U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00237963 · Missouri

Frost Dates for Spickard, MO

NOAA weather station Spickard 7 W (USC00237963), Missouri · elevation 875 ft (267 m) · hardiness zone 6a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 5only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 2050% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 1650% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season177 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone6acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Spickard, MOSpring: a frost after April 7 in 9 years out of 10, after April 20 in half of the years, after May 5 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 30 in 1 year out of 10, before October 16 in half of the years, before October 29 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 177 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 20First frost ~Oct 16Frost season at Spickard, MOSpring: a frost after April 7 in 9 years out of 10, after April 20 in half of the years, after May 5 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 30 in 1 year out of 10, before October 16 in half of the years, before October 29 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 177 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 20First frost ~Oct 16
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 28 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 5September 30
50% (typical)April 20October 16
90% (likely)April 7October 29
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
177 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 10
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 27

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 21 (1 day later than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 19 (3 days later). Frost-free season 179 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 Spickard: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 5, 20% April 30, 30% April 26, 40% April 23, 50% April 20, 60% April 17, 70% April 14, 80% April 11, 90% April 7. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 22, 2022 April 26, 2023 April 25, 2026 March 29.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 5Apr 20Apr 72021: April 222022: April 262023: April 252026: March 29Fall at Spickard: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% September 30, 20% October 5, 30% October 10, 40% October 13, 50% October 16, 60% October 19, 70% October 22, 80% October 25, 90% October 29. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 2, 2022 October 8, 2023 October 10, 2024 October 16.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Sep 30Oct 16Oct 292021: November 22022: October 82023: October 102024: October 16
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 22November 2
2022April 26October 8
2023April 25October 10
2024incomplete recordOctober 16
2025incomplete recordincomplete record
2026March 29season not over yet

What these dates mean

September 30 marks the cautious fall date for finishing the harvest of tender crops in Spickard, as there is only a 10% chance that a light frost has arrived before then. For spring planting, the cautious date to set out tender crops is May 5, when the chance of a light frost later than that date is just 10%. The 50% light-frost date is April 20, indicating a 50% chance of a frost later than this date, while the 50% light-frost date in fall is October 16, indicating a 50% chance of a frost earlier than this date.

A hard frost, defined by temperatures of 28 °F, poses a greater risk to plants than a light frost at 32 °F because the colder temperature can cause more severe damage. The 50% hard-frost dates are April 10 in spring and October 27 in fall, each representing an even-odds point for a hard freeze.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 5" 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 September 30" 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 Spickard, MONumbered nearest stations: 1 — Bethany, MO — 16 mi; 2 — Lamoni, IA — 28 mi; 3 — Chillicothe, MO — 34 mi; 4 — Amity, MO — 42 mi; 5 — Mount Ayr, IA — 42 mi.MOIAKS25 mi · 40 km1. Bethany, MO — 16 mi12. Lamoni, IA — 28 mi23. Chillicothe, MO — 34 mi34. Amity, MO — 42 mi45. Mount Ayr, IA — 42 mi5
  1. Bethany, MO 16 mi (26 km)
  2. Lamoni, IA 28 mi (46 km)
  3. Chillicothe, MO 34 mi (55 km)
  4. Amity, MO 42 mi (68 km)
  5. Mount Ayr, IA 42 mi (68 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: 40.2472, -93.7158.