U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USW00023007 · Texas

Frost Dates for Childress, TX

NOAA weather station Childress Municipal Airport (USW00023007), Texas · elevation 1951 ft (595 m) · hardiness zone 7b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 15only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMarch 3150% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostNovember 750% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season222 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone7bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Childress, TXSpring: a frost after March 10 in 9 years out of 10, after March 31 in half of the years, after April 15 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 22 in 1 year out of 10, before November 7 in half of the years, before November 22 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 222 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Mar 31First frost ~Nov 7Frost season at Childress, TXSpring: a frost after March 10 in 9 years out of 10, after March 31 in half of the years, after April 15 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 22 in 1 year out of 10, before November 7 in half of the years, before November 22 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 222 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Mar 31First frost ~Nov 7
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)April 15October 22
50% (typical)March 31November 7
90% (likely)March 10November 22
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
222 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 15
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 18

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost March 27 (4 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 7. Frost-free season 225 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 Childress: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 15, 20% April 9, 30% April 5, 40% April 2, 50% March 31, 60% March 27, 70% March 22, 80% March 17, 90% March 10. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 March 19, 2022 March 24, 2023 April 7, 2024 March 28, 2025 April 5, 2026 March 17.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Mar 1Apr 1Apr 15Mar 31Mar 102021: March 192022: March 242023: April 72024: March 282025: April 52026: March 17Fall at Childress: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 22, 20% October 28, 30% November 1, 40% November 5, 50% November 7, 60% November 10, 70% November 13, 80% November 16, 90% November 22. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 18, 2022 November 11, 2023 October 30, 2024 November 20, 2025 November 10.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Dec 1Oct 22Nov 7Nov 222021: November 182022: November 112023: October 302024: November 202025: 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
2021March 19November 18
2022March 24November 11
2023April 7October 30
2024March 28November 20
2025April 5November 10
2026March 17season not over yet

What these dates mean

Setting out tender crops on March 10 in Childress carries a 90% chance of a light frost and is therefore a gamble for gardeners.

The 50% dates mark the point where a light frost is equally likely to have occurred or not. In spring the median date is March 31, and in fall the median date is November 7. These dates are not frost dates themselves but give gardeners a reference for the balance of risk.

A cautious planting schedule uses the April 15 date for starting tender crops in spring and the October 22 date for wrapping up tender crops in fall, each with only a 10% chance of a light frost before or after them. The hard-frost 50% dates are March 15 and November 18, and a hard frost matters more than a light frost because temperatures at 28 °F can cause more severe damage to plant tissue.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after April 15" 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 22" 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 Childress, TXNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Memphis, TX — 25 mi; 2 — Wellington, TX — 29 mi; 3 — Turkey, TX — 35 mi; 4 — near Shamrock, TX — 54 mi; 5 — Silverton, TX — 58 mi.TXOK25 mi · 40 km1. Memphis, TX — 25 mi12. Wellington, TX — 29 mi23. Turkey, TX — 35 mi34. near Shamrock, TX — 54 mi45. Silverton, TX — 58 mi5
  1. Memphis, TX 25 mi (41 km)
  2. Wellington, TX 29 mi (47 km)
  3. Turkey, TX 35 mi (56 km)
  4. near Shamrock, TX 54 mi (88 km)
  5. Silverton, TX 58 mi (93 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: 34.4272, -100.2831.