U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USW00013876 · Alabama

Frost Dates for Birmingham, AL

NOAA weather station Birmingham Airport (USW00013876), Alabama · elevation 615 ft (188 m) · hardiness zone 8a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 8only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMarch 2150% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostNovember 1150% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season236 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone8acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Birmingham, ALSpring: a frost after February 28 in 9 years out of 10, after March 21 in half of the years, after April 8 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 30 in 1 year out of 10, before November 11 in half of the years, before December 1 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 236 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Mar 21First frost ~Nov 11Frost season at Birmingham, ALSpring: a frost after February 28 in 9 years out of 10, after March 21 in half of the years, after April 8 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 30 in 1 year out of 10, before November 11 in half of the years, before December 1 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 236 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Mar 21First frost ~Nov 11
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 28 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)April 8October 30
50% (typical)March 21November 11
90% (likely)February 28December 1
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
236 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 7
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 24

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost March 17 (4 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 10 (1 day earlier). 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 Birmingham: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 8, 20% April 2, 30% March 30, 40% March 26, 50% March 21, 60% March 17, 70% March 13, 80% March 6, 90% February 28. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 2, 2022 March 13, 2023 March 21, 2024 March 19, 2025 March 21, 2026 March 18.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Mar 1Apr 1Apr 8Mar 21Feb 282021: April 22022: March 132023: March 212024: March 192025: March 212026: March 18Fall at Birmingham: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 30, 20% November 3, 30% November 6, 40% November 8, 50% November 11, 60% November 15, 70% November 19, 80% November 23, 90% December 1. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 23, 2022 October 19, 2023 November 1, 2024 November 29, 2025 November 10.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Dec 1Oct 30Nov 11Dec 12021: November 232022: October 192023: November 12024: November 292025: 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 2November 23
2022March 13October 19
2023March 21November 1
2024March 19November 29
2025March 21November 10
2026March 18season not over yet

What these dates mean

October 30 marks the cautious fall date for finishing the harvest of tender crops in Birmingham, carrying only a 10 % chance that a light frost has already arrived.

The 50% light-frost date in spring is March 21; at that point there is an even chance that a frost will occur later. In fall the 50% light-frost date is November 11, meaning an even chance that a frost will have happened earlier. Gardeners who want to reduce risk plant tender crops after the cautious spring date of April 8 and aim to complete harvest before the cautious fall date of October 30; dates with a 90 % chance—February 28 in spring and December 1 in fall—are gambles.

Hard frosts, defined by the 28 °F 50% dates of March 7 and November 24, are more damaging because temperatures that low can kill tissue that survives a light frost at 32 °F.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after April 8" 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 30" 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 Birmingham, ALNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Bessemer, AL — 19 mi; 2 — Childersburg, AL — 30 mi; 3 — Talladega, AL — 37 mi; 4 — Sylacauga, AL — 40 mi; 5 — near Anniston, AL — 51 mi.AL25 mi · 40 km1. Bessemer, AL — 19 mi12. Childersburg, AL — 30 mi23. Talladega, AL — 37 mi34. Sylacauga, AL — 40 mi45. near Anniston, AL — 51 mi5
  1. Bessemer, AL 19 mi (31 km)
  2. Childersburg, AL 30 mi (49 km)
  3. Talladega, AL 37 mi (59 km)
  4. Sylacauga, AL 40 mi (64 km)
  5. near Anniston, AL 51 mi (82 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: 33.5656, -86.745.