U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00237514 · Missouri

Frost Dates for Salisbury, MO

NOAA weather station Salisbury (USC00237514), Missouri · elevation 730 ft (223 m) · hardiness zone 6a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 29only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 1250% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 2250% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season190 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone6acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Salisbury, MOSpring: a frost after March 30 in 9 years out of 10, after April 12 in half of the years, after April 29 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 9 in 1 year out of 10, before October 22 in half of the years, before November 2 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 190 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 12First frost ~Oct 22Frost season at Salisbury, MOSpring: a frost after March 30 in 9 years out of 10, after April 12 in half of the years, after April 29 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 9 in 1 year out of 10, before October 22 in half of the years, before November 2 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 190 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 12First 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 30 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)April 29October 9
50% (typical)April 12October 22
90% (likely)March 30November 2
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
190 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 13 (1 day later than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 22. Frost-free season 191 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 Salisbury: 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 15, 50% April 12, 60% April 9, 70% April 7, 80% April 2, 90% March 30. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 23, 2022 April 20, 2023 April 24, 2024 April 5, 2025 April 9, 2026 March 29.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1Apr 29Apr 12Mar 302021: April 232022: April 202023: April 242024: April 52025: April 92026: March 29Fall at Salisbury: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 9, 20% October 13, 30% October 16, 40% October 19, 50% October 22, 60% October 24, 70% October 27, 80% October 30, 90% November 2. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 2, 2022 October 8, 2023 October 28, 2025 November 2.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 9Oct 22Nov 22021: November 22022: October 82023: October 282025: November 2
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 20October 8
2023April 24October 28
2024April 5incomplete record
2025April 9November 2
2026March 29season not over yet

What these dates mean

The 190 days between the 32 °F 50% dates of April 12 and October 22 mark the period when light-frost risk is less than even for tender crops. April 12 is the point where a light frost later in the season has a 50 % chance, and October 22 is the point where a light frost earlier in the season has a 50 % chance. Those dates are not frost dates themselves but show when the probability shifts.

To follow a cautious plan, the spring LATE date of April 29 carries only a 10 % chance of a later light frost, making it the preferred day to set out tender crops. In the fall, the EARLY date of October 9 carries only a 10 % chance of an earlier light frost, so it is the prudent day to finish harvesting tender crops. A hard frost at 28 °F can kill plants that survive a 32 °F light frost, making it a greater threat. The hard-frost 50% dates are April 2 in spring and November 1 in fall.

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 9" 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 Salisbury, MONumbered nearest stations: 1 — Moberly, MO — 20 mi; 2 — near Macon, MO — 28 mi; 3 — New Franklin, MO — 28 mi; 4 — Carrollton, MO — 36 mi; 5 — Shelbina, MO — 44 mi.25 mi · 40 km1. Moberly, MO — 20 mi12. near Macon, MO — 28 mi23. New Franklin, MO — 28 mi34. Carrollton, MO — 36 mi45. Shelbina, MO — 44 mi5
  1. Moberly, MO 20 mi (32 km)
  2. near Macon, MO 28 mi (45 km)
  3. New Franklin, MO 28 mi (46 km)
  4. Carrollton, MO 36 mi (59 km)
  5. Shelbina, MO 44 mi (72 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 6a: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 39.4247, -92.8106.