U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USW00003856 · Alabama

Frost Dates for Huntsville, AL

NOAA weather station Huntsville International Airport (USW00003856), Alabama · elevation 624 ft (190 m) · hardiness zone 8a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 8only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMarch 2450% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostNovember 850% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season229 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone8acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Huntsville, ALSpring: a frost after March 4 in 9 years out of 10, after March 24 in half of the years, after April 8 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 27 in 1 year out of 10, before November 8 in half of the years, before November 25 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 229 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Mar 24First frost ~Nov 8Frost season at Huntsville, ALSpring: a frost after March 4 in 9 years out of 10, after March 24 in half of the years, after April 8 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 27 in 1 year out of 10, before November 8 in half of the years, before November 25 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 229 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Mar 24First frost ~Nov 8
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 8October 27
50% (typical)March 24November 8
90% (likely)March 4November 25
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
229 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 10
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 20

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost March 20 (4 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 5 (3 days earlier). Frost-free season 230 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 Huntsville: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 8, 20% April 3, 30% March 31, 40% March 27, 50% March 24, 60% March 20, 70% March 16, 80% March 12, 90% March 4. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 3, 2022 March 13, 2023 March 21, 2024 March 19, 2025 March 21, 2026 March 17.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Mar 1Apr 1Apr 8Mar 24Mar 42021: April 32022: March 132023: March 212024: March 192025: March 212026: March 17Fall at Huntsville: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 27, 20% October 31, 30% November 2, 40% November 5, 50% November 8, 60% November 11, 70% November 14, 80% November 19, 90% November 25. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 6, 2022 October 19, 2023 November 1, 2024 November 29.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Dec 1Oct 27Nov 8Nov 252021: November 62022: October 192023: November 12024: November 29
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 3November 6
2022March 13October 19
2023March 21November 1
2024March 19November 29
2025March 21incomplete record
2026March 17season not over yet

What these dates mean

October 27 is the cautious fall date in Huntsville for finishing the harvest, giving only a 10 % chance that a light frost has arrived earlier. The 50% light-frost dates—March 24 in spring and November 8 in fall—represent the point at which a gardener faces even odds of frost; a light frost is just as likely to occur on either side of each of those dates. For tender crops a cautious schedule in this climate uses the late spring date of April 8, when the chance of a later frost is only 10 %, and the early fall date of October 27, when the chance of an earlier frost is likewise 10 %. A hard frost (28 °F) is more damaging than a light frost (32 °F) because it reaches temperatures that can kill plant tissue rather than merely chill it.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after April 8" 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 27" 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 Huntsville, ALNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Belle Mina, AL — 6 mi; 2 — Athens, AL — 13 mi; 3 — Fayetteville, TN — 37 mi; 4 — Pulaski, TN — 40 mi; 5 — Scottsboro, AL — 42 mi.AL25 mi · 40 km1. Belle Mina, AL — 6 mi12. Athens, AL — 13 mi23. Fayetteville, TN — 37 mi34. Pulaski, TN — 40 mi45. Scottsboro, AL — 42 mi5
  1. Belle Mina, AL 6 mi (10 km)
  2. Athens, AL 13 mi (21 km)
  3. Fayetteville, TN 37 mi (59 km)
  4. Pulaski, TN 40 mi (64 km)
  5. Scottsboro, AL 42 mi (67 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: 34.6439, -86.7861.