U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USW00003940 · Mississippi

Frost Dates for Jackson, MS

NOAA weather station Jackson International Airport (USW00003940), Mississippi · elevation 296 ft (90 m) · hardiness zone 8b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 2only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMarch 1450% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostNovember 1450% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season245 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone8bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Jackson, MSSpring: a frost after February 22 in 9 years out of 10, after March 14 in half of the years, after April 2 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 31 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: 245 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Mar 14First frost ~Nov 14Frost season at Jackson, MSSpring: a frost after February 22 in 9 years out of 10, after March 14 in half of the years, after April 2 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 31 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: 245 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Mar 14First 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)April 2October 31
50% (typical)March 14November 14
90% (likely)February 22December 4
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
245 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
February 28
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 28

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost March 11 (3 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 14. Frost-free season 249 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 Jackson: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 2, 20% March 27, 30% March 22, 40% March 17, 50% March 14, 60% March 10, 70% March 6, 80% February 28, 90% February 22. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 February 23, 2022 March 13, 2023 March 20, 2024 March 19, 2025 February 21, 2026 March 17.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Mar 1Apr 1Apr 2Mar 14Feb 222021: February 232022: March 132023: March 202024: March 192025: February 212026: March 17Fall at Jackson: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 31, 20% November 4, 30% November 7, 40% November 10, 50% November 14, 60% November 18, 70% November 22, 80% November 29, 90% December 4. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 14, 2022 October 19, 2023 November 1, 2024 November 29, 2025 November 10.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Dec 1Oct 31Nov 14Dec 42021: November 142022: October 192023: November 12024: November 292025: 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
2021February 23November 14
2022March 13October 19
2023March 20November 1
2024March 19November 29
2025February 21November 10
2026March 17season not over yet

What these dates mean

Setting out tender crops on February 22 in Jackson carries a 90% chance that a light frost will still occur later. The 50% date in spring is March 14, indicating a 50% chance of a frost later than that day, and the 50% date in fall is November 14, indicating a 50% chance of a frost earlier than that day. The hard-frost 50% dates are February 28 in spring and November 28 in fall.

A cautious spring plan would wait until the April 2 light-frost date, which has only a 10% chance of a later frost, and a cautious fall plan would aim to finish tender crops by October 31, when there is only a 10% chance that a frost has already arrived. Hard frost at 28°F can damage plants that survive a light frost at 32°F because the lower temperature causes more severe tissue injury.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after April 2" 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 31" 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 Jackson, MSNumbered nearest stations: 1 — D'Lo, MS — 27 mi; 2 — Hazlehurst, MS — 40 mi; 3 — Yazoo City, MS — 44 mi; 4 — near Brookhaven, MS — 58 mi; 5 — Philadelphia, MS — 63 mi.MSLAAL25 mi · 40 km1. D'Lo, MS — 27 mi12. Hazlehurst, MS — 40 mi23. Yazoo City, MS — 44 mi34. near Brookhaven, MS — 58 mi45. Philadelphia, MS — 63 mi5
  1. D'Lo, MS 27 mi (43 km)
  2. Hazlehurst, MS 40 mi (65 km)
  3. Yazoo City, MS 44 mi (71 km)
  4. near Brookhaven, MS 58 mi (93 km)
  5. Philadelphia, MS 63 mi (102 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: 32.3197, -90.0778.