U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00403420 · Tennessee

Frost Dates for Gatlinburg, TN

NOAA weather station Gatlinburg 2 SW (USC00403420), Tennessee · elevation 1454 ft (443 m) · hardiness zone 7b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 2only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 1750% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 2550% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season189 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone7bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Gatlinburg, TNSpring: a frost after March 31 in 9 years out of 10, after April 17 in half of the years, after May 2 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 5 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 189 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 17First frost ~Oct 25Frost season at Gatlinburg, TNSpring: a frost after March 31 in 9 years out of 10, after April 17 in half of the years, after May 2 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 5 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 189 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 17First 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 30 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 2October 12
50% (typical)April 17October 25
90% (likely)March 31November 5
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
189 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 2
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 4

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 16 (1 day earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 27 (2 days later). Frost-free season 192 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 Gatlinburg: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 2, 20% April 28, 30% April 23, 40% April 20, 50% April 17, 60% April 14, 70% April 9, 80% April 5, 90% March 31. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 23, 2022 April 21, 2023 April 26, 2024 April 23, 2025 April 14, 2026 March 30.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 2Apr 17Mar 312021: April 232022: April 212023: April 262024: April 232025: April 142026: March 30Fall at Gatlinburg: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 12, 20% October 16, 30% October 20, 40% October 22, 50% October 25, 60% October 27, 70% October 31, 80% November 1, 90% November 5. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 6, 2022 October 19, 2023 November 1, 2024 October 17, 2025 October 25.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 12Oct 25Nov 52021: November 62022: October 192023: November 12024: October 172025: October 25
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 6
2022April 21October 19
2023April 26November 1
2024April 23October 17
2025April 14October 25
2026March 30season not over yet

What these dates mean

Setting out tender crops on March 31 in Gatlinburg carries a 90% chance of a light frost later, making it a gamble for early planting. The cautious spring date is May 2, when only a 10% chance of frost remains, giving gardeners a much lower risk for tender varieties.

The median point for light frosts in spring is April 17; at that date a light frost is equally likely to occur later or earlier. In the fall, the cautious date to finish harvesting tender crops is October 12, with only a 10% chance that frost has arrived, while the median fall light-frost date is October 25. Hard-frost conditions (28 °F) become a concern at the 50% dates of April 2 in spring and November 4 in fall, and they are more damaging than a light frost because the lower temperature can kill plants that survive 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 May 2" 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 Gatlinburg, TNNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Mount Leconte, TN — 6 mi; 2 — Sevierville, TN — 17 mi; 3 — Waterville, NC — 25 mi; 4 — Knoxville (McGhee Tyson Airport), TN — 27 mi; 5 — near Knoxville, TN — 28 mi.TNNC25 mi · 40 km1. Mount Leconte, TN — 6 mi12. Sevierville, TN — 17 mi23. Waterville, NC — 25 mi34. Knoxville (McGhee Tyson Airport), TN — 27 mi45. near Knoxville, TN — 28 mi5
  1. Mount Leconte, TN 6 mi (9 km)
  2. Sevierville, TN 17 mi (27 km)
  3. Waterville, NC 25 mi (41 km)
  4. Knoxville (McGhee Tyson Airport), TN 27 mi (43 km)
  5. near Knoxville, TN 28 mi (45 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: 35.6878, -83.5372.