U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USW00093950 · Oklahoma

Frost Dates for McAlester, OK

NOAA weather station McAlester Regional Airport (USW00093950), Oklahoma · elevation 770 ft (235 m) · hardiness zone 7b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 18only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMarch 3150% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostNovember 350% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season216 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone7bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at McAlester, OKSpring: a frost after March 11 in 9 years out of 10, after March 31 in half of the years, after April 18 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 20 in 1 year out of 10, before November 3 in half of the years, before November 19 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 216 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Mar 31First frost ~Nov 3Frost season at McAlester, OKSpring: a frost after March 11 in 9 years out of 10, after March 31 in half of the years, after April 18 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 20 in 1 year out of 10, before November 3 in half of the years, before November 19 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 216 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Mar 31First frost ~Nov 3
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 18October 20
50% (typical)March 31November 3
90% (likely)March 11November 19
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
216 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 15
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 13

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 2 (2 days later than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 2 (1 day earlier). Frost-free season 213 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 McAlester: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 18, 20% April 11, 30% April 6, 40% April 3, 50% March 31, 60% March 27, 70% March 23, 80% March 17, 90% March 11. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 21, 2022 April 9, 2023 March 29, 2024 March 28, 2025 April 7, 2026 March 17.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Mar 1Apr 1May 1Apr 18Mar 31Mar 112021: April 212022: April 92023: March 292024: March 282025: April 72026: March 17Fall at McAlester: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 20, 20% October 25, 30% October 29, 40% November 1, 50% November 3, 60% November 6, 70% November 8, 80% November 13, 90% November 19. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 12, 2022 October 18, 2023 October 30, 2024 November 21, 2025 November 2.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Dec 1Oct 20Nov 3Nov 192021: November 122022: October 182023: October 302024: November 212025: 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
2021April 21November 12
2022April 9October 18
2023March 29October 30
2024March 28November 21
2025April 7November 2
2026March 17season not over yet

What these dates mean

April 18 is the cautious spring date, with only a 10 % chance of a light frost later; it lets a gardener plan to set out tender crops. Planting after this date keeps the risk of frost low enough for sensitive seedlings.

The 50% date in spring is March 31; at that point there is a 50 % chance of a light frost later. The 50% date in fall is November 3; at that point there is a 50 % chance of a light frost earlier. October 20 is the cautious fall date, with a 10 % chance of a light frost earlier; it allows a gardener to finish harvesting tender crops with minimal frost risk. A hard frost at 28 °F can damage plants more severely than a light frost at 32 °F.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after April 18" 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 20" 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 McAlester, OKNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Antlers, OK — 47 mi; 2 — Seminole, OK — 55 mi; 3 — Madill, OK — 78 mi; 4 — Meeker, OK — 80 mi; 5 — Paris, TX — 84 mi.OKAR50 mi · 80 km1. Antlers, OK — 47 mi12. Seminole, OK — 55 mi23. Madill, OK — 78 mi34. Meeker, OK — 80 mi45. Paris, TX — 84 mi5
  1. Antlers, OK 47 mi (75 km)
  2. Seminole, OK 55 mi (88 km)
  3. Madill, OK 78 mi (126 km)
  4. Meeker, OK 80 mi (129 km)
  5. Paris, TX 84 mi (136 km)

Sources

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

Station coordinates: 34.8822, -95.7831.