U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00092266 · Georgia

Frost Dates for Cordele, GA

NOAA weather station Cordele (USC00092266), Georgia · elevation 308 ft (94 m) · hardiness zone 8b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter March 31only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMarch 1350% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostNovember 1450% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season248 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone8bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Cordele, GASpring: a frost after February 20 in 9 years out of 10, after March 13 in half of the years, after March 31 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before November 1 in 1 year out of 10, before November 14 in half of the years, before December 4 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 248 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Mar 13First frost ~Nov 14Frost season at Cordele, GASpring: a frost after February 20 in 9 years out of 10, after March 13 in half of the years, after March 31 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before November 1 in 1 year out of 10, before November 14 in half of the years, before December 4 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 248 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Mar 13First frost ~Nov 14
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 30 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)March 31November 1
50% (typical)March 13November 14
90% (likely)February 20December 4
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
248 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
February 26
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 29

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost March 8 (5 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 15 (1 day later). Frost-free season 253 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 Cordele: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% March 31, 20% March 25, 30% March 20, 40% March 16, 50% March 13, 60% March 9, 70% March 3, 80% February 28, 90% February 20. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 3, 2022 March 14, 2023 March 21, 2024 February 20, 2025 February 27, 2026 March 18.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Mar 1Apr 1Mar 31Mar 13Feb 202021: April 32022: March 142023: March 212024: February 202025: February 272026: March 18Fall at Cordele: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% November 1, 20% November 5, 30% November 7, 40% November 11, 50% November 14, 60% November 18, 70% November 22, 80% November 27, 90% December 4. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 24, 2022 October 20, 2023 November 2, 2024 November 30, 2025 November 11.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Dec 1Nov 1Nov 14Dec 42021: November 242022: October 202023: November 22024: November 302025: November 11
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 3November 24
2022March 14October 20
2023March 21November 2
2024February 20November 30
2025February 27November 11
2026March 18season not over yet

What these dates mean

The 248 days between the 32°F 50% dates in Cordele frame the core growing window. The 50% date in spring is March 13, marking the point at which a light frost has an even chance of occurring later; the 50% date in fall is November 14, marking the point at which a light frost has an even chance of occurring earlier. Gardeners can use these median dates to understand that frost risk is balanced around them.

To minimize risk, the cautious spring date is March 31, which carries a 10% chance of a light frost later, while the cautious fall date is November 1, which carries a 10% chance of a light frost earlier. The earlier spring date of February 20 and the later fall date of December 4 each carry a 90% chance and are therefore gambles. The hard-frost 50% dates are February 26 and November 29, and a hard frost at 28°F can damage plants more severely than 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 March 31" 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 November 1" 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 Cordele, GANumbered nearest stations: 1 — Albany, GA — 38 mi; 2 — Tifton, GA — 41 mi; 3 — Camilla, GA — 60 mi; 4 — Cuthbert, GA — 62 mi; 5 — near Columbus, GA — 77 mi.GAAL25 mi · 40 km1. Albany, GA — 38 mi12. Tifton, GA — 41 mi23. Camilla, GA — 60 mi34. Cuthbert, GA — 62 mi45. near Columbus, GA — 77 mi5
  1. Albany, GA 38 mi (61 km)
  2. Tifton, GA 41 mi (66 km)
  3. Camilla, GA 60 mi (97 km)
  4. Cuthbert, GA 62 mi (99 km)
  5. near Columbus, GA 77 mi (125 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 8b: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 31.985, -83.7747.