U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00414182 · Texas

Frost Dates for Hillsboro, TX

NOAA weather station Hillsboro (USC00414182), Texas · elevation 550 ft (168 m) · hardiness zone 8b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 8only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMarch 2150% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostNovember 1050% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season235 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone8bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Hillsboro, TXSpring: a frost after March 2 in 9 years out of 10, after March 21 in half of the years, after April 8 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 28 in 1 year out of 10, before November 10 in half of the years, before November 29 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 235 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Mar 21First frost ~Nov 10Frost season at Hillsboro, TXSpring: a frost after March 2 in 9 years out of 10, after March 21 in half of the years, after April 8 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 28 in 1 year out of 10, before November 10 in half of the years, before November 29 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 235 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Mar 21First frost ~Nov 10
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 27 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)April 8October 28
50% (typical)March 21November 10
90% (likely)March 2November 29
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
235 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 9
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 22

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost March 14 (7 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 15 (5 days later). Frost-free season 245 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 Hillsboro: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 8, 20% April 2, 30% March 30, 40% March 25, 50% March 21, 60% March 17, 70% March 12, 80% March 8, 90% March 2. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 February 21, 2022 March 13, 2023 March 19, 2024 February 19, 2025 April 6, 2026 March 18.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Mar 1Apr 1Apr 8Mar 21Mar 22021: February 212022: March 132023: March 192024: February 192025: April 62026: March 18Fall at Hillsboro: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 28, 20% November 1, 30% November 4, 40% November 7, 50% November 10, 60% November 14, 70% November 18, 80% November 22, 90% November 29. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 December 7, 2022 November 13, 2023 November 1, 2024 November 26, 2025 November 11.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Dec 1Oct 28Nov 10Nov 292021: December 72022: November 132023: November 12024: November 262025: 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
2021February 21December 7
2022March 13November 13
2023March 19November 1
2024February 19November 26
2025April 6November 11
2026March 18season not over yet

What these dates mean

The 235 days between the 50% dates in Hillsboro frame the period in which light frosts are equally probable. The 50% date for light frost in spring is March 21, a 50% chance of a frost later than this date, and the 50% date for light frost in fall is November 10, a 50% chance of a frost earlier than this date.

For a cautious planting plan, tender crops are best set out after the April 8 light-frost date, which carries only a 10% chance of a later frost, and harvested before the October 28 light-frost date, which carries only a 10% chance of an earlier frost. The hard-frost 50% dates are March 9 and November 22.

A hard frost at 28 °F can damage plants more severely than a light frost at 32 °F, so its timing is a crucial risk factor.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after April 8" 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 28" 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 Hillsboro, TXNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Cleburne, TX — 27 mi; 2 — Burleson, TX — 37 mi; 3 — Corsicana, TX — 37 mi; 4 — near Fort Worth, TX — 57 mi; 5 — Dallas (Love Field), TX — 60 mi.TX25 mi · 40 km1. Cleburne, TX — 27 mi12. Burleson, TX — 37 mi23. Corsicana, TX — 37 mi34. near Fort Worth, TX — 57 mi45. Dallas (Love Field), TX — 60 mi5
  1. Cleburne, TX 27 mi (43 km)
  2. Burleson, TX 37 mi (59 km)
  3. Corsicana, TX 37 mi (60 km)
  4. near Fort Worth, TX 57 mi (92 km)
  5. Dallas (Love Field), TX 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: 32.0161, -97.1094.