U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00032978 · Arkansas

Frost Dates near Heber Springs, AR

NOAA weather station Greers Ferry Dam (USC00032978), Arkansas · elevation 527 ft (161 m) · hardiness zone 7b*

Heber Springs is the nearest town to the station (2.7 mi away) in GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). The dates below are measured at the station, not in the town itself.

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 16only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMarch 3150% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostNovember 650% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season222 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone7bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season near Heber Springs, ARSpring: a frost after March 11 in 9 years out of 10, after March 31 in half of the years, after April 16 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 26 in 1 year out of 10, before November 6 in half of the years, before November 24 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 222 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Mar 31First frost ~Nov 6Frost season near Heber Springs, ARSpring: a frost after March 11 in 9 years out of 10, after March 31 in half of the years, after April 16 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 26 in 1 year out of 10, before November 6 in half of the years, before November 24 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 222 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Mar 31First frost ~Nov 6
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 16October 26
50% (typical)March 31November 6
90% (likely)March 11November 24
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
222 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 16
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 19

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost March 30 (1 day earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 6. Frost-free season 223 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 near Heber Springs: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 16, 20% April 9, 30% April 5, 40% April 2, 50% March 31, 60% March 27, 70% March 23, 80% March 18, 90% March 11. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 21, 2022 April 1, 2023 March 21, 2024 March 27, 2025 March 18, 2026 March 18.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Mar 1Apr 1Apr 16Mar 31Mar 112021: April 212022: April 12023: March 212024: March 272025: March 182026: March 18Fall near Heber Springs: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 26, 20% October 30, 30% November 1, 40% November 4, 50% November 6, 60% November 10, 70% November 14, 80% November 19, 90% November 24. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 4, 2022 November 12, 2023 October 31, 2024 November 23, 2025 November 10.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Dec 1Oct 26Nov 6Nov 242021: November 42022: November 122023: October 312024: November 232025: 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 21November 4
2022April 1November 12
2023March 21October 31
2024March 27November 23
2025March 18November 10
2026March 18season not over yet

What these dates mean

Setting out tender crops on March 11 in the Heber Springs area carries a 90% chance of a frost later than that date, making it a gamble for gardeners. The cautious spring date is April 16, when only a 10% chance of a frost later than that date remains.

The 50% date is March 31 in spring and November 6 in fall; there is a 50% chance of a frost later than March 31 and a 50% chance of a frost earlier than November 6. For a cautious fall plan, October 26 offers a 10% chance of a frost earlier than that date.

Hard-frost median dates are March 16 and November 19, and a hard frost at 28 °F can damage plants that would survive a light frost at 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 26" 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 Heber Springs, ARNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Searcy, AR — 24 mi; 2 — near Batesville, AR — 24 mi; 3 — Conway, AR — 40 mi; 4 — Newport, AR — 41 mi; 5 — Calico Rock, AR — 42 mi.25 mi · 40 km1. Searcy, AR — 24 mi12. near Batesville, AR — 24 mi23. Conway, AR — 40 mi34. Newport, AR — 41 mi45. Calico Rock, AR — 42 mi5
  1. Searcy, AR 24 mi (38 km)
  2. near Batesville, AR 24 mi (39 km)
  3. Conway, AR 40 mi (64 km)
  4. Newport, AR 41 mi (66 km)
  5. Calico Rock, AR 42 mi (67 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: 35.5206, -91.9997.