U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00034756 · Arkansas

Frost Dates for Mena, AR

NOAA weather station Mena (USC00034756), Arkansas · elevation 1152 ft (351 m) · hardiness zone 8a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 24only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 550% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostNovember 150% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season208 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone8acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Mena, ARSpring: a frost after March 15 in 9 years out of 10, after April 5 in half of the years, after April 24 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 18 in 1 year out of 10, before November 1 in half of the years, before November 16 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 208 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 5First frost ~Nov 1Frost season at Mena, ARSpring: a frost after March 15 in 9 years out of 10, after April 5 in half of the years, after April 24 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 18 in 1 year out of 10, before November 1 in half of the years, before November 16 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 208 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 5First frost ~Nov 1
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 28 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)April 24October 18
50% (typical)April 5November 1
90% (likely)March 15November 16
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
208 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 22
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 10

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 5 (same as the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 1. Frost-free season 210 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 Mena: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 24, 20% April 18, 30% April 12, 40% April 8, 50% April 5, 60% April 1, 70% March 29, 80% March 24, 90% March 15. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 22, 2022 April 10, 2023 March 21, 2024 March 28, 2025 March 22, 2026 March 18.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Mar 1Apr 1May 1Apr 24Apr 5Mar 152021: April 222022: April 102023: March 212024: March 282025: March 222026: March 18Fall at Mena: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 18, 20% October 22, 30% October 26, 40% October 29, 50% November 1, 60% November 3, 70% November 5, 80% November 9, 90% November 16. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 4, 2022 October 19, 2023 October 31, 2024 November 21, 2025 November 2.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Oct 18Nov 1Nov 162021: November 42022: October 192023: October 312024: 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 22November 4
2022April 10October 19
2023March 21October 31
2024March 28November 21
2025March 22November 2
2026March 18season not over yet

What these dates mean

October 18 marks the cautious fall date for finishing the harvest of tender crops in Mena, Arkansas; only a 10 % chance exists that a light frost has arrived earlier. In spring the cautious date for setting out tender crops is April 24, when the risk of a light frost later than that date is just 10 %.

The 50% date for light frost in spring is April 5; there is a 50 % chance of a frost later than this date. The 50% date for light frost in fall is November 1; there is a 50 % chance of a frost earlier than this date. The hard-frost 50% dates are March 22 in spring and November 10 in fall, and 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 24" 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 18" 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 Mena, ARNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Dequeen, AR — 38 mi; 2 — Blue Mountain Dam, AR — 51 mi; 3 — Fort Smith, AR — 51 mi; 4 — Subiaco, AR — 61 mi; 5 — Ozark, AR — 68 mi.AROK25 mi · 40 km1. Dequeen, AR — 38 mi12. Blue Mountain Dam, AR — 51 mi23. Fort Smith, AR — 51 mi34. Subiaco, AR — 61 mi45. Ozark, AR — 68 mi5
  1. Dequeen, AR 38 mi (62 km)
  2. Blue Mountain Dam, AR 51 mi (82 km)
  3. Fort Smith, AR 51 mi (82 km)
  4. Subiaco, AR 61 mi (98 km)
  5. Ozark, AR 68 mi (109 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 8a: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 34.5978, -94.29.