U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00418692 · Texas

Frost Dates for Stratford, TX

NOAA weather station Stratford (USC00418692), Texas · elevation 3603 ft (1098 m) · hardiness zone 6b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 3only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 2150% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 2150% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season181 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone6bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Stratford, TXSpring: a frost after April 6 in 9 years out of 10, after April 21 in half of the years, after May 3 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 8 in 1 year out of 10, before October 21 in half of the years, before November 1 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 181 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 21First frost ~Oct 21Frost season at Stratford, TXSpring: a frost after April 6 in 9 years out of 10, after April 21 in half of the years, after May 3 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 8 in 1 year out of 10, before October 21 in half of the years, before November 1 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 181 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 21First frost ~Oct 21
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 29 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 3October 8
50% (typical)April 21October 21
90% (likely)April 6November 1
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
181 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 10
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 30

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 22 (1 day later than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 24 (3 days later). Frost-free season 185 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 Stratford: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 3, 20% April 30, 30% April 27, 40% April 24, 50% April 21, 60% April 18, 70% April 15, 80% April 11, 90% April 6.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 3Apr 21Apr 6Fall at Stratford: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 8, 20% October 13, 30% October 16, 40% October 19, 50% October 21, 60% October 23, 70% October 26, 80% October 29, 90% November 1.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 8Oct 21Nov 1
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.

What these dates mean

October 8 is the cautious fall date for finishing the harvest of tender crops in Stratford, Texas; only a 10 % chance exists that a light frost has arrived earlier. In spring the cautious date for setting out tender crops is May 3, when there is a 10 % chance of a light frost later, while April 6 carries a 90 % chance and is a gamble.

The 50 % light-frost dates are April 21 in spring and October 21 in fall; at each of those dates a gardener faces an even chance of a frost occurring after or before, respectively. The median hard-frost dates are April 10 and October 30, marking the points where a 28 °F frost is as likely as not. A hard frost is more damaging than a light frost because the lower temperature can freeze plant tissue that survives a 32 °F event.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 3" 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 8" 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 Stratford, TXNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Dalhart, TX — 39 mi; 2 — Boys Ranch, TX — 64 mi; 3 — Hugoton, KS — 64 mi; 4 — Walsh, CO — 66 mi; 5 — Amistad, NM — 73 mi.TXNMOKCO50 mi · 80 km1. Dalhart, TX — 39 mi12. Boys Ranch, TX — 64 mi23. Hugoton, KS — 64 mi34. Walsh, CO — 66 mi45. Amistad, NM — 73 mi5
  1. Dalhart, TX 39 mi (63 km)
  2. Boys Ranch, TX 64 mi (103 km)
  3. Hugoton, KS 64 mi (104 km)
  4. Walsh, CO 66 mi (106 km)
  5. Amistad, NM 73 mi (118 km)

Sources

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

Station coordinates: 36.4414, -102.0775.