you plant in Evanston, IL?
Typically, the last spring freeze lands around 04/26, roughly 241 days out. The first fall frost typically arrives around 10/21, about 176 frost-free days later.
The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map puts Evanston in Zone 6a (-10 to -5°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
About 8 weeks of growing season left in Evanston before the first fall frost — a cold frame or row cover can stretch harvest weeks past that date.
The actual range around Evanston's last frost
04/26 is the middle of 30 years of NOAA records, not a promise. Plant by 04/11 and you're betting against frost in roughly 9 years out of 10. 05/11 is the safer bet, historically only a 1-in-10 chance of frost that late.
How Evanston compares
Evanston's growing season runs about 176 days, ranking 26,342 of 40,283 US ZIP codes measured here, longest to shortest. Within IL, it ranks 1,146 of 1,548.
Learn more
local microclimates covers what one yard in Evanston can differ from the 60203 normal. zone vs. frost date covers why Zone 6a and Evanston's frost date answer different questions.