UK Frost Map: Will It Frost Tonight?
Check forecast overnight temperatures across the UK and see where frost may be a risk tonight or tomorrow night.
Move through the overnight forecast to see how temperatures change towards morning. The map uses Met Office forecast data, but individual gardens can still run colder, particularly in frost pockets and low-lying areas.
Looking for typical seasonal timings rather than tonight’s forecast? See our UK first and last frost dates guide.
How to Use the UK Frost Map
Find your part of the UK on the map, then use Earlier and Later to move through the night.
It is worth checking more than one frame. The temperature at midnight is not necessarily the lowest temperature your garden will experience, and the coldest conditions often arrive towards dawn. For a quick guide:
- 0°C or below: Air frost risk is high.
- Above 0°C and up to 4°C: Local or ground frost may still be possible, particularly on clear, calm nights and in frost pockets.
- Above 4°C: Frost risk is lower, although very local cold spots can still run colder.
The map shows forecast temperature across the wider area. Leaves, soil surfaces and low-lying parts of a garden can still become colder than the surrounding forecast suggests.
If part of your garden regularly runs colder, treat it with more caution. Cold air often settles in dips, low ground and sheltered hollows, so two nearby gardens can behave differently on the same night.
What Should I Do if Frost Is Forecast?
If the map shows temperatures close to freezing in your area, focus on tender plants rather than trying to cover everything in the garden.
A few simple steps are usually enough:
- Cover tender crops with horticultural fleece or a cloche.
- Move vulnerable pots under cover where practical.
- Pay extra attention to frost pockets and exposed young plants.
- Harvest ripe tender produce if a harder frost looks likely and there is little benefit in leaving it outside.
Hardy winter crops are much less likely to need protection than tender plants such as tomatoes, courgettes or basil.
Which Crops Are Most at Risk?
Tender summer crops are generally the first plants to suffer when temperatures fall sharply.
| More frost-sensitive | Generally more cold-tolerant |
|---|---|
| Tomatoes | Kale |
| Courgettes | Leeks |
| French and runner beans | Broad beans |
| Squash and pumpkins | Garlic |
| Cucumbers | Many winter brassicas |
| Basil | Established hardy greens |
Young, recently planted or exposed crops can be more vulnerable than established plants of the same type.
Frost Map or Frost Date — What’s the Difference?
A frost date tells you roughly when frost is usually expected in your area. A frost forecast tells you what conditions are expected over the next night or two.
Use our UK frost dates guide for seasonal planning. Use this UK Frost Map when you want to know whether temperatures are likely to get close to freezing tonight.
UK Frost Map FAQs
The map uses Met Office forecast data and is refreshed as new forecast information becomes available.
The forecast can still change, so if temperatures are close to freezing it is worth checking again later in the day rather than relying on an earlier view.
Yes. A wider-area forecast can remain above 0°C while plant surfaces, grass, soil and frost pockets become colder.
If your area is forecast at only a few degrees above freezing, particularly on a clear and calm night, vulnerable plants may still be worth protecting.
The tool is designed to give a quick regional view of frost risk rather than suggest garden-level precision that a weather model cannot provide.
Your own plot can behave differently because of elevation, shelter, exposure, buildings, slopes and frost pockets.
The lowest temperatures are often reached towards dawn rather than at midnight.
That is why the Frost Map lets you move through the night hour by hour. If you are deciding whether to protect tender plants, pay particular attention to the early-morning forecast.
Not quite.
Frost-date calculators typically use a location and historical averages to estimate typical first or last frost dates.
The BYF Frost Map is designed for a different question: what does the overnight forecast look like now?
If you need seasonal averages, use our UK first and last frost dates guide instead.