U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00231145 · Missouri

Frost Dates for Butler, MO

NOAA weather station Butler 4 W (USC00231145), Missouri · elevation 790 ft (241 m) · hardiness zone 6b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 28only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 1250% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 2350% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season192 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone6bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Butler, MOSpring: a frost after March 28 in 9 years out of 10, after April 12 in half of the years, after April 28 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 9 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: 192 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 12First frost ~Oct 23Frost season at Butler, MOSpring: a frost after March 28 in 9 years out of 10, after April 12 in half of the years, after April 28 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 9 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: 192 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 12First 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 28 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)April 28October 9
50% (typical)April 12October 23
90% (likely)March 28November 4
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
192 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 2
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 1

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 9 (3 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 24 (1 day later). Frost-free season 195 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 Butler: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 28, 20% April 22, 30% April 18, 40% April 15, 50% April 12, 60% April 8, 70% April 5, 80% March 31, 90% March 28. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 23, 2022 April 19, 2023 April 24, 2025 April 9, 2026 March 29.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1Apr 28Apr 12Mar 282021: April 232022: April 192023: April 242025: April 92026: March 29Fall at Butler: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 9, 20% October 14, 30% October 17, 40% October 20, 50% October 23, 60% October 26, 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 October 22.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 9Oct 23Nov 42021: November 42022: October 182023: October 302024: October 162025: October 22
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
2023April 24October 30
2024incomplete recordOctober 16
2025April 9October 22
2026March 29season not over yet

What these dates mean

The 192 days between the 50% dates in Butler – April 12 and October 23 – mark the span where a light frost is less likely than not. During this interval gardeners can expect a relatively low risk of 32 °F frosts, while the 50% hard-frost dates, April 2 and November 1, indicate when a 28 °F frost becomes equally probable.

For a cautious spring plan, the April 28 date carries only a 10 % chance of a light frost later, making it the cautious date for setting out tender crops; the March 28 date, with a 90 % chance, is a gamble. In the fall, the October 9 date offers a 10 % chance of a light frost earlier, serving as the cautious date to finish harvesting tender crops, whereas November 4, with a 90 % chance, is risky. A hard frost at 28 °F can damage or kill plants that survive 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 28" 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 9" 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 Butler, MONumbered nearest stations: 1 — Appleton City, MO — 21 mi; 2 — Nevada, MO — 29 mi; 3 — Fort Scott, KS — 35 mi; 4 — Clinton, MO — 36 mi; 5 — Pleasant Hill, MO — 39 mi.KS25 mi · 40 km1. Appleton City, MO — 21 mi12. Nevada, MO — 29 mi23. Fort Scott, KS — 35 mi34. Clinton, MO — 36 mi45. Pleasant Hill, MO — 39 mi5
  1. Appleton City, MO 21 mi (34 km)
  2. Nevada, MO 29 mi (47 km)
  3. Fort Scott, KS 35 mi (56 km)
  4. Clinton, MO 36 mi (57 km)
  5. Pleasant Hill, MO 39 mi (62 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: 38.2611, -94.405.