U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USW00013969 · Oklahoma

Frost Dates for Ponca City, OK

NOAA weather station Ponca City Municipal Airport (USW00013969), Oklahoma · elevation 1000 ft (305 m) · hardiness zone 7a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 27only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 1050% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 2750% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season200 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone7acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Ponca City, OKSpring: a frost after March 25 in 9 years out of 10, after April 10 in half of the years, after April 27 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 14 in 1 year out of 10, before October 27 in half of the years, before November 10 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 200 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 10First frost ~Oct 27Frost season at Ponca City, OKSpring: a frost after March 25 in 9 years out of 10, after April 10 in half of the years, after April 27 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 14 in 1 year out of 10, before October 27 in half of the years, before November 10 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 200 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 10First frost ~Oct 27
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 27October 14
50% (typical)April 10October 27
90% (likely)March 25November 10
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
200 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 29
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 5

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 9 (1 day earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 25 (2 days earlier). Frost-free season 199 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 Ponca City: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 27, 20% April 21, 30% April 17, 40% April 14, 50% April 10, 60% April 6, 70% April 2, 80% March 30, 90% March 25. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 21, 2022 April 14, 2023 April 23, 2024 March 28, 2025 April 7, 2026 March 17.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1Apr 27Apr 10Mar 252021: April 212022: April 142023: April 232024: March 282025: April 72026: March 17Fall at Ponca City: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 14, 20% October 19, 30% October 22, 40% October 25, 50% October 27, 60% October 30, 70% November 1, 80% November 5, 90% November 10. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 13, 2022 October 18, 2023 October 30, 2024 October 16, 2025 October 30.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 14Oct 27Nov 102021: November 132022: October 182023: October 302024: October 162025: October 30
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 21November 13
2022April 14October 18
2023April 23October 30
2024March 28October 16
2025April 7October 30
2026March 17season not over yet

What these dates mean

October 14 is the cautious fall date in Ponca City for finishing the harvest of tender crops, reflecting a 10 % chance that a light frost has arrived earlier.

The 50% spring light-frost date is April 10, meaning there is an even chance of a frost occurring later than that day, while the 50% fall light-frost date is October 27, indicating an even chance of a frost occurring earlier. Gardeners who want to minimize risk plant tender crops after the cautious spring date of April 27 (10 % chance of frost later) and aim to harvest before the cautious fall date of October 14.

The 50% hard-frost dates are March 29 in spring and November 5 in fall. Hard frost, defined at 28 °F, is more damaging than a light frost at 32 °F because it can freeze plant tissue that survives a light frost.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after April 27" 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 14" 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 Ponca City, OKNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Billings, OK — 24 mi; 2 — Ralston, OK — 26 mi; 3 — Winfield, KS — 39 mi; 4 — Wellington, KS — 41 mi; 5 — Enid, OK — 48 mi.25 mi · 40 km1. Billings, OK — 24 mi12. Ralston, OK — 26 mi23. Winfield, KS — 39 mi34. Wellington, KS — 41 mi45. Enid, OK — 48 mi5
  1. Billings, OK 24 mi (38 km)
  2. Ralston, OK 26 mi (41 km)
  3. Winfield, KS 39 mi (63 km)
  4. Wellington, KS 41 mi (65 km)
  5. Enid, OK 48 mi (78 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 7a: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 36.7367, -97.1019.