U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00031948 · Arkansas

Frost Dates for Dequeen, AR

NOAA weather station Dequeen (USC00031948), Arkansas · elevation 407 ft (124 m) · hardiness zone 8a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 16only 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 season222 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone8acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Dequeen, ARSpring: a frost after March 7 in 9 years out of 10, after March 29 in half of the years, after April 16 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 22 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: 222 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Mar 29First frost ~Nov 5Frost season at Dequeen, ARSpring: a frost after March 7 in 9 years out of 10, after March 29 in half of the years, after April 16 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 22 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: 222 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 28 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)April 16October 22
50% (typical)March 29November 5
90% (likely)March 7November 22
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
222 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 13
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 17

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost March 25 (4 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 5. Frost-free season 229 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 Dequeen: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 16, 20% April 10, 30% April 5, 40% April 2, 50% March 29, 60% March 24, 70% March 20, 80% March 14, 90% March 7. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2022 April 10, 2023 March 21, 2024 March 20, 2025 March 22, 2026 March 18.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Mar 1Apr 1Apr 16Mar 29Mar 72022: April 102023: March 212024: March 202025: March 222026: March 18Fall at Dequeen: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 22, 20% October 27, 30% October 31, 40% November 2, 50% November 5, 60% November 7, 70% November 12, 80% November 16, 90% November 22. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 5, 2022 October 19, 2023 October 31, 2024 November 21, 2025 November 10.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Dec 1Oct 22Nov 5Nov 222021: November 52022: October 192023: October 312024: 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
2021incomplete recordNovember 5
2022April 10October 19
2023March 21October 31
2024March 20November 21
2025March 22November 10
2026March 18season not over yet

What these dates mean

April 16 is the cautious spring date for tender crops in Dequeen; with only a 10 % chance of a light frost later, a gardener can plan to set them out on that day. The earlier March 7 date carries a 90 % chance of frost and is a gamble, while the median March 29 date represents a 50 % chance of a frost later than this date. In the fall the cautious date is October 22, when there is only a 10 % chance that a light frost has already arrived, allowing the final harvest of tender crops. The median November 5 date marks a 50 % chance of a frost earlier than this date, and the later November 22 date involves a 90 % chance of frost, making it risky to hold crops that long.

Hard frost at 28 °F, such as the March 13 and November 17 median dates, is more damaging than a light frost because the lower temperature can kill tissue that survives 32 °F.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after April 16" 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 22" 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 Dequeen, ARNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Mena, AR — 38 mi; 2 — Texarkana, TX — 45 mi; 3 — Hope, AR — 51 mi; 4 — Antlers, OK — 73 mi; 5 — Paris, TX — 74 mi.AROKTX25 mi · 40 km1. Mena, AR — 38 mi12. Texarkana, TX — 45 mi23. Hope, AR — 51 mi34. Antlers, OK — 73 mi45. Paris, TX — 74 mi5
  1. Mena, AR 38 mi (62 km)
  2. Texarkana, TX 45 mi (72 km)
  3. Hope, AR 51 mi (82 km)
  4. Antlers, OK 73 mi (118 km)
  5. Paris, TX 74 mi (119 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: 34.0464, -94.3481.