U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00234919 · Missouri

Frost Dates for Licking, MO

NOAA weather station Licking 4 N (USC00234919), Missouri · elevation 1180 ft (360 m) · hardiness zone 6b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 5only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 2050% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 1950% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season181 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone6bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Licking, MOSpring: a frost after April 2 in 9 years out of 10, after April 20 in half of the years, after May 5 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 4 in 1 year out of 10, before October 19 in half of the years, before November 1 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 181 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 20First frost ~Oct 19Frost season at Licking, MOSpring: a frost after April 2 in 9 years out of 10, after April 20 in half of the years, after May 5 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 4 in 1 year out of 10, before October 19 in half of the years, before November 1 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 181 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 20First frost ~Oct 19
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 28 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 5October 4
50% (typical)April 20October 19
90% (likely)April 2November 1
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
181 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 6
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 29

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 16 (4 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 21 (2 days later). Frost-free season 187 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 Licking: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 5, 20% May 1, 30% April 27, 40% April 23, 50% April 20, 60% April 15, 70% April 11, 80% April 8, 90% April 2. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 23, 2022 April 19, 2023 May 3, 2024 April 22, 2025 April 17, 2026 April 7.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 5Apr 20Apr 22021: April 232022: April 192023: May 32024: April 222025: April 172026: April 7Fall at Licking: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 4, 20% October 9, 30% October 13, 40% October 16, 50% October 19, 60% October 21, 70% October 24, 80% October 27, 90% November 1. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 1, 2022 October 18, 2023 October 30, 2024 October 16, 2025 November 1.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 4Oct 19Nov 12021: November 12022: October 182023: October 302024: October 162025: November 1
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 1
2022April 19October 18
2023May 3October 30
2024April 22October 16
2025April 17November 1
2026April 7season not over yet

What these dates mean

The cautious fall date for finishing the harvest in Licking is October 4, when there is a 10 % chance a light frost has already arrived. By contrast, November 1 carries a 90 % chance that a light frost will have already begun, making it a risky choice for late tender crops.

The 50% light-frost dates—April 20 in spring and October 19 in fall—mark the point at which a gardener faces an even chance of a frost occurring later (spring) or earlier (fall). The 50% hard-frost dates are April 6 and October 29; a hard frost can damage or kill tender plants more severely than a light frost. For setting out tender crops the cautious spring date is May 5, which has a 10 % chance of a later frost, while April 2 is a gamble with a 90 % chance.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 5" 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 4" 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 Licking, MONumbered nearest stations: 1 — Salem, MO — 20 mi; 2 — Waynesville, MO — 26 mi; 3 — near Rolla, MO — 28 mi; 4 — Mountain Grove, MO — 35 mi; 5 — Vichy Rolla National Airport, MO — 40 mi.25 mi · 40 km1. Salem, MO — 20 mi12. Waynesville, MO — 26 mi23. near Rolla, MO — 28 mi34. Mountain Grove, MO — 35 mi45. Vichy Rolla National Airport, MO — 40 mi5
  1. Salem, MO 20 mi (32 km)
  2. Waynesville, MO 26 mi (42 km)
  3. near Rolla, MO 28 mi (46 km)
  4. Mountain Grove, MO 35 mi (56 km)
  5. Vichy Rolla National Airport, MO 40 mi (65 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: 37.5544, -91.8833.