U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00401145 · Tennessee

Frost Dates for Brownsville, TN

NOAA weather station Brownsville (USC00401145), Tennessee · elevation 330 ft (101 m) · hardiness zone 8a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 15only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMarch 2950% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostNovember 550% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season221 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone8acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Brownsville, TNSpring: a frost after March 9 in 9 years out of 10, after March 29 in half of the years, after April 15 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 24 in 1 year out of 10, before November 5 in half of the years, before November 22 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 221 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Mar 29First frost ~Nov 5Frost season at Brownsville, TNSpring: a frost after March 9 in 9 years out of 10, after March 29 in half of the years, after April 15 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 24 in 1 year out of 10, before November 5 in half of the years, before November 22 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 221 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Mar 29First frost ~Nov 5
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 30 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)April 15October 24
50% (typical)March 29November 5
90% (likely)March 9November 22
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
221 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 16
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 17

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost March 29 (same as the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 3 (2 days earlier). Frost-free season 221 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 Brownsville: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 15, 20% April 9, 30% April 4, 40% April 1, 50% March 29, 60% March 25, 70% March 21, 80% March 16, 90% March 9. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 3, 2022 April 2, 2023 March 21, 2024 March 19, 2025 March 17, 2026 March 18.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Mar 1Apr 1Apr 15Mar 29Mar 92021: April 32022: April 22023: March 212024: March 192025: March 172026: March 18Fall at Brownsville: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 24, 20% October 30, 30% November 1, 40% November 3, 50% November 5, 60% November 8, 70% November 11, 80% November 16, 90% November 22. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 4, 2022 October 18, 2023 October 31, 2024 November 23, 2025 November 3.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Dec 1Oct 24Nov 5Nov 222021: November 42022: October 182023: October 312024: November 232025: November 3
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
2021April 3November 4
2022April 2October 18
2023March 21October 31
2024March 19November 23
2025March 17November 3
2026March 18season not over yet

What these dates mean

There are 221 days between the 32 °F 50% dates in Brownsville, and within that interval gardeners can plan most of the growing season. The 50% date is March 29 in spring and November 5 in fall; at each of these dates a light frost has an even chance of having occurred or not, providing a median reference point for timing activities.

The cautious spring date for setting out tender crops is April 15, when there is only a 10 % chance of a later frost, while the cautious fall date to finish harvesting tender crops is October 24, with a 10 % chance of an earlier frost. A hard frost at 28 °F can damage plants that survive a light frost at 32 °F, so the hard-frost median dates of March 16 and November 17 signal a higher risk threshold.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after April 15" 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 October 24" 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 Brownsville, TNNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Jackson (McKellar Airport), TN — 19 mi; 2 — near Jackson, TN — 23 mi; 3 — Covington, TN — 25 mi; 4 — Bolivar, TN — 27 mi; 5 — Ames Plantation, TN — 33 mi.TNMSAR25 mi · 40 km1. Jackson (McKellar Airport), TN — 19 mi12. near Jackson, TN — 23 mi23. Covington, TN — 25 mi34. Bolivar, TN — 27 mi45. Ames Plantation, TN — 33 mi5
  1. Jackson (McKellar Airport), TN 19 mi (31 km)
  2. near Jackson, TN 23 mi (38 km)
  3. Covington, TN 25 mi (40 km)
  4. Bolivar, TN 27 mi (44 km)
  5. Ames Plantation, TN 33 mi (53 km)

Sources

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

Station coordinates: 35.5894, -89.2586.