U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00233043 · Missouri

Frost Dates for Freedom, MO

NOAA weather station Freedom (USC00233043), Missouri · elevation 805 ft (245 m) · hardiness zone 6b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 30only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 1150% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 2150% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season191 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone6bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Freedom, MOSpring: a frost after March 28 in 9 years out of 10, after April 11 in half of the years, after April 30 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 6 in 1 year out of 10, before October 21 in half of the years, before November 4 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 191 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 11First frost ~Oct 21Frost season at Freedom, MOSpring: a frost after March 28 in 9 years out of 10, after April 11 in half of the years, after April 30 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 6 in 1 year out of 10, before October 21 in half of the years, before November 4 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 191 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 11First 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 29 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)April 30October 6
50% (typical)April 11October 21
90% (likely)March 28November 4
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
191 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 31
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 1

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 14 (3 days later than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 23 (2 days 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 Freedom: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 30, 20% April 25, 30% April 20, 40% April 15, 50% April 11, 60% April 8, 70% April 5, 80% April 1, 90% March 28. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 23, 2022 April 19, 2023 April 25, 2024 April 23, 2025 April 8, 2026 March 29.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1Apr 30Apr 11Mar 282021: April 232022: April 192023: April 252024: April 232025: April 82026: March 29Fall at Freedom: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 6, 20% October 12, 30% October 15, 40% October 18, 50% October 21, 60% October 25, 70% October 27, 80% October 30, 90% November 4. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 3, 2022 October 9, 2023 October 30, 2024 October 16, 2025 November 10.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 6Oct 21Nov 42021: November 32022: October 92023: October 302024: October 162025: 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
2021April 23November 3
2022April 19October 9
2023April 25October 30
2024April 23October 16
2025April 8November 10
2026March 29season not over yet

What these dates mean

April 30 is the cautious spring date in Freedom, Missouri, and it lets a gardener plan to set out tender crops with only a 10 % chance of a light frost later. The early spring gamble is March 28, which carries a 90 % chance of a light frost if crops are planted then.

The 50% date for light frost in spring is April 11, meaning a gardener faces an even chance of a light frost occurring later than that date; the median light-frost date for fall is October 21, with an even chance of a frost occurring earlier. The cautious fall date is October 6, offering a 10 % chance that a light frost has already arrived, while November 4 represents a 90 % chance of a frost if tender crops are kept out that late. Between the two 32 °F 50% dates there are 191 days.

Hard frost at 28 °F matters more because plants that survive a light frost at 32 °F can be damaged or killed by the colder temperature.

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 6" 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 Freedom, MONumbered nearest stations: 1 — Rosebud, MO — 18 mi; 2 — Vichy Rolla National Airport, MO — 23 mi; 3 — Jefferson City, MO — 27 mi; 4 — near Rolla, MO — 35 mi; 5 — Columbia, MO — 37 mi.IL25 mi · 40 km1. Rosebud, MO — 18 mi12. Vichy Rolla National Airport, MO — 23 mi23. Jefferson City, MO — 27 mi34. near Rolla, MO — 35 mi45. Columbia, MO — 37 mi5
  1. Rosebud, MO 18 mi (29 km)
  2. Vichy Rolla National Airport, MO 23 mi (37 km)
  3. Jefferson City, MO 27 mi (44 km)
  4. near Rolla, MO 35 mi (56 km)
  5. Columbia, MO 37 mi (60 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: 38.4583, -91.7028.