U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00234271 · Missouri

Frost Dates for Jefferson City, MO

NOAA weather station Jefferson City WTP (USC00234271), Missouri · elevation 650 ft (198 m) · hardiness zone 6b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 23only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 850% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 3150% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season205 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone6bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Jefferson City, MOSpring: a frost after March 23 in 9 years out of 10, after April 8 in half of the years, after April 23 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 17 in 1 year out of 10, before October 31 in half of the years, before November 11 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 205 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 8First frost ~Oct 31Frost season at Jefferson City, MOSpring: a frost after March 23 in 9 years out of 10, after April 8 in half of the years, after April 23 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 17 in 1 year out of 10, before October 31 in half of the years, before November 11 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 205 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 8First frost ~Oct 31
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 29 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)April 23October 17
50% (typical)April 8October 31
90% (likely)March 23November 11
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
205 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 28
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 8

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 7 (1 day earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 30 (1 day earlier). Frost-free season 205 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 Jefferson City: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 23, 20% April 18, 30% April 14, 40% April 11, 50% April 8, 60% April 5, 70% April 2, 80% March 29, 90% March 23. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 23, 2022 April 20, 2023 April 24, 2024 April 6, 2025 April 9, 2026 March 29.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1Apr 23Apr 8Mar 232021: April 232022: April 202023: April 242024: April 62025: April 92026: March 29Fall at Jefferson City: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 17, 20% October 22, 30% October 25, 40% October 28, 50% October 31, 60% November 1, 70% November 3, 80% November 6, 90% November 11. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 3, 2022 October 18, 2023 October 30, 2025 November 10.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Oct 17Oct 31Nov 112021: November 32022: October 182023: October 302025: 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 23November 3
2022April 20October 18
2023April 24October 30
2024April 6incomplete record
2025April 9November 10
2026March 29season not over yet

What these dates mean

The 205 days between the 32°F 50% dates in Jefferson City, Missouri, frame the window when tender crops usually thrive. The spring 50% date is April 8, meaning there is a 50 % chance of a light frost later than that day. The fall 50% date is October 31, giving a 50 % chance of a light frost earlier than that day.

For a cautious plan, gardeners would wait until the April 23 date in spring, which carries only a 10 % chance of a light frost later, and aim to finish tender harvests by October 17 in fall, when there is only a 10 % chance that a light frost has arrived earlier.

A hard frost at 28 °F, with its 50 % median dates of March 28 in spring and November 8 in fall, can damage or kill plants that survive a light frost, making it a more severe threat.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after April 23" 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 17" 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 Jefferson City, MONumbered nearest stations: 1 — Columbia, MO — 16 mi; 2 — California, MO — 20 mi; 3 — Eldon, MO — 27 mi; 4 — Freedom, MO — 27 mi; 5 — Vichy Rolla National Airport, MO — 39 mi.IL25 mi · 40 km1. Columbia, MO — 16 mi12. California, MO — 20 mi23. Eldon, MO — 27 mi34. Freedom, MO — 27 mi45. Vichy Rolla National Airport, MO — 39 mi5
  1. Columbia, MO 16 mi (26 km)
  2. California, MO 20 mi (33 km)
  3. Eldon, MO 27 mi (44 km)
  4. Freedom, MO 27 mi (44 km)
  5. Vichy Rolla National Airport, MO 39 mi (62 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 6b: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 38.5853, -92.1825.