U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00402009 · Tennessee

Frost Dates for Cookeville, TN

NOAA weather station Cookeville (USC00402009), Tennessee · elevation 1090 ft (332 m) · hardiness zone 7b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 30only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 1450% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 2550% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season195 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone7bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Cookeville, TNSpring: a frost after March 29 in 9 years out of 10, after April 14 in half of the years, after April 30 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 12 in 1 year out of 10, before October 25 in half of the years, before November 7 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 195 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 14First frost ~Oct 25Frost season at Cookeville, TNSpring: a frost after March 29 in 9 years out of 10, after April 14 in half of the years, after April 30 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 12 in 1 year out of 10, before October 25 in half of the years, before November 7 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 195 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 14First frost ~Oct 25
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 27 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)April 30October 12
50% (typical)April 14October 25
90% (likely)March 29November 7
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
195 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 1
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 3

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 13 (1 day earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 29 (4 days later). Frost-free season 198 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 Cookeville: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 30, 20% April 24, 30% April 20, 40% April 16, 50% April 14, 60% April 11, 70% April 8, 80% April 3, 90% March 29. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 23, 2022 April 19, 2023 April 24, 2024 April 7, 2025 April 10, 2026 March 29.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1Apr 30Apr 14Mar 292021: April 232022: April 192023: April 242024: April 72025: April 102026: March 29Fall at Cookeville: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 12, 20% October 17, 30% October 20, 40% October 23, 50% October 25, 60% October 28, 70% October 31, 80% November 2, 90% November 7. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 5, 2022 October 9, 2023 November 1, 2024 October 16, 2025 November 10.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 12Oct 25Nov 72021: November 52022: October 92023: November 12024: October 162025: 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
2021April 23November 5
2022April 19October 9
2023April 24November 1
2024April 7October 16
2025April 10November 10
2026March 29season not over yet

What these dates mean

Setting out tender crops on March 29 carries a 90 % chance of a light frost, a gamble for Cookeville growers. The cautious spring option is April 30, when only a 10 % chance of a later light frost remains, giving a much lower risk for those seedlings.

The 50 % light-frost dates are April 14 in spring and October 25 in fall; at each of these dates the chance of a light frost is exactly even. For a careful autumn schedule the point to finish harvesting tender crops is October 12, which holds a 10 % chance of an earlier light frost.

Hard frost at 28 °F, marked by the median dates April 1 and November 3, can damage plants more severely than a light frost at 32 °F, so those lower temperatures are a more critical limit for tender crops.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after April 30" 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 12" 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 Cookeville, TNNumbered nearest stations: 1 — near Sparta, TN — 14 mi; 2 — Smithville, TN — 20 mi; 3 — Crossville Ed & Research, TN — 22 mi; 4 — Crossville, TN — 26 mi; 5 — Carthage, TN — 26 mi.25 mi · 40 km1. near Sparta, TN — 14 mi12. Smithville, TN — 20 mi23. Crossville Ed & Research, TN — 22 mi34. Crossville, TN — 26 mi45. Carthage, TN — 26 mi5
  1. near Sparta, TN 14 mi (22 km)
  2. Smithville, TN 20 mi (32 km)
  3. Crossville Ed & Research, TN 22 mi (35 km)
  4. Crossville, TN 26 mi (42 km)
  5. Carthage, TN 26 mi (43 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: 36.1075, -85.5033.