U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00231711 · Missouri

Frost Dates for Clinton, MO

NOAA weather station Clinton (USC00231711), Missouri · elevation 770 ft (235 m) · hardiness zone 6b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 2only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 1750% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 2150% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season187 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone6bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Clinton, MOSpring: a frost after March 31 in 9 years out of 10, after April 17 in half of the years, after May 2 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 7 in 1 year out of 10, before October 21 in half of the years, before November 1 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 187 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 17First frost ~Oct 21Frost season at Clinton, MOSpring: a frost after March 31 in 9 years out of 10, after April 17 in half of the years, after May 2 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 7 in 1 year out of 10, before October 21 in half of the years, before November 1 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 187 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 17First frost ~Oct 21
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 26 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 2October 7
50% (typical)April 17October 21
90% (likely)March 31November 1
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
187 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 5
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 31

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 14 (3 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 22 (1 day later). Frost-free season 190 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 Clinton: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 2, 20% April 28, 30% April 23, 40% April 19, 50% April 17, 60% April 13, 70% April 9, 80% April 4, 90% March 31. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 22.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 2Apr 17Mar 312021: April 22Fall at Clinton: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 7, 20% October 12, 30% October 16, 40% October 19, 50% October 21, 60% October 24, 70% October 26, 80% October 29, 90% November 1. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 2.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 7Oct 21Nov 12021: 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 22November 2
2022incomplete recordincomplete record
2023incomplete recordincomplete record
2024incomplete recordincomplete record
2025incomplete recordincomplete record
2026incomplete recordseason not over yet

What these dates mean

The 187 days between the 50% dates in Clinton — April 17 and October 21 — frame the span in which a light frost (32 °F) is equally likely to have happened or not, giving gardeners a clear central window for planning. These median dates are not frost dates themselves; they simply mark the point of even odds within the seasonal risk.

For a cautious spring schedule, the tender-crop date is May 2, when there is only a 10 % chance of a light frost later. In fall, the comparable cautious date is October 7, with a 10 % chance of a light frost earlier. A hard frost at 28 °F, whose 50% dates are April 5 and October 31, can injure plants that would otherwise survive a light frost, making it the more damaging temperature threshold.

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 7" 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 Clinton, MONumbered nearest stations: 1 — Appleton City, MO — 20 mi; 2 — Sedalia, MO — 35 mi; 3 — Butler, MO — 36 mi; 4 — Elm, MO — 36 mi; 5 — Pleasant Hill, MO — 39 mi.MOKS25 mi · 40 km1. Appleton City, MO — 20 mi12. Sedalia, MO — 35 mi23. Butler, MO — 36 mi34. Elm, MO — 36 mi45. Pleasant Hill, MO — 39 mi5
  1. Appleton City, MO 20 mi (32 km)
  2. Sedalia, MO 35 mi (57 km)
  3. Butler, MO 36 mi (57 km)
  4. Elm, MO 36 mi (57 km)
  5. Pleasant Hill, MO 39 mi (63 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: 38.395, -93.7711.