U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00234825 · Missouri

Frost Dates for Lebanon, MO

NOAA weather station Lebanon 2 W (USC00234825), Missouri · elevation 1246 ft (380 m) · hardiness zone 7a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 2only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 1750% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 2150% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season187 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone7acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Lebanon, MOSpring: a frost after March 31 in 9 years out of 10, after April 17 in half of the years, after May 2 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 7 in 1 year out of 10, before October 21 in half of the years, before November 3 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 187 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 17First frost ~Oct 21Frost season at Lebanon, MOSpring: a frost after March 31 in 9 years out of 10, after April 17 in half of the years, after May 2 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 7 in 1 year out of 10, before October 21 in half of the years, before November 3 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 187 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 17First 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.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)May 2October 7
50% (typical)April 17October 21
90% (likely)March 31November 3
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
187 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 4
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 30

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 12 (5 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 22 (1 day later). Frost-free season 191 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 Lebanon: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 2, 20% April 28, 30% April 24, 40% April 20, 50% April 17, 60% April 13, 70% April 9, 80% April 5, 90% March 31. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 22, 2022 April 9, 2023 April 24, 2024 March 29.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 2Apr 17Mar 312021: April 222022: April 92023: April 242024: March 29Fall at Lebanon: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 7, 20% October 12, 30% October 16, 40% October 19, 50% October 21, 60% October 24, 70% October 27, 80% October 30, 90% November 3. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 4, 2022 October 18, 2023 October 30, 2024 October 16.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 7Oct 21Nov 32021: November 42022: October 182023: October 302024: October 16
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
2022April 9October 18
2023April 24October 30
2024March 29October 16
2025incomplete recordincomplete record
2026incomplete recordseason not over yet

What these dates mean

Setting out tender crops on the early spring date, March 31, is a gamble in Lebanon because a frost still occurs later that day about 90% of the time. Gardeners following a cautious approach wait until May 2, when there is only a 10% chance that a light frost will arrive later in the season.

The 50% date is April 17, indicating an even chance of a light frost later in the spring, while the 50% date is October 21, indicating an even chance of a light frost earlier in the fall. For a cautious fall schedule, tender crops are finished by October 7, which carries only a 10% chance that a light frost has already arrived.

Hard frost, defined at 28°F, is more damaging than a light frost, and the 50% hard-frost dates of April 4 and October 30 mark the points where a hard frost is equally likely to have occurred or not.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 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 7" 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 Lebanon, MONumbered nearest stations: 1 — Waynesville, MO — 27 mi; 2 — Marshfield, MO — 30 mi; 3 — Bolivar, MO — 38 mi; 4 — Mansfield, MO — 40 mi; 5 — Mountain Grove, MO — 44 mi.MO25 mi · 40 km1. Waynesville, MO — 27 mi12. Marshfield, MO — 30 mi23. Bolivar, MO — 38 mi34. Mansfield, MO — 40 mi45. Mountain Grove, MO — 44 mi5
  1. Waynesville, MO 27 mi (43 km)
  2. Marshfield, MO 30 mi (48 km)
  3. Bolivar, MO 38 mi (62 km)
  4. Mansfield, MO 40 mi (65 km)
  5. Mountain Grove, MO 44 mi (70 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 7a: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 37.685, -92.6939.