U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00235207 · Missouri

Frost Dates for Malden, MO

NOAA weather station Malden Municipal Airport (USC00235207), Missouri · elevation 290 ft (88 m) · hardiness zone 7b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 12only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMarch 2950% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostNovember 350% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season221 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone7bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Malden, MOSpring: a frost after March 12 in 9 years out of 10, after March 29 in half of the years, after April 12 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 23 in 1 year out of 10, before November 3 in half of the years, before November 22 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 221 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Mar 29First frost ~Nov 3Frost season at Malden, MOSpring: a frost after March 12 in 9 years out of 10, after March 29 in half of the years, after April 12 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 23 in 1 year out of 10, before November 3 in half of the years, before November 22 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 221 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Mar 29First frost ~Nov 3
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 12October 23
50% (typical)March 29November 3
90% (likely)March 12November 22
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
221 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 17
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 15

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost March 31 (2 days later than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 4 (1 day later). Frost-free season 221 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 Malden: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 12, 20% April 7, 30% April 4, 40% April 1, 50% March 29, 60% March 25, 70% March 22, 80% March 18, 90% March 12. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2023 March 21, 2024 March 20, 2025 March 22, 2026 March 18.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Mar 1Apr 1Apr 12Mar 29Mar 122023: March 212024: March 202025: March 222026: March 18Fall at Malden: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 23, 20% October 27, 30% October 30, 40% November 1, 50% November 3, 60% November 6, 70% November 9, 80% November 15, 90% November 22. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2023 October 31, 2024 November 26, 2025 November 10.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Dec 1Oct 23Nov 3Nov 222023: October 312024: November 262025: 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
2021incomplete recordincomplete record
2022incomplete recordincomplete record
2023March 21October 31
2024March 20November 26
2025March 22November 10
2026March 18season not over yet

What these dates mean

April 12 is the cautious spring date, with only a 10 % chance of a light frost occurring later; this lets a gardener plan to set out tender crops when the risk is low. By contrast, the 90 % chance on March 12 makes an earlier planting a gamble.

The 50 % date is March 29, meaning there is a 50 % chance of a light frost later than this date, while the 50 % date is November 3, meaning there is a 50 % chance of a light frost earlier than this date. October 23 is the cautious fall date, carrying only a 10 % chance that a light frost has arrived earlier, so it can be used to finish harvesting tender crops. The hard-frost 50 % dates are March 17 and November 15; a hard frost at 28 °F can damage plant tissue that would survive a light frost at 32 °F.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after April 12" 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 23" 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 Malden, MONumbered nearest stations: 1 — Sikeston, MO — 28 mi; 2 — Corning, AR — 35 mi; 3 — Paragould, AR — 48 mi; 4 — Cape Girardeau, MO — 49 mi; 5 — Union City, TN — 55 mi.MOTNKYIL25 mi · 40 km1. Sikeston, MO — 28 mi12. Corning, AR — 35 mi23. Paragould, AR — 48 mi34. Cape Girardeau, MO — 49 mi45. Union City, TN — 55 mi5
  1. Sikeston, MO 28 mi (45 km)
  2. Corning, AR 35 mi (57 km)
  3. Paragould, AR 48 mi (78 km)
  4. Cape Girardeau, MO 49 mi (79 km)
  5. Union City, TN 55 mi (89 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: 36.5994, -89.9894.