U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00031730 · Arkansas

Frost Dates for Crossett, AR

NOAA weather station Crossett 2 SSE (USC00031730), Arkansas · elevation 180 ft (55 m) · hardiness zone 8b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 6only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMarch 1850% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostNovember 1150% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season238 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone8bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Crossett, ARSpring: a frost after February 26 in 9 years out of 10, after March 18 in half of the years, after April 6 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 28 in 1 year out of 10, before November 11 in half of the years, before December 1 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 238 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Mar 18First frost ~Nov 11Frost season at Crossett, ARSpring: a frost after February 26 in 9 years out of 10, after March 18 in half of the years, after April 6 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 28 in 1 year out of 10, before November 11 in half of the years, before December 1 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 238 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Mar 18First frost ~Nov 11
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 6October 28
50% (typical)March 18November 11
90% (likely)February 26December 1
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
238 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 3
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 26

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost March 15 (3 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 12 (1 day later). Frost-free season 242 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 Crossett: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 6, 20% March 31, 30% March 27, 40% March 23, 50% March 18, 60% March 15, 70% March 9, 80% March 3, 90% February 26. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 March 4.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Mar 1Apr 1Apr 6Mar 18Feb 262021: March 4Fall at Crossett: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 28, 20% November 1, 30% November 4, 40% November 7, 50% November 11, 60% November 16, 70% November 20, 80% November 25, 90% December 1. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 5.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Dec 1Oct 28Nov 11Dec 12021: November 5
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
2021March 4November 5
2022incomplete recordincomplete record
2023incomplete recordincomplete record
2024no dataincomplete record
2025incomplete recordno data
2026no dataseason not over yet

What these dates mean

The 238 days between the 50% light-frost dates, March 18 and November 11, define the period in which a light frost (32 °F) is less likely than not, giving a broad window for tender-crop activities in Crossett. The 50% date is March 18 for spring and November 11 for fall; the hard-frost 50% dates are March 3 and November 26, marking when a hard frost (28 °F) reaches even odds.

For a cautious spring plan, the date to set out tender crops is April 6, when there is only a 10 % chance of a light frost later. In the fall, the cautious finish date is October 28, with only a 10 % chance that a light frost has arrived earlier.

A hard frost matters more than a light frost because temperatures of 28 °F can cause far more severe damage to plant tissue than the milder 32 °F 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 6" 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 28" 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 Crossett, ARNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Portland, AR — 27 mi; 2 — Calion Lock and Dam, AR — 34 mi; 3 — Monticello, AR — 38 mi; 4 — Monroe, LA — 41 mi; 5 — Dermott, AR — 45 mi.ARLAMS25 mi · 40 km1. Portland, AR — 27 mi12. Calion Lock and Dam, AR — 34 mi23. Monticello, AR — 38 mi34. Monroe, LA — 41 mi45. Dermott, AR — 45 mi5
  1. Portland, AR 27 mi (44 km)
  2. Calion Lock and Dam, AR 34 mi (54 km)
  3. Monticello, AR 38 mi (61 km)
  4. Monroe, LA 41 mi (67 km)
  5. Dermott, AR 45 mi (72 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: 33.1111, -91.9481.