U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00416074 · Texas

Frost Dates for Morton, TX

NOAA weather station Morton (USC00416074), Texas · elevation 3766 ft (1148 m) · hardiness zone 7b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 26only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 1150% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 3150% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season199 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone7bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Morton, TXSpring: a frost after March 28 in 9 years out of 10, after April 11 in half of the years, after April 26 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 16 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: 199 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 11First frost ~Oct 31Frost season at Morton, TXSpring: a frost after March 28 in 9 years out of 10, after April 11 in half of the years, after April 26 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 16 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: 199 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 11First 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 26 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)April 26October 16
50% (typical)April 11October 31
90% (likely)March 28November 11
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
199 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 31
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 7

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 13 (2 days later than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 28 (3 days earlier). Frost-free season 197 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 Morton: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 26, 20% April 20, 30% April 17, 40% April 14, 50% April 11, 60% April 8, 70% April 5, 80% April 1, 90% March 28. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 22, 2022 April 14, 2023 April 29, 2024 March 29, 2025 April 7, 2026 March 18.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1Apr 26Apr 11Mar 282021: April 222022: April 142023: April 292024: March 292025: April 72026: March 18Fall at Morton: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 16, 20% October 21, 30% October 24, 40% October 28, 50% October 31, 60% November 1, 70% November 4, 80% November 7, 90% November 11. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 4, 2022 November 12, 2023 October 29, 2024 November 1, 2025 October 29.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Oct 16Oct 31Nov 112021: November 42022: November 122023: October 292024: November 12025: October 29
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 14November 12
2023April 29October 29
2024March 29November 1
2025April 7October 29
2026March 18season not over yet

What these dates mean

In Morton, planting tender crops on the early spring date of March 28 carries a 90% chance that a frost will occur later that season, making it a gamble for any gardener.

The 50% dates are points where the odds of a frost are even. For light frost, April 11 marks the middle of the spring window and October 31 the middle of the fall window. For hard frost, the median dates are March 31 in spring and November 7 in fall, each indicating a 50% chance of reaching 28 °F.

A cautious spring plan therefore uses the April 26 date, which has only a 10% chance of a later frost, while a cautious fall plan finishes tender crops by October 16, which has only a 10% chance of an earlier frost. Hard frosts matter more because 28 °F can damage plant tissue that survives 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 26" 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 16" 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 Morton, TXNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Levelland, TX — 25 mi; 2 — Littlefield, TX — 31 mi; 3 — near Muleshoe, TX — 35 mi; 4 — Plains, TX — 37 mi; 5 — near Brownfield, TX — 46 mi.TXNM25 mi · 40 km1. Levelland, TX — 25 mi12. Littlefield, TX — 31 mi23. near Muleshoe, TX — 35 mi34. Plains, TX — 37 mi45. near Brownfield, TX — 46 mi5
  1. Levelland, TX 25 mi (40 km)
  2. Littlefield, TX 31 mi (49 km)
  3. near Muleshoe, TX 35 mi (56 km)
  4. Plains, TX 37 mi (59 km)
  5. near Brownfield, TX 46 mi (74 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: 33.7186, -102.7586.