Do I need to cover plants for frost in Madison, WI this week?
Here's the next 7 days for covering plants in Madison, checked hour by hour against the published thresholds. Below it: what Madison's 1991–2020 climate averages say about the months that usually work.
This week in Madison
Asking the sky…
Fairsky is not a substitute for official warnings. For warnings, go to weather.gov. Verdicts are guidance, not guarantees. Your product's label always wins.
When covering plants usually works in Madison
- On 1991–2020 averages, Madison's median last spring freeze (32°F) comes around May 1 and the median first fall freeze around October 9. In half of years the date is later than that, in half earlier.
- Nights of 36°F or colder, when frost can form under clear, calm skies, typically end around May 13 and return around October 1.
- Hard freezes (28°F or colder, which kill most tender plants even under a cover) typically end around April 20 and return around October 20.
- Madison averages 157 nights a year at or below 32°F, most of them in January (30.4).
| Month | Avg high | Avg low | Days ≥0.10" rain | Nights ≤32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 28° | 11° | 4.4 | 30.4 |
| February | 32° | 14° | 4.7 | 27.3 |
| March | 44° | 25° | 5.1 | 25.0 |
| April | 57° | 36° | 7.6 | 12.9 |
| May | 69° | 47° | 8.7 | 1.8 |
| June | 78° | 57° | 7.8 | 0.0 |
| July | 82° | 61° | 6.9 | 0.0 |
| August | 81° | 59° | 6.2 | 0.0 |
| September | 74° | 51° | 6.0 | 0.7 |
| October | 61° | 39° | 5.8 | 9.2 |
| November | 46° | 29° | 4.9 | 21.3 |
| December | 33° | 18° | 4.6 | 28.7 |
Station: Uw Arboretum - Madison (NOAA NCEI USC00470273), about 4 km from central Madison. “Rain days” count days with 0.10" or more of precipitation.
The rules we check
- Cover tender plants when the overnight low is forecast at 34°F or colder.
- At 35–36°F, Fairsky still says cover when the night looks clear and calm (little cloud, wind 5 mph or less), because the ground can frost before the air hits 32°F. (Fairsky default: no source gave a number)
- 32°F or colder is a freeze.
- 28°F or colder is a hard freeze, which kills most tender vegetation; bring pots inside, since covers may not be enough.
Your product's label always wins. Labels differ by product; in the app you can enter your label's temperature range and rain-free hours, and the verdict uses them instead.
Sources: NWS glossary: frost advisory · NWS glossary: hard freeze
More home and yard jobs in Madison
- Stain a deckDeck and fence stain: 50–90°F, dry wood, 24 rain-free hours after.
- Paint a house exteriorExterior latex paint: 40°F and up, 5°F above the dew point, 4 dry hours after.
- Pour concreteConcrete: 40–85°F, no rain for 24 hours, no freezing for 48.
- Spray weedsWeed killer: 3–10 mph wind, 45–85°F, 4 rain-free hours after.
- Apply pre-emergentCrabgrass pre-emergent: before soil holds 55°F (about 200 GDD), then water it in.
- Plant grass seedCool-season grass seed: soil about 50–65°F, highs 60–80°F, no washout rain.
- Seal a drivewayAsphalt sealcoat: 55°F and rising, 50°F overnight, 36 rain-free hours.
The app covers 47 activities in all, from mowing to a round of golf: see every activity and its rules.
Cover plants for frost in nearby cities
- Milwaukee, WI75 miles away
- Chicago, IL122 miles away
- Grand Rapids, MI189 miles away
- Minneapolis, MN233 miles away
- Des Moines, IA239 miles away
- Indianapolis, IN283 miles away
All cover plants for frost cities: Cover plants for frost, by city · Home and yard in Wisconsin
Questions
How is this verdict made?
We take the National Weather Service hourly forecast for Madison and check each hour against the thresholds listed above. The result is guidance, not a guarantee; your product's label always wins.
Will it frost tonight in Madison?
Frost is possible when the forecast low is in the mid-30s °F or colder, especially on clear, calm nights. The verdict above checks Madison's low tonight and this week.
Fairsky is not a substitute for official warnings. For warnings, go to weather.gov.
Live forecasts: National Weather Service / NOAA (public domain), fetched by your browser. Climate averages: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 (public domain). Activity thresholds: product data sheets, ACI and university extension guidance, linked on each page; your product’s label wins.