Final freeze dates in Michiana

Temperatures typically increase through April, but despite warmer air, Michiana is still susceptible to freezing and frost until May.

While we are all social distancing, many have taken up hobbies like reading, yoga, or baking. You may be interested in starting a garden during this time. If you do, make sure to follow the old phrase, “don’t plant outside until after Mother’s Day.”

This April we have seen snowflakes and freeze warnings already. A freeze occurs when temperatures are at or below 32 degrees. When temperatures are below 28 degrees, it is a hard freeze. When this is in the forecast, a freeze warning can be issued.

Similarly, if temperatures are in the mid 30s, but not quite to the freezing point, a frost advisory can be issued.

The final freeze each spring in Michiana is around April 30. It is still common to see a freeze or frost formation during May, however. The latest in the year a last freeze ever occurred was in 1897, when it was 31 degrees on May 29.

This list of final freezes shows the five that occurred latest in their respective years. These all were at the end of May.

Recently, final freezes have occurred through mid-May. In the past five years, the latest freeze occurred on May 15 in 2016. Some final freezes occurred much earlier though, like 2015’s final freeze on April 24.

After the final freeze, it is safer to leave plants outdoors. While we can’t say for sure when this will occur in 2020, based on recent years, freezes stop by mid-May. If you can’t wait until mid-May to start planting, start your seeds in smaller pots and plan to bring your plants inside overnight.