U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00400284 · Tennessee

Frost Dates for Athens, TN

NOAA weather station Athens (USC00400284), Tennessee · elevation 940 ft (287 m) · hardiness zone 7b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 24only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 650% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 3150% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season208 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone7bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Athens, TNSpring: a frost after March 20 in 9 years out of 10, after April 6 in half of the years, after April 24 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 20 in 1 year out of 10, before October 31 in half of the years, before November 13 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 208 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 6First frost ~Oct 31Frost season at Athens, TNSpring: a frost after March 20 in 9 years out of 10, after April 6 in half of the years, after April 24 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 20 in 1 year out of 10, before October 31 in half of the years, before November 13 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 208 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 6First frost ~Oct 31
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.Today

Frost dates (32°F)

Probability of frost, based on 27 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)April 24October 20
50% (typical)April 6October 31
90% (likely)March 20November 13
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
208 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 27
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 10

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 7 (1 day later than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 2 (2 days later). Frost-free season 209 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 24, 20% April 18, 30% April 14, 40% April 9, 50% April 6, 60% April 3, 70% March 31, 80% March 27, 90% March 20. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 23, 2022 April 20, 2023 March 22, 2024 March 20, 2025 March 22, 2026 March 20.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1Apr 24Apr 6Mar 202021: April 232022: April 202023: March 222024: March 202025: March 222026: March 20Fall at Athens: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 20, 20% October 24, 30% October 26, 40% October 29, 50% October 31, 60% November 2, 70% November 5, 80% November 8, 90% November 13. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 7, 2022 October 18, 2023 November 1, 2024 October 17, 2025 November 10.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Oct 20Oct 31Nov 132021: November 72022: October 182023: November 12024: October 172025: 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 23November 7
2022April 20October 18
2023March 22November 1
2024March 20October 17
2025March 22November 10
2026March 20season not over yet

What these dates mean

Setting out tender crops on the early spring date, March 20, is a gamble because there is a 90% chance of a light frost occurring later. The 50% dates—April 6 for spring and October 31 for fall—mark the point where a light frost is equally likely, giving gardeners a clear reference for when risk is balanced. The hard-frost 50% dates, March 27 and November 10, indicate when a 28°F frost is equally likely, which is a stronger threat to plant tissue than a 32°F frost.

For a cautious plan, tender crops should be placed after the cautious spring date, April 24, which carries only a 10% chance of a later light frost. In the fall, the cautious date to finish harvesting is October 20, also with a 10% chance of an earlier light frost. A hard frost matters more than a light frost because the lower temperature can injure or kill plants that would otherwise survive a milder 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 24" 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 20" 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, TNNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Cleveland, TN — 19 mi; 2 — Dayton, TN — 23 mi; 3 — Lenoir City, TN — 30 mi; 4 — Pikeville, TN — 36 mi; 5 — Knoxville (McGhee Tyson Airport), TN — 43 mi.TNNC25 mi · 40 km1. Cleveland, TN — 19 mi12. Dayton, TN — 23 mi23. Lenoir City, TN — 30 mi34. Pikeville, TN — 36 mi45. Knoxville (McGhee Tyson Airport), TN — 43 mi5
  1. Cleveland, TN 19 mi (30 km)
  2. Dayton, TN 23 mi (38 km)
  3. Lenoir City, TN 30 mi (49 km)
  4. Pikeville, TN 36 mi (58 km)
  5. Knoxville (McGhee Tyson Airport), TN 43 mi (69 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 7b: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 35.4322, -84.5833.