U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00010390 · Alabama

Frost Dates for Athens, AL

NOAA weather station Athens (USC00010390), Alabama · elevation 689 ft (210 m) · hardiness zone 8a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 7only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMarch 2050% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostNovember 1250% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season238 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone8acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Athens, ALSpring: a frost after March 1 in 9 years out of 10, after March 20 in half of the years, after April 7 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before November 1 in 1 year out of 10, before November 12 in half of the years, before December 1 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 238 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Mar 20First frost ~Nov 12Frost season at Athens, ALSpring: a frost after March 1 in 9 years out of 10, after March 20 in half of the years, after April 7 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before November 1 in 1 year out of 10, before November 12 in half of the years, before December 1 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 238 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Mar 20First frost ~Nov 12
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 26 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)April 7November 1
50% (typical)March 20November 12
90% (likely)March 1December 1
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
238 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 6
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 24

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost March 17 (3 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 12. Frost-free season 240 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 Athens: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 7, 20% April 2, 30% March 29, 40% March 24, 50% March 20, 60% March 17, 70% March 13, 80% March 8, 90% March 1. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 3, 2022 March 14, 2023 March 21, 2024 March 19, 2025 March 21, 2026 March 17.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Mar 1Apr 1Apr 7Mar 20Mar 12021: April 32022: March 142023: March 212024: March 192025: March 212026: March 17Fall at Athens: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% November 1, 20% November 3, 30% November 6, 40% November 9, 50% November 12, 60% November 15, 70% November 18, 80% November 24, 90% December 1. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 13, 2022 October 19, 2023 November 1, 2024 November 23, 2025 November 10.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Dec 1Nov 1Nov 12Dec 12021: November 132022: October 192023: November 12024: November 232025: 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 3November 13
2022March 14October 19
2023March 21November 1
2024March 19November 23
2025March 21November 10
2026March 17season not over yet

What these dates mean

November 1 marks the cautious fall date for finishing the harvest of tender crops in Athens, with only a 10 % chance that a light frost has arrived earlier. In spring, the cautious date for setting out tender crops is April 7, when the likelihood of a light frost later than that day is also 10 %.

The 50% light-frost date in spring is March 20, indicating a fifty-percent chance of a frost later than this date, while the 50% light-frost date in fall is November 12, indicating a fifty-percent chance of a frost earlier than this date. The median hard-frost dates are March 6 in spring and November 24 in fall; these are the points at which there is an even chance of temperatures reaching 28 °F. A hard frost matters more than a light frost because temperatures of 28 °F can damage plants that would survive the milder 32 °F light frost.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after April 7" 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 1" 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 Athens, ALNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Belle Mina, AL — 7 mi; 2 — Huntsville, AL — 13 mi; 3 — Pulaski, TN — 29 mi; 4 — Fayetteville, TN — 34 mi; 5 — Muscle Shoals, AL — 37 mi.AL25 mi · 40 km1. Belle Mina, AL — 7 mi12. Huntsville, AL — 13 mi23. Pulaski, TN — 29 mi34. Fayetteville, TN — 34 mi45. Muscle Shoals, AL — 37 mi5
  1. Belle Mina, AL 7 mi (11 km)
  2. Huntsville, AL 13 mi (21 km)
  3. Pulaski, TN 29 mi (46 km)
  4. Fayetteville, TN 34 mi (55 km)
  5. Muscle Shoals, AL 37 mi (59 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: 34.7753, -86.9508.