U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00223887 · Mississippi

Frost Dates for Hattiesburg, MS

NOAA weather station Hattiesburg 5 SW (USC00223887), Mississippi · elevation 385 ft (117 m) · hardiness zone 8b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter March 26only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMarch 750% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostNovember 2350% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season261 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone8bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Hattiesburg, MSSpring: a frost after February 14 in 9 years out of 10, after March 7 in half of the years, after March 26 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before November 5 in 1 year out of 10, before November 23 in half of the years, before December 14 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 261 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Mar 7First frost ~Nov 23Frost season at Hattiesburg, MSSpring: a frost after February 14 in 9 years out of 10, after March 7 in half of the years, after March 26 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before November 5 in 1 year out of 10, before November 23 in half of the years, before December 14 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 261 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Mar 7First frost ~Nov 23
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 27 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)March 26November 5
50% (typical)March 7November 23
90% (likely)February 14December 14
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
261 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
February 20
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
December 4

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost March 6 (1 day earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 21 (2 days earlier). Frost-free season 260 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 Hattiesburg: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% March 26, 20% March 20, 30% March 15, 40% March 11, 50% March 7, 60% March 2, 70% February 27, 80% February 22, 90% February 14. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 February 21, 2022 March 13.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Feb 1Mar 1Apr 1Mar 26Mar 7Feb 142021: February 212022: March 13Fall at Hattiesburg: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% November 5, 20% November 10, 30% November 15, 40% November 19, 50% November 23, 60% November 27, 70% December 1, 80% December 5, 90% December 14. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 27, 2022 November 13, 2023 November 2.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Dec 1Nov 5Nov 23Dec 142021: November 272022: November 132023: 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
2021February 21November 27
2022March 13November 13
2023incomplete recordNovember 2
2024incomplete recordincomplete record
2025incomplete recordno data
2026no dataseason not over yet

What these dates mean

The cautious fall date in Hattiesburg for finishing the harvest is November 5, when there is a 10% chance that a light frost has arrived earlier.

For spring planting of tender crops the cautious date is March 26, with only a 10% chance of a light frost later than that day. The 50% date is March 7, representing an even chance of frost, and the hard-frost 50% date is February 20. In the fall the 50% light-frost date is November 23, also an even chance, and the hard-frost 50% date is December 4. The two 32°F 50% dates are March 7 and November 23, giving a frost-free interval of 261 days across the 27-year record.

A hard frost at 28 °F can damage or kill plants that would usually survive a 32 °F light frost, so it poses a greater risk to tender crops.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after March 26" 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 5" 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 Hattiesburg, MSNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Beaumont Expstation, MS — 25 mi; 2 — Columbia, MS — 29 mi; 3 — Poplarville, MS — 31 mi; 4 — Laurel, MS — 32 mi; 5 — D'Lo, MS — 60 mi.MSALLA25 mi · 40 km1. Beaumont Expstation, MS — 25 mi12. Columbia, MS — 29 mi23. Poplarville, MS — 31 mi34. Laurel, MS — 32 mi45. D'Lo, MS — 60 mi5
  1. Beaumont Expstation, MS 25 mi (40 km)
  2. Columbia, MS 29 mi (47 km)
  3. Poplarville, MS 31 mi (50 km)
  4. Laurel, MS 32 mi (51 km)
  5. D'Lo, MS 60 mi (96 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: 31.2547, -89.3392.