U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00031132 · Arkansas

Frost Dates for Calico Rock, AR

NOAA weather station Calico Rock 2 WSW (USC00031132), Arkansas · elevation 350 ft (107 m) · hardiness zone 7b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 29only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 1450% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 2850% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season196 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone7bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Calico Rock, ARSpring: a frost after March 30 in 9 years out of 10, after April 14 in half of the years, after April 29 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 12 in 1 year out of 10, before October 28 in half of the years, before November 8 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 196 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 14First frost ~Oct 28Frost season at Calico Rock, ARSpring: a frost after March 30 in 9 years out of 10, after April 14 in half of the years, after April 29 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 12 in 1 year out of 10, before October 28 in half of the years, before November 8 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 196 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 14First frost ~Oct 28
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 28 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)April 29October 12
50% (typical)April 14October 28
90% (likely)March 30November 8
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
196 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 1
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 5

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 12 (2 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 29 (1 day later). Frost-free season 201 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 Calico Rock: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 29, 20% April 24, 30% April 20, 40% April 17, 50% April 14, 60% April 10, 70% April 7, 80% April 4, 90% March 30. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 23, 2022 March 13, 2023 April 25, 2024 April 23, 2025 March 23, 2026 March 29.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1Apr 29Apr 14Mar 302021: April 232022: March 132023: April 252024: April 232025: March 232026: March 29Fall at Calico Rock: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 12, 20% October 18, 30% October 21, 40% October 25, 50% October 28, 60% October 30, 70% November 1, 80% November 4, 90% November 8. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 19, 2023 October 31, 2024 October 16, 2025 November 2.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 12Oct 28Nov 82021: November 192023: October 312024: October 162025: November 2
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 19
2022March 13incomplete record
2023April 25October 31
2024April 23October 16
2025March 23November 2
2026March 29season not over yet

What these dates mean

The cautious fall date in Calico Rock for finishing the harvest is October 12, when there is only a 10 % chance that a light frost has already arrived. For tender crops in spring the cautious date is April 29, carrying a 10 % chance of a frost later than that day; planting on March 30 would involve a 90 % risk. The 50 % date is April 14, indicating an even odds of a frost later than this date.

The 50 % date in fall is October 28, meaning a 50 % chance of a frost earlier than this day, while the gamble date of November 8 carries a 90 % chance of frost earlier. The 50 % hard-frost dates are April 1 and November 5. A hard frost at 28 °F can damage or kill plants that would otherwise 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 29" 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 12" 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 Calico Rock, ARNumbered nearest stations: 1 — near Batesville, AR — 28 mi; 2 — Gilbert, AR — 32 mi; 3 — near Heber Springs, AR — 42 mi; 4 — Lead Hill, AR — 47 mi; 5 — Harrison, AR — 56 mi.ARMO25 mi · 40 km1. near Batesville, AR — 28 mi12. Gilbert, AR — 32 mi23. near Heber Springs, AR — 42 mi34. Lead Hill, AR — 47 mi45. Harrison, AR — 56 mi5
  1. near Batesville, AR 28 mi (45 km)
  2. Gilbert, AR 32 mi (51 km)
  3. near Heber Springs, AR 42 mi (67 km)
  4. Lead Hill, AR 47 mi (76 km)
  5. Harrison, AR 56 mi (91 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: 36.1092, -92.1636.