U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USW00003952 · Arkansas

Frost Dates for Little Rock, AR

NOAA weather station Little Rock (USW00003952), Arkansas · elevation 568 ft (173 m) · hardiness zone 8a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 2only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMarch 1650% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostNovember 1650% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season245 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone8acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Little Rock, ARSpring: a frost after February 27 in 9 years out of 10, after March 16 in half of the years, after April 2 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 31 in 1 year out of 10, before November 16 in half of the years, before December 2 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 245 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Mar 16First frost ~Nov 16Frost season at Little Rock, ARSpring: a frost after February 27 in 9 years out of 10, after March 16 in half of the years, after April 2 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 31 in 1 year out of 10, before November 16 in half of the years, before December 2 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 245 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Mar 16First frost ~Nov 16
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 25 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)April 2October 31
50% (typical)March 16November 16
90% (likely)February 27December 2
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
245 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 4
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 27

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost March 13 (3 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 18 (2 days later). Frost-free season 249 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 Little Rock: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 2, 20% March 28, 30% March 23, 40% March 18, 50% March 16, 60% March 12, 70% March 7, 80% March 3, 90% February 27. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 21, 2022 March 13, 2023 March 20, 2024 March 19, 2025 February 23, 2026 March 17.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Mar 1Apr 1Apr 2Mar 16Feb 272021: April 212022: March 132023: March 202024: March 192025: February 232026: March 17Fall at Little Rock: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 31, 20% November 5, 30% November 10, 40% November 13, 50% November 16, 60% November 19, 70% November 23, 80% November 27, 90% December 2. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 13, 2022 November 12, 2023 October 31, 2024 November 29, 2025 November 10.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Dec 1Oct 31Nov 16Dec 22021: November 132022: November 122023: 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 21November 13
2022March 13November 12
2023March 20October 31
2024March 19November 29
2025February 23November 10
2026March 17season not over yet

What these dates mean

The cautious fall date in Little Rock for finishing the harvest is October 31, when there is only a 10% chance that a light frost has arrived earlier. This date signals a low risk of a frost ending the season for tender crops.

The 50% light-frost dates—March 16 in spring and November 16 in fall—are the points at which a gardener faces an even chance of a frost occurring later (spring) or earlier (fall). A cautious spring plan therefore uses the April 2 date, which carries a 10% chance of a frost later, while the cautious fall plan relies on the October 31 date. The 50% hard-frost dates are March 4 and November 27; a hard frost at 28 °F is more damaging than a light frost at 32 °F because it can kill tissue that survives a milder freeze.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after April 2" 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 31" 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 Little Rock, ARNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Little Rock (Adams Field), AR — 8 mi; 2 — Keo, AR — 22 mi; 3 — Conway, AR — 23 mi; 4 — Alum Fork, AR — 33 mi; 5 — Morrilton, AR — 36 mi.AR25 mi · 40 km1. Little Rock (Adams Field), AR — 8 mi12. Keo, AR — 22 mi23. Conway, AR — 23 mi34. Alum Fork, AR — 33 mi45. Morrilton, AR — 36 mi5
  1. Little Rock (Adams Field), AR 8 mi (12 km)
  2. Keo, AR 22 mi (36 km)
  3. Conway, AR 23 mi (36 km)
  4. Alum Fork, AR 33 mi (53 km)
  5. Morrilton, AR 36 mi (58 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: 34.8364, -92.2619.