U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00036506 · Arkansas

Frost Dates for Searcy, AR

NOAA weather station Searcy (USC00036506), Arkansas · elevation 230 ft (70 m) · hardiness zone 8a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 12only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMarch 2750% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostNovember 850% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season228 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone8acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Searcy, ARSpring: a frost after March 5 in 9 years out of 10, after March 27 in half of the years, after April 12 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 24 in 1 year out of 10, before November 8 in half of the years, before November 25 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 228 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Mar 27First frost ~Nov 8Frost season at Searcy, ARSpring: a frost after March 5 in 9 years out of 10, after March 27 in half of the years, after April 12 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 24 in 1 year out of 10, before November 8 in half of the years, before November 25 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 228 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Mar 27First frost ~Nov 8
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 12October 24
50% (typical)March 27November 8
90% (likely)March 5November 25
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
228 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 12
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 19

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost March 22 (5 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 8. Frost-free season 233 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 Searcy: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 12, 20% April 6, 30% April 2, 40% March 30, 50% March 27, 60% March 23, 70% March 18, 80% March 13, 90% March 5. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 21, 2022 April 9, 2023 March 21, 2024 March 27, 2025 March 21, 2026 March 17.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Mar 1Apr 1Apr 12Mar 27Mar 52021: April 212022: April 92023: March 212024: March 272025: March 212026: March 17Fall at Searcy: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 24, 20% October 30, 30% November 2, 40% November 4, 50% November 8, 60% November 11, 70% November 14, 80% November 18, 90% November 25. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 13, 2022 October 19, 2023 October 31, 2024 November 29, 2025 November 10.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Dec 1Oct 24Nov 8Nov 252021: November 132022: October 192023: October 312024: November 292025: 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 21November 13
2022April 9October 19
2023March 21October 31
2024March 27November 29
2025March 21November 10
2026March 17season not over yet

What these dates mean

October 24 is the cautious fall date in Searcy for finishing the harvest, with only a 10% chance that a light frost has arrived earlier. For tender crops in spring, the cautious date is April 12, when there is a 10% chance of a frost later.

The 50% date for light frost is March 27 in spring and November 8 in fall; these are the points at which a gardener faces an even chance of frost occurring later (spring) or earlier (fall). The median hard-frost dates are March 12 and November 19, marking the days when a 28°F frost is equally likely. The probabilities are based on a 30-year record from 1991 to 2020.

A hard frost at 28°F can injure or kill plants that would otherwise 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 12" 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 24" 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 Searcy, ARNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Des Arc, AR — 24 mi; 2 — near Heber Springs, AR — 24 mi; 3 — Newport, AR — 34 mi; 4 — near Batesville, AR — 39 mi; 5 — Beedeville, AR — 39 mi.ARMSTNMO25 mi · 40 km1. Des Arc, AR — 24 mi12. near Heber Springs, AR — 24 mi23. Newport, AR — 34 mi34. near Batesville, AR — 39 mi45. Beedeville, AR — 39 mi5
  1. Des Arc, AR 24 mi (38 km)
  2. near Heber Springs, AR 24 mi (38 km)
  3. Newport, AR 34 mi (55 km)
  4. near Batesville, AR 39 mi (63 km)
  5. Beedeville, AR 39 mi (63 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: 35.2678, -91.7167.