U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00226894 · Mississippi

Frost Dates for Philadelphia, MS

NOAA weather station Philadelphia 1 WSW (USC00226894), Mississippi · elevation 413 ft (126 m) · hardiness zone 8b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 9only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMarch 2050% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostNovember 950% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season235 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone8bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Philadelphia, MSSpring: a frost after February 28 in 9 years out of 10, after March 20 in half of the years, after April 9 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 26 in 1 year out of 10, before November 9 in half of the years, before November 28 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 235 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Mar 20First frost ~Nov 9Frost season at Philadelphia, MSSpring: a frost after February 28 in 9 years out of 10, after March 20 in half of the years, after April 9 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 26 in 1 year out of 10, before November 9 in half of the years, before November 28 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 235 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Mar 20First frost ~Nov 9
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 28 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)April 9October 26
50% (typical)March 20November 9
90% (likely)February 28November 28
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
235 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 4
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 21

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost March 16 (4 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 10 (1 day later). Frost-free season 238 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 Philadelphia: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 9, 20% April 3, 30% March 30, 40% March 25, 50% March 20, 60% March 16, 70% March 11, 80% March 6, 90% February 28. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 March 10, 2022 March 14.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Mar 1Apr 1Apr 9Mar 20Feb 282021: March 102022: March 14Fall at Philadelphia: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 26, 20% October 31, 30% November 2, 40% November 5, 50% November 9, 60% November 12, 70% November 16, 80% November 21, 90% November 28. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 14, 2022 October 19.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Dec 1Oct 26Nov 9Nov 282021: November 142022: October 19
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
2021March 10November 14
2022March 14October 19
2023incomplete recordno data
2024no datano data
2025no datano data
2026no dataseason not over yet

What these dates mean

Setting out tender crops on February 28 carries a 90% chance of a frost later than that date, so planting then is a gamble in Philadelphia, Mississippi. The cautious alternative is April 9, when the chance of a later frost drops to 10% and tender crops can be placed outdoors.

For a gardener the 50% light-frost date in spring is March 20, indicating an even odds of a frost occurring after that day, while the 50% light-frost date in fall is November 9, indicating an even odds of a frost occurring before that day. The median hard-frost dates are March 4 and November 21; hard frosts at 28 °F can damage plants that survive a light frost at 32 °F, making them a greater threat. The two 32°F 50% dates—March 20 and November 9—are 235 days apart, a span confirmed by 28 years of record, which frames the overall window in which frost risk is lower. In fall the cautious date to finish harvesting tender crops is October 26, when only a 10% chance exists that a frost has arrived earlier.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after April 9" 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 26" 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 Philadelphia, MSNumbered nearest stations: 1 — near Meridian, MS — 38 mi; 2 — near Starkville, MS — 52 mi; 3 — Winona, MS — 57 mi; 4 — Gainesville Lock, AL — 58 mi; 5 — Jackson, MS — 63 mi.MS25 mi · 40 km1. near Meridian, MS — 38 mi12. near Starkville, MS — 52 mi23. Winona, MS — 57 mi34. Gainesville Lock, AL — 58 mi45. Jackson, MS — 63 mi5
  1. near Meridian, MS 38 mi (60 km)
  2. near Starkville, MS 52 mi (84 km)
  3. Winona, MS 57 mi (92 km)
  4. Gainesville Lock, AL 58 mi (93 km)
  5. Jackson, MS 63 mi (102 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 8b: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 32.7692, -89.1303.