U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00401790 · Tennessee

Frost Dates for Clarksville, TN

NOAA weather station Clarksville WWTP (USC00401790), Tennessee · elevation 402 ft (123 m) · hardiness zone 7b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 20only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 350% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostNovember 150% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season212 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone7bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Clarksville, TNSpring: a frost after March 19 in 9 years out of 10, after April 3 in half of the years, after April 20 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 20 in 1 year out of 10, before November 1 in half of the years, before November 14 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 212 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 3First frost ~Nov 1Frost season at Clarksville, TNSpring: a frost after March 19 in 9 years out of 10, after April 3 in half of the years, after April 20 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 20 in 1 year out of 10, before November 1 in half of the years, before November 14 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 212 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 3First frost ~Nov 1
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 29 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)April 20October 20
50% (typical)April 3November 1
90% (likely)March 19November 14
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
212 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 22
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 11

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 3 (same as the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 2 (1 day later). Frost-free season 213 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 Clarksville: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 20, 20% April 14, 30% April 10, 40% April 6, 50% April 3, 60% March 31, 70% March 28, 80% March 24, 90% March 19. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 22, 2022 April 20, 2023 March 29, 2024 March 23, 2025 March 20, 2026 March 17.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1Apr 20Apr 3Mar 192021: April 222022: April 202023: March 292024: March 232025: March 202026: March 17Fall at Clarksville: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 20, 20% October 24, 30% October 27, 40% October 30, 50% November 1, 60% November 2, 70% November 5, 80% November 8, 90% November 14. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 3, 2022 October 9, 2023 October 30, 2024 November 28, 2025 November 9.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Dec 1Oct 20Nov 1Nov 142021: November 32022: October 92023: October 302024: November 282025: November 9
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 22November 3
2022April 20October 9
2023March 29October 30
2024March 23November 28
2025March 20November 9
2026March 17season not over yet

What these dates mean

The 212 days between the 32°F 50% dates of April 3 and November 1 in Clarksville frame the period when a light frost is as likely as not, giving gardeners a clear window for most planting and harvesting activities.

During spring the 50% date of April 3 marks the point where a light frost has a 50 % chance of occurring later, while in fall the 50% date of November 1 indicates a 50 % chance of a light frost occurring earlier. The hard-frost 50% dates, March 22 in spring and November 11 in fall, identify when a temperature of 28 °F is equally likely to have happened.

For tender crops a cautious plan in spring uses the late light-frost date of April 20 (10 % chance of frost later), and in fall the early light-frost date of October 20 (10 % chance of frost earlier); a hard frost matters more because 28 °F can damage plants that survive a 32 °F light frost.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after April 20" 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 20" 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 Clarksville, TNNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Springfield, TN — 28 mi; 2 — Dover, TN — 30 mi; 3 — Dickson, TN — 33 mi; 4 — Kingston Springs, TN — 33 mi; 5 — Portland, TN — 45 mi.TNKY25 mi · 40 km1. Springfield, TN — 28 mi12. Dover, TN — 30 mi23. Dickson, TN — 33 mi34. Kingston Springs, TN — 33 mi45. Portland, TN — 45 mi5
  1. Springfield, TN 28 mi (45 km)
  2. Dover, TN 30 mi (48 km)
  3. Dickson, TN 33 mi (53 km)
  4. Kingston Springs, TN 33 mi (53 km)
  5. Portland, TN 45 mi (72 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 7b: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 36.5472, -87.3353.