U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00010402 · Alabama

Frost Dates for Atmore, AL

NOAA weather station Atmore (USC00010402), Alabama · elevation 300 ft (91 m) · hardiness zone 8b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter March 21only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostFebruary 2850% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostNovember 2750% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season270 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone8bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Atmore, ALSpring: a frost after February 1 in 9 years out of 10, after February 28 in half of the years, after March 21 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before November 8 in 1 year out of 10, before November 27 in half of the years, before December 24 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 270 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Feb 28First frost ~Nov 27Frost season at Atmore, ALSpring: a frost after February 1 in 9 years out of 10, after February 28 in half of the years, after March 21 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before November 8 in 1 year out of 10, before November 27 in half of the years, before December 24 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 270 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Feb 28First frost ~Nov 27
frost likely chance fading 90% → 10% frost-free in a typical yearThe year at a glance. Blue: frost is likely; the gradient fades as the chance drops from 90% to 10%; green: the frost-free part of a typical year.

Frost dates (32°F)

Probability of frost, based on 28 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)March 21November 8
50% (typical)February 28November 27
90% (likely)February 1December 24
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
270 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
February 12
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
December 14

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost March 1 (1 day later than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 22 (5 days earlier). Frost-free season 266 days.

A shorter, more recent NOAA period. The 30-year normals above remain the main reference: 15 years carry more year-to-year noise.

Add these dates to your calendar Yearly reminders for the typical last frost, the lower-risk planting date and the typical first fall frost (.ics).

How the chance of frost changes with the date

Spring at Atmore: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% March 21, 20% March 15, 30% March 9, 40% March 4, 50% February 28, 60% February 25, 70% February 19, 80% February 12, 90% February 1. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 February 21, 2022 March 14, 2023 March 20, 2024 February 19, 2025 February 23, 2026 March 20.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Feb 1Mar 1Apr 1Mar 21Feb 28Feb 12021: February 212022: March 142023: March 202024: February 192025: February 232026: March 20Fall at Atmore: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% November 8, 20% November 14, 30% November 19, 40% November 23, 50% November 27, 60% December 1, 70% December 4, 80% December 11, 90% December 24. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 January 4, 2022 November 18, 2023 November 29, 2024 December 1, 2025 November 11.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Dec 1Jan 1Nov 8Nov 27Dec 242021: January 42022: November 182023: November 292024: December 12025: November 11
Two charts, because spring and fall answer different questions: in spring, the chance that a frost still comes after a date; in fall, the chance that the first frost has already come before it. NOAA publishes these odds from 10% to 90%, so the lines stop there. ◆ marks the actual date in each recent year.

What actually happened in recent years

Observed dates of the last spring and first fall frost (32°F) at this station; ◆ marks them on the charts above
YearLast spring frostFirst fall frost
2021February 21January 4
2022March 14November 18
2023March 20November 29
2024February 19December 1
2025February 23November 11
2026March 20season not over yet

What these dates mean

In Atmore, planting tender crops on the early spring date of February 1 carries a 90 % chance that a light frost will occur later that season, so it is a gamble for growers.

The 50 % light-frost date of February 28 means there is an even chance of a frost later than that day, while the 50 % hard-frost date of February 12 marks the point at which a 28 °F frost is as likely as not. Similarly, the November 27 light-frost 50 % date gives an even chance of a frost earlier than that day, and the December 14 hard-frost 50 % date marks when a 28 °F frost is as likely as not.

A cautious spring schedule uses the March 21 date, which has only a 10 % chance of a later frost, and a cautious fall schedule finishes tender crops by November 8, when only a 10 % chance of an earlier frost exists. Hard frost at 28 °F can injure plants that would survive a light frost at 32 °F, making the hard-frost dates especially relevant.

How to read the probabilities

The dates are probabilities from 30 years of weather, not a forecast for this year.

  • Spring: "10% after March 21" means that in about one spring out of ten a frost still happens after that date. The 90% date is the earliest: a frost after it happens in most years.
  • Fall: "10% before November 8" means that in about one fall out of ten the first frost arrives before that date.
  • 50% is the typical date: half of the years are earlier, half are later.
  • A light frost (32°F) damages tender plants; a hard frost (28°F) also stops most hardy vegetables.

Nearby weather stations

Map of weather stations near Atmore, ALNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Brewton, AL — 23 mi; 2 — Bay Minette, AL — 29 mi; 3 — Evergreen, AL — 34 mi; 4 — Jackson, AL — 37 mi; 5 — Robertsdale, AL — 45 mi.FLMS25 mi · 40 km1. Brewton, AL — 23 mi12. Bay Minette, AL — 29 mi23. Evergreen, AL — 34 mi34. Jackson, AL — 37 mi45. Robertsdale, AL — 45 mi5
  1. Brewton, AL 23 mi (37 km)
  2. Bay Minette, AL 29 mi (47 km)
  3. Evergreen, AL 34 mi (55 km)
  4. Jackson, AL 37 mi (60 km)
  5. Robertsdale, AL 45 mi (73 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 8b: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 31.1819, -87.4389.