U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00230657 · Missouri

Frost Dates for Billings, MO

NOAA weather station Billings 1 SW (USC00230657), Missouri · elevation 1310 ft (399 m) · hardiness zone 6b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 2only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 1550% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 2350% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season189 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone6bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Billings, MOSpring: a frost after March 30 in 9 years out of 10, after April 15 in half of the years, after May 2 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 11 in 1 year out of 10, before October 23 in half of the years, before November 4 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 189 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 15First frost ~Oct 23Frost season at Billings, MOSpring: a frost after March 30 in 9 years out of 10, after April 15 in half of the years, after May 2 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 11 in 1 year out of 10, before October 23 in half of the years, before November 4 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 189 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 15First frost ~Oct 23
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)May 2October 11
50% (typical)April 15October 23
90% (likely)March 30November 4
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
189 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 4
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 1

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 17 (2 days later than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 23. Frost-free season 189 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 Billings: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 2, 20% April 27, 30% April 22, 40% April 18, 50% April 15, 60% April 11, 70% April 8, 80% April 4, 90% March 30. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 23, 2022 April 19, 2023 May 4, 2024 April 23, 2025 April 9, 2026 April 6.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 2Apr 15Mar 302021: April 232022: April 192023: May 42024: April 232025: April 92026: April 6Fall at Billings: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 11, 20% October 15, 30% October 18, 40% October 21, 50% October 23, 60% October 25, 70% October 28, 80% October 31, 90% November 4. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 4, 2022 October 18, 2023 October 30, 2024 October 16, 2025 November 1.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 11Oct 23Nov 42021: November 42022: October 182023: October 302024: October 162025: November 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. ◆ 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 4
2022April 19October 18
2023May 4October 30
2024April 23October 16
2025April 9November 1
2026April 6season not over yet

What these dates mean

May 2 is the cautious spring light-frost date for Billings, Missouri; on that day there is only a 10 % chance of a frost later, allowing a gardener to set out tender crops with confidence. The 50 % spring date, April 15, marks an even chance of a light frost on either side of the day, while the 90 % spring date, March 30, would be a gamble for early planting. The climate record for the station covers 30 years.

October 11 is the cautious fall light-frost date, offering only a 10 % chance that a frost has arrived earlier, which lets a gardener finish harvesting tender crops. The 50 % fall date, October 23, also represents an even chance of a light frost on either side of that day, and the two 32°F 50% dates are 189 days apart. Hard frost at 28 °F matters more than a light frost at 32 °F because it can kill plant tissue that survives a 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 May 2" 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 11" 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 Billings, MONumbered nearest stations: 1 — Springfield, MO — 16 mi; 2 — Monett, MO — 25 mi; 3 — Ozark Beach, MO — 37 mi; 4 — Marshfield, MO — 38 mi; 5 — Bolivar, MO — 40 mi.ARKSOK25 mi · 40 km1. Springfield, MO — 16 mi12. Monett, MO — 25 mi23. Ozark Beach, MO — 37 mi34. Marshfield, MO — 38 mi45. Bolivar, MO — 40 mi5
  1. Springfield, MO 16 mi (25 km)
  2. Monett, MO 25 mi (40 km)
  3. Ozark Beach, MO 37 mi (59 km)
  4. Marshfield, MO 38 mi (60 km)
  5. Bolivar, MO 40 mi (65 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: 37.0539, -93.5756.