U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00407459 · Tennessee

Frost Dates for Pulaski, TN

NOAA weather station Pulaski WWTP (USC00407459), Tennessee · elevation 644 ft (196 m) · hardiness zone 7b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 28only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 1450% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 2450% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season193 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone7bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Pulaski, TNSpring: a frost after March 29 in 9 years out of 10, after April 14 in half of the years, after April 28 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 12 in 1 year out of 10, before October 24 in half of the years, before November 5 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 193 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 14First frost ~Oct 24Frost season at Pulaski, TNSpring: a frost after March 29 in 9 years out of 10, after April 14 in half of the years, after April 28 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 12 in 1 year out of 10, before October 24 in half of the years, before November 5 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 193 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 14First frost ~Oct 24
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)April 28October 12
50% (typical)April 14October 24
90% (likely)March 29November 5
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
193 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 11 (3 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 27 (3 days later). 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 Pulaski: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 28, 20% April 24, 30% April 20, 40% April 17, 50% April 14, 60% April 10, 70% April 7, 80% April 3, 90% March 29. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 23, 2022 April 21, 2023 April 26, 2024 April 6, 2025 April 10, 2026 March 29.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1Apr 28Apr 14Mar 292021: April 232022: April 212023: April 262024: April 62025: April 102026: March 29Fall at Pulaski: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 12, 20% October 15, 30% October 19, 40% October 22, 50% October 24, 60% October 27, 70% October 29, 80% November 1, 90% November 5. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 5, 2022 October 9, 2023 November 1, 2024 October 17, 2025 November 3.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 12Oct 24Nov 52021: November 52022: October 92023: November 12024: October 172025: November 3
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 5
2022April 21October 9
2023April 26November 1
2024April 6October 17
2025April 10November 3
2026March 29season not over yet

What these dates mean

April 28 is the cautious spring date, allowing a gardener in Pulaski to set out tender crops when only a 10 % chance remains that a light frost will arrive later. By contrast, planting before March 29 carries a 90 % chance of a later frost and is a gamble.

The median light-frost dates are April 14 in spring and October 24 in fall; each marks the point at which a frost is equally likely to occur later (spring) or earlier (fall). The median hard-frost dates are April 2 and November 1, indicating when a 28 °F freeze is a 50 % chance. October 12 is the cautious fall date, giving a gardener only a 10 % chance that a light frost has already begun, useful for finishing tender crops. A hard frost at 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 28" 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 12" 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 Pulaski, TNNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Lewisburg, TN — 21 mi; 2 — Fayetteville, TN — 28 mi; 3 — Athens, AL — 29 mi; 4 — Columbia, TN — 31 mi; 5 — Belle Mina, AL — 35 mi.GAMS25 mi · 40 km1. Lewisburg, TN — 21 mi12. Fayetteville, TN — 28 mi23. Athens, AL — 29 mi34. Columbia, TN — 31 mi45. Belle Mina, AL — 35 mi5
  1. Lewisburg, TN 21 mi (33 km)
  2. Fayetteville, TN 28 mi (46 km)
  3. Athens, AL 29 mi (46 km)
  4. Columbia, TN 31 mi (51 km)
  5. Belle Mina, AL 35 mi (57 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: 35.1842, -87.0422.