U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00236012 · Missouri

Frost Dates for New Franklin, MO

NOAA weather station New Franklin 1 W (USC00236012), Missouri · elevation 641 ft (195 m) · hardiness zone 6b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 29only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 1350% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 2250% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season191 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone6bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at New Franklin, MOSpring: a frost after March 29 in 9 years out of 10, after April 13 in half of the years, after April 29 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 7 in 1 year out of 10, before October 22 in half of the years, before November 3 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 191 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 13First frost ~Oct 22Frost season at New Franklin, MOSpring: a frost after March 29 in 9 years out of 10, after April 13 in half of the years, after April 29 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 7 in 1 year out of 10, before October 22 in half of the years, before November 3 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 191 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 13First frost ~Oct 22
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 29 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)April 29October 7
50% (typical)April 13October 22
90% (likely)March 29November 3
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
191 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 2
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 1

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 12 (1 day earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 24 (2 days later). Frost-free season 196 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 New Franklin: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 29, 20% April 23, 30% April 19, 40% April 16, 50% April 13, 60% April 9, 70% April 6, 80% April 3, 90% March 29. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2022 April 19, 2023 April 25, 2024 April 6.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1Apr 29Apr 13Mar 292022: April 192023: April 252024: April 6Fall at New Franklin: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 7, 20% October 14, 30% October 17, 40% October 20, 50% October 22, 60% October 25, 70% October 28, 80% October 31, 90% November 3. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 2, 2022 October 9, 2023 October 31.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 7Oct 22Nov 32021: November 22022: October 92023: October 31
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 recordNovember 2
2022April 19October 9
2023April 25October 31
2024April 6incomplete record
2025incomplete recordincomplete record
2026incomplete recordseason not over yet

What these dates mean

The 191 days between the 50% dates in New Franklin define the span when the chance of a light frost (32 °F) is below even odds; the spring 50% date is April 13 and the fall 50% date is October 22. For a gardener these median dates simply mark the point at which the probability of a light frost is 50 % and do not indicate that a frost will certainly occur.

A cautious plan uses the late-spring light-frost date of April 29 (10 % chance of a frost later) for setting out tender crops, and the early-fall light-frost date of October 7 (10 % chance of a frost earlier) for finishing harvests. The hard-frost 50% dates are April 2 and November 1, and a hard frost (28 °F) can damage plants more severely than a light frost because the lower temperature injures tissue that survives a 32 °F event.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after April 29" 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 7" 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 New Franklin, MONumbered nearest stations: 1 — Salisbury, MO — 28 mi; 2 — California, MO — 29 mi; 3 — Columbia, MO — 32 mi; 4 — Moberly, MO — 33 mi; 5 — Sedalia, MO — 34 mi.25 mi · 40 km1. Salisbury, MO — 28 mi12. California, MO — 29 mi23. Columbia, MO — 32 mi34. Moberly, MO — 33 mi45. Sedalia, MO — 34 mi5
  1. Salisbury, MO 28 mi (46 km)
  2. California, MO 29 mi (47 km)
  3. Columbia, MO 32 mi (52 km)
  4. Moberly, MO 33 mi (52 km)
  5. Sedalia, MO 34 mi (56 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: 39.0172, -92.7558.