U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00033734 · Arkansas

Frost Dates for Jonesboro, AR

NOAA weather station Jonesboro 2 NE (USC00033734), Arkansas · elevation 310 ft (95 m) · hardiness zone 7b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 18only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 150% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostNovember 150% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season215 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone7bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Jonesboro, ARSpring: a frost after March 15 in 9 years out of 10, after April 1 in half of the years, after April 18 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 21 in 1 year out of 10, before November 1 in half of the years, before November 16 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 215 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 1First frost ~Nov 1Frost season at Jonesboro, ARSpring: a frost after March 15 in 9 years out of 10, after April 1 in half of the years, after April 18 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 21 in 1 year out of 10, before November 1 in half of the years, before November 16 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 215 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 1First frost ~Nov 1
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 26 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)April 18October 21
50% (typical)April 1November 1
90% (likely)March 15November 16
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
215 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 20
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 10

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 2 (1 day later than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 3 (2 days later). Frost-free season 217 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 Jonesboro: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 18, 20% April 11, 30% April 7, 40% April 5, 50% April 1, 60% March 29, 70% March 25, 80% March 21, 90% March 15. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 22, 2022 April 2, 2023 March 21, 2025 March 6, 2026 March 29.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Mar 1Apr 1May 1Apr 18Apr 1Mar 152021: April 222022: April 22023: March 212025: March 62026: March 29Fall at Jonesboro: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 21, 20% October 24, 30% October 27, 40% October 30, 50% November 1, 60% November 3, 70% November 6, 80% November 10, 90% November 16. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 4, 2022 October 18, 2023 October 31, 2024 November 29, 2025 November 10.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Dec 1Oct 21Nov 1Nov 162021: November 42022: October 182023: October 312024: November 292025: 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 22November 4
2022April 2October 18
2023March 21October 31
2024incomplete recordNovember 29
2025March 6November 10
2026March 29season not over yet

What these dates mean

Setting out tender crops on March 15 in Jonesboro carries a 90% chance of frost later that season, making it a gamble for growers. The cautious spring date for tender crops is April 18, when only a 10% chance of frost remains.

The 50% light-frost date in spring is April 1; at that point there is an even chance of a frost later. In fall the 50% light-frost date is November 1; there is an even chance of a frost earlier than this date. The cautious fall date for finishing tender crops is October 21, with only a 10% chance a frost has come earlier.

A hard frost at 28 °F, represented by the median dates March 20 and November 10, can injure plants that survive a light frost at 32 °F, so 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 18" 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 21" 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 Jonesboro, ARNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Paragould, AR — 16 mi; 2 — Keiser, AR — 33 mi; 3 — Pocahontas, AR — 33 mi; 4 — Beedeville, AR — 35 mi; 5 — Newport, AR — 38 mi.ARTNMO25 mi · 40 km1. Paragould, AR — 16 mi12. Keiser, AR — 33 mi23. Pocahontas, AR — 33 mi34. Beedeville, AR — 35 mi45. Newport, AR — 38 mi5
  1. Paragould, AR 16 mi (25 km)
  2. Keiser, AR 33 mi (54 km)
  3. Pocahontas, AR 33 mi (54 km)
  4. Beedeville, AR 35 mi (56 km)
  5. Newport, AR 38 mi (62 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: 35.8489, -90.6589.