U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00017304 · Alabama

Frost Dates for Scottsboro, AL

NOAA weather station Scottsboro (USC00017304), Alabama · elevation 615 ft (188 m) · hardiness zone 8a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 20only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 450% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 3050% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season209 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone8acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Scottsboro, ALSpring: a frost after March 18 in 9 years out of 10, after April 4 in half of the years, after April 20 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 17 in 1 year out of 10, before October 30 in half of the years, before November 12 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 209 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 4First frost ~Oct 30Frost season at Scottsboro, ALSpring: a frost after March 18 in 9 years out of 10, after April 4 in half of the years, after April 20 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 17 in 1 year out of 10, before October 30 in half of the years, before November 12 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 209 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 4First frost ~Oct 30
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 20October 17
50% (typical)April 4October 30
90% (likely)March 18November 12
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
209 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 22
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 8

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 3 (1 day earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 1 (2 days later). Frost-free season 211 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 Scottsboro: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 20, 20% April 15, 30% April 11, 40% April 7, 50% April 4, 60% April 1, 70% March 29, 80% March 25, 90% March 18. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 23, 2022 April 10, 2023 March 22, 2024 March 19, 2025 April 10, 2026 March 18.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1Apr 20Apr 4Mar 182021: April 232022: April 102023: March 222024: March 192025: April 102026: March 18Fall at Scottsboro: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 17, 20% October 21, 30% October 24, 40% October 27, 50% October 30, 60% November 1, 70% November 4, 80% November 7, 90% November 12. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 7, 2022 October 19, 2023 November 2, 2024 October 17, 2025 November 10.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Oct 17Oct 30Nov 122021: November 72022: October 192023: November 22024: October 172025: November 10
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 7
2022April 10October 19
2023March 22November 2
2024March 19October 17
2025April 10November 10
2026March 18season not over yet

What these dates mean

Setting out tender crops on March 18 in Scottsboro carries a 90 % chance of a frost later that season, making that early spring date a gamble for sensitive plants. The cautious alternative for planting is April 20, when only a 10 % chance of a later frost remains.

For a gardener, the 50 % light-frost dates are April 4 and October 30; each marks an even probability of a frost occurring after (spring) or before (fall) that day. The cautious fall date to finish harvesting tender crops is October 17, with a 10 % chance that a frost has already arrived. The 50 % hard-frost dates are March 22 in spring and November 8 in fall. A hard frost at 28 °F can damage plants that would survive 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 20" 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 17" 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 Scottsboro, ALNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Valley Head, AL — 26 mi; 2 — near Crossville, AL — 27 mi; 3 — Monteagle, TN — 40 mi; 4 — Huntsville, AL — 42 mi; 5 — Fayetteville, TN — 42 mi.ALTNGA25 mi · 40 km1. Valley Head, AL — 26 mi12. near Crossville, AL — 27 mi23. Monteagle, TN — 40 mi34. Huntsville, AL — 42 mi45. Fayetteville, TN — 42 mi5
  1. Valley Head, AL 26 mi (43 km)
  2. near Crossville, AL 27 mi (44 km)
  3. Monteagle, TN 40 mi (64 km)
  4. Huntsville, AL 42 mi (67 km)
  5. Fayetteville, TN 42 mi (68 km)

Sources

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

Station coordinates: 34.6736, -86.0536.