U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00032930 · Arkansas

Frost Dates for Gravette, AR

NOAA weather station Gravette (USC00032930), Arkansas · elevation 1260 ft (384 m) · hardiness zone 7a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 26only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 550% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 2850% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season204 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone7acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Gravette, ARSpring: a frost after March 18 in 9 years out of 10, after April 5 in half of the years, after April 26 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 15 in 1 year out of 10, before October 28 in half of the years, before November 12 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 204 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 5First frost ~Oct 28Frost season at Gravette, ARSpring: a frost after March 18 in 9 years out of 10, after April 5 in half of the years, after April 26 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 15 in 1 year out of 10, before October 28 in half of the years, before November 12 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 204 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 5First frost ~Oct 28
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)April 26October 15
50% (typical)April 5October 28
90% (likely)March 18November 12
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
204 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 25
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 7

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 8 (3 days later than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 29 (1 day later). Frost-free season 204 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 Gravette: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 26, 20% April 19, 30% April 13, 40% April 9, 50% April 5, 60% April 2, 70% March 29, 80% March 25, 90% March 18. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2022 April 9, 2023 April 23, 2024 March 28, 2025 April 8, 2026 March 17.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1Apr 26Apr 5Mar 182022: April 92023: April 232024: March 282025: April 82026: March 17Fall at Gravette: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 15, 20% October 19, 30% October 23, 40% October 26, 50% October 28, 60% October 31, 70% November 2, 80% November 6, 90% November 12. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 13, 2022 October 18, 2023 October 28, 2024 October 16, 2025 November 2.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 15Oct 28Nov 122021: November 132022: October 182023: October 282024: October 162025: November 2
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 13
2022April 9October 18
2023April 23October 28
2024March 28October 16
2025April 8November 2
2026March 17season not over yet

What these dates mean

April 26 is the cautious spring date for Gravette, Arkansas, carrying only a 10 % chance that a light frost will occur later. This allows a gardener to plan the out-of-ground planting of tender crops with minimal risk. The 50 % date of April 5 marks the point where a light frost is equally likely to happen later, so a gardener should treat it as a midpoint of uncertainty. The hard-frost 50 % date of March 25 indicates when a 28 °F frost is as likely as not, a temperature that can damage more sensitive tissue.

In the fall, October 15 is the cautious date, offering only a 10 % chance that a light frost has arrived earlier, and therefore the safest deadline for finishing harvest of tender crops. The 50 % date of October 28 signals an even odds of a light frost occurring earlier. The hard-frost 50 % date of November 7 shows when a 28 °F frost becomes equally probable, and because 28 °F can injure or kill plants that survive 32 °F, it is a more critical 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 26" 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 15" 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 Gravette, ARNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Neosho, MO — 31 mi; 2 — near Fayetteville, AR — 33 mi; 3 — Monett, MO — 40 mi; 4 — Joplin, MO — 50 mi; 5 — Mountainburg, AR — 56 mi.OKARMOKS50 mi · 80 km1. Neosho, MO — 31 mi12. near Fayetteville, AR — 33 mi23. Monett, MO — 40 mi34. Joplin, MO — 50 mi45. Mountainburg, AR — 56 mi5
  1. Neosho, MO 31 mi (49 km)
  2. near Fayetteville, AR 33 mi (53 km)
  3. Monett, MO 40 mi (65 km)
  4. Joplin, MO 50 mi (80 km)
  5. Mountainburg, AR 56 mi (90 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 7a: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 36.4261, -94.4481.