U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00402489 · Tennessee

Frost Dates for Dickson, TN

NOAA weather station Dickson (USC00402489), Tennessee · elevation 780 ft (238 m) · hardiness zone 7b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 30only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 1350% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 2550% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season195 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone7bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Dickson, TNSpring: a frost after March 27 in 9 years out of 10, after April 13 in half of the years, after April 30 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 12 in 1 year out of 10, before October 25 in half of the years, before November 6 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 195 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 13First frost ~Oct 25Frost season at Dickson, TNSpring: a frost after March 27 in 9 years out of 10, after April 13 in half of the years, after April 30 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 12 in 1 year out of 10, before October 25 in half of the years, before November 6 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 195 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 13First frost ~Oct 25
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 26 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)April 30October 12
50% (typical)April 13October 25
90% (likely)March 27November 6
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
195 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 31
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 3

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 10 (3 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 26 (1 day later). Frost-free season 200 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 Dickson: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 30, 20% April 24, 30% April 20, 40% April 16, 50% April 13, 60% April 9, 70% April 5, 80% April 1, 90% March 27. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 22, 2022 March 27, 2023 March 29, 2024 April 22, 2025 April 9, 2026 March 18.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1Apr 30Apr 13Mar 272021: April 222022: March 272023: March 292024: April 222025: April 92026: March 18Fall at Dickson: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 12, 20% October 18, 30% October 20, 40% October 22, 50% October 25, 60% October 27, 70% October 30, 80% November 2, 90% November 6. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 4, 2022 October 18, 2023 October 31, 2024 November 24, 2025 November 3.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Dec 1Oct 12Oct 25Nov 62021: November 42022: October 182023: October 312024: November 242025: November 3
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 4
2022March 27October 18
2023March 29October 31
2024April 22November 24
2025April 9November 3
2026March 18season not over yet

What these dates mean

Setting out tender crops on March 27 in Dickson carries a 90% chance of a light frost, so it is a gamble. The cautious spring date for tender crops is April 30, when the chance of a frost later than that date is only 10%.

For a gardener, the 50% date for light frost is April 13, indicating an even odds scenario for a frost later than this date, while the fall 50% date is October 25, indicating an even odds scenario for a frost earlier than this date. The hard-frost 50% dates are March 31 in spring and November 3 in fall; hard frost at 28°F can damage plants that survive a 32°F light frost, so it matters more. The interval between the light-frost 50% dates, April 13 and October 25, spans 195 days in the 26-year record. The cautious fall date to finish harvesting tender crops is October 12, when the chance of a frost earlier than that date is only 10%.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after April 30" 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 Dickson, TNNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Kingston Springs, TN — 16 mi; 2 — Clarksville, TN — 33 mi; 3 — Columbia, TN — 35 mi; 4 — Dover, TN — 38 mi; 5 — Nashville, TN — 40 mi.KY25 mi · 40 km1. Kingston Springs, TN — 16 mi12. Clarksville, TN — 33 mi23. Columbia, TN — 35 mi34. Dover, TN — 38 mi45. Nashville, TN — 40 mi5
  1. Kingston Springs, TN 16 mi (25 km)
  2. Clarksville, TN 33 mi (53 km)
  3. Columbia, TN 35 mi (56 km)
  4. Dover, TN 38 mi (62 km)
  5. Nashville, TN 40 mi (64 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: 36.075, -87.3958.