U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00236641 · Missouri

Frost Dates for Perryville, MO

NOAA weather station Perryville WTP (USC00236641), Missouri · elevation 502 ft (153 m) · hardiness zone 6b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 3only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 1950% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 2050% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season182 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone6bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Perryville, MOSpring: a frost after April 3 in 9 years out of 10, after April 19 in half of the years, after May 3 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 5 in 1 year out of 10, before October 20 in half of the years, before October 31 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 182 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 19First frost ~Oct 20Frost season at Perryville, MOSpring: a frost after April 3 in 9 years out of 10, after April 19 in half of the years, after May 3 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 5 in 1 year out of 10, before October 20 in half of the years, before October 31 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 182 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 19First frost ~Oct 20
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 27 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 3October 5
50% (typical)April 19October 20
90% (likely)April 3October 31
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
182 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 5
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 30

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 18 (1 day earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 22 (2 days later). Frost-free season 184 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 Perryville: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 3, 20% April 28, 30% April 24, 40% April 21, 50% April 19, 60% April 15, 70% April 12, 80% April 8, 90% April 3. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 23, 2022 April 15, 2023 April 25, 2024 April 22, 2025 April 13, 2026 March 29.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 3Apr 19Apr 32021: April 232022: April 152023: April 252024: April 222025: April 132026: March 29Fall at Perryville: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 5, 20% October 10, 30% October 14, 40% October 17, 50% October 20, 60% October 22, 70% October 24, 80% October 27, 90% October 31. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 2, 2022 October 9, 2023 October 31, 2024 October 16, 2025 November 1.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 5Oct 20Oct 312021: November 22022: October 92023: October 312024: 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 2
2022April 15October 9
2023April 25October 31
2024April 22October 16
2025April 13November 1
2026March 29season not over yet

What these dates mean

The 182 days between the 50% dates in Perryville – April 19 and October 20 – frame the span in which a 32 °F light frost is equally likely to have occurred or not, providing a reference window for tender crops.

A cautious planting plan uses the May 3 date, which carries only a 10 % chance of a frost later, for setting out tender crops, while the October 5 date, with a 10 % chance of a frost earlier, marks the safe point to finish harvesting or protect those crops. The early-spring April 3 date (90 % chance) and the late-fall October 31 date (90 % chance) remain high-risk choices.

A hard frost at 28 °F, identified by the 50% dates of April 5 and October 30, matters more than a light frost because the lower temperature can damage plant tissue more severely.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 3" 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 5" 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 Perryville, MONumbered nearest stations: 1 — Fredericktown, MO — 24 mi; 2 — Farmington, MO — 27 mi; 3 — Jackson, MO — 28 mi; 4 — Cape Girardeau, MO — 40 mi; 5 — Carbondale, IL — 41 mi.MOILKY25 mi · 40 km1. Fredericktown, MO — 24 mi12. Farmington, MO — 27 mi23. Jackson, MO — 28 mi34. Cape Girardeau, MO — 40 mi45. Carbondale, IL — 41 mi5
  1. Fredericktown, MO 24 mi (38 km)
  2. Farmington, MO 27 mi (44 km)
  3. Jackson, MO 28 mi (45 km)
  4. Cape Girardeau, MO 40 mi (64 km)
  5. Carbondale, IL 41 mi (66 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: 37.7342, -89.92.