U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00221865 · Mississippi

Frost Dates for Columbia, MS

NOAA weather station Columbia (USC00221865), Mississippi · elevation 150 ft (46 m) · hardiness zone 9a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter March 24only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMarch 550% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostNovember 1950% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season262 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone9acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Columbia, MSSpring: a frost after February 11 in 9 years out of 10, after March 5 in half of the years, after March 24 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before November 3 in 1 year out of 10, before November 19 in half of the years, before December 9 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 262 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Mar 5First frost ~Nov 19Frost season at Columbia, MSSpring: a frost after February 11 in 9 years out of 10, after March 5 in half of the years, after March 24 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before November 3 in 1 year out of 10, before November 19 in half of the years, before December 9 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 262 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Mar 5First frost ~Nov 19
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 24November 3
50% (typical)March 5November 19
90% (likely)February 11December 9
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
262 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
February 19
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
December 4

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost March 2 (3 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 18 (1 day earlier). Frost-free season 262 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 Columbia: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% March 24, 20% March 17, 30% March 13, 40% March 9, 50% March 5, 60% March 1, 70% February 26, 80% February 20, 90% February 11. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 February 23, 2022 March 13, 2023 March 20, 2024 March 19, 2026 March 18.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Feb 1Mar 1Apr 1Mar 24Mar 5Feb 112021: February 232022: March 132023: March 202024: March 192026: March 18Fall at Columbia: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% November 3, 20% November 7, 30% November 12, 40% November 15, 50% November 19, 60% November 23, 70% November 29, 80% December 3, 90% December 9. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 27, 2022 October 19, 2023 November 2, 2024 November 21, 2025 November 10.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Dec 1Nov 3Nov 19Dec 92021: November 272022: October 192023: November 22024: November 212025: November 10
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 23November 27
2022March 13October 19
2023March 20November 2
2024March 19November 21
2025incomplete recordNovember 10
2026March 18season not over yet

What these dates mean

Planting tender crops on February 11 in Columbia carries a 90% chance that a light frost will still occur later that season, making it a high-risk gamble.

The cautious spring date for tender crops is March 24, when only a 10% chance of a later frost remains; the parallel cautious fall date is November 3, with a 10% chance that a frost has already arrived. The median 32°F dates are March 5 in spring and November 19 in fall, each marking the point at which the likelihood of a frost is even. The interval between the two 32°F 50% dates spans 262 days, indicating the approximate frost-free window.

Because a hard frost at 28°F can damage plant tissue that survives a light frost at 32°F, it poses a greater threat to garden productivity.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after March 24" 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 3" 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 Columbia, MSNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Hattiesburg, MS — 29 mi; 2 — Poplarville, MS — 33 mi; 3 — near McComb, MS — 38 mi; 4 — near Brookhaven, MS — 42 mi; 5 — D'Lo, MS — 49 mi.MSLA25 mi · 40 km1. Hattiesburg, MS — 29 mi12. Poplarville, MS — 33 mi23. near McComb, MS — 38 mi34. near Brookhaven, MS — 42 mi45. D'Lo, MS — 49 mi5
  1. Hattiesburg, MS 29 mi (47 km)
  2. Poplarville, MS 33 mi (53 km)
  3. near McComb, MS 38 mi (61 km)
  4. near Brookhaven, MS 42 mi (68 km)
  5. D'Lo, MS 49 mi (79 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 9a: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 31.2503, -89.8361.