U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USW00093805 · Florida

Frost Dates for Tallahassee, FL

NOAA weather station Tallahassee (USW00093805), Florida · elevation 63 ft (19 m) · hardiness zone 9a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter March 30only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMarch 1150% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostNovember 2150% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season255 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone9acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Tallahassee, FLSpring: a frost after February 18 in 9 years out of 10, after March 11 in half of the years, after March 30 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before November 3 in 1 year out of 10, before November 21 in half of the years, before December 14 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 255 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Mar 11First frost ~Nov 21Frost season at Tallahassee, FLSpring: a frost after February 18 in 9 years out of 10, after March 11 in half of the years, after March 30 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before November 3 in 1 year out of 10, before November 21 in half of the years, before December 14 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 255 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Mar 11First frost ~Nov 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 30 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)March 30November 3
50% (typical)March 11November 21
90% (likely)February 18December 14
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
255 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
February 25
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
December 6

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost March 9 (2 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 19 (2 days earlier). Frost-free season 256 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 Tallahassee: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% March 30, 20% March 23, 30% March 19, 40% March 15, 50% March 11, 60% March 7, 70% March 3, 80% February 27, 90% February 18. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 March 9, 2022 March 13, 2023 March 21, 2024 February 21, 2025 February 21, 2026 March 18.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Mar 1Apr 1Mar 30Mar 11Feb 182021: March 92022: March 132023: March 212024: February 212025: February 212026: March 18Fall at Tallahassee: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% November 3, 20% November 9, 30% November 13, 40% November 18, 50% November 21, 60% November 26, 70% December 1, 80% December 5, 90% December 14. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 23, 2022 October 20, 2023 November 29, 2024 November 30, 2025 November 11.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Dec 1Nov 3Nov 21Dec 142021: November 232022: October 202023: November 292024: November 302025: November 11
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
2021March 9November 23
2022March 13October 20
2023March 21November 29
2024February 21November 30
2025February 21November 11
2026March 18season not over yet

What these dates mean

November 3 marks the cautious fall date for finishing the harvest of tender crops in Tallahassee; only a 10 % chance of a light frost has occurred earlier, so crops can be harvested through that day with minimal risk. The same cautious approach in spring uses March 30, when there is only a 10 % chance that a light frost will arrive later.

For a gardener the 50 % dates provide a midpoint of risk: the 50 % date is March 11, meaning there is an even chance of a light frost after that date, and the 50 % date is November 21, meaning there is an even chance of a light frost before that date. The hard-frost 50 % dates are February 25 in spring and December 6 in fall; a hard frost (28 °F) can damage plants more severely than a light frost (32 °F) because of the lower temperature threshold.

These dates are drawn from a 30-year record and help gauge the probability window for planting and harvesting tender crops.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after March 30" 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 November 3" 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 Tallahassee, FLNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Perry, FL — 50 mi; 2 — Camilla, GA — 55 mi; 3 — Mayo, FL — 71 mi; 4 — Chipley, FL — 77 mi; 5 — Albany, GA — 79 mi.FLGAAL25 mi · 40 km1. Perry, FL — 50 mi12. Camilla, GA — 55 mi23. Mayo, FL — 71 mi34. Chipley, FL — 77 mi45. Albany, GA — 79 mi5
  1. Perry, FL 50 mi (80 km)
  2. Camilla, GA 55 mi (89 km)
  3. Mayo, FL 71 mi (115 km)
  4. Chipley, FL 77 mi (124 km)
  5. Albany, GA 79 mi (128 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 9a: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 30.3975, -84.3289.