U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USW00023023 · Texas

Frost Dates near Midland, TX

NOAA weather station Midland Odessa (USW00023023), Texas · elevation 2868 ft (874 m) · hardiness zone 8a*

Midland is the nearest town to the station (7.5 mi away) in GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). The dates below are measured at the station, not in the town itself.

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 8only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMarch 1850% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostNovember 1450% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season239 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone8acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season near Midland, TXSpring: a frost after February 28 in 9 years out of 10, after March 18 in half of the years, after April 8 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before November 1 in 1 year out of 10, before November 14 in half of the years, before November 30 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 239 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Mar 18First frost ~Nov 14Frost season near Midland, TXSpring: a frost after February 28 in 9 years out of 10, after March 18 in half of the years, after April 8 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before November 1 in 1 year out of 10, before November 14 in half of the years, before November 30 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 239 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Mar 18First 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.

Frost dates (32°F)

Probability of frost, based on 26 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)April 8November 1
50% (typical)March 18November 14
90% (likely)February 28November 30
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
239 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 4
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 24

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost March 18 (same as the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 10 (4 days earlier). Frost-free season 237 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 near Midland: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 8, 20% April 2, 30% March 29, 40% March 24, 50% March 18, 60% March 13, 70% March 9, 80% March 5, 90% February 28. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 March 23, 2022 March 24, 2023 March 19, 2024 March 10, 2025 March 20, 2026 March 17.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Mar 1Apr 1Apr 8Mar 18Feb 282021: March 232022: March 242023: March 192024: March 102025: March 202026: March 17Fall near Midland: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% November 1, 20% November 5, 30% November 8, 40% November 11, 50% November 14, 60% November 17, 70% November 20, 80% November 24, 90% November 30. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 22, 2022 November 12, 2023 October 30, 2024 November 29, 2025 November 30.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Dec 1Nov 1Nov 14Nov 302021: November 222022: November 122023: October 302024: November 292025: November 30
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
2021March 23November 22
2022March 24November 12
2023March 19October 30
2024March 10November 29
2025March 20November 30
2026March 17season not over yet

What these dates mean

November 1 is the cautious fall date in the Midland area for finishing the harvest, carrying only a 10 % chance that a light frost has arrived earlier.

For tender crops the cautious spring date is April 8, when there is a 10 % chance of a light frost later in the season; planting before February 28 would be a gamble with a 90 % chance of frost. The 50 % date is March 18, indicating an even chance of a light frost occurring after this point. In autumn the 50 % date is November 14, marking equal odds of a light frost earlier. The season’s frost-free length, based on the two 32 °F 50 % dates, spans 239 days.

A hard frost at 28 °F can damage plants that survive a light frost at 32 °F, so the 50 % hard-frost dates—March 4 in spring and November 24 in fall—are important reference points for gardeners.

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 November 1" 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 Midland, TXNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Lamesa, TX — 56 mi; 2 — McCamey, TX — 56 mi; 3 — near Wink, TX — 60 mi; 4 — near Brownfield, TX — 86 mi; 5 — Water Valley, TX — 88 mi.TXNM50 mi · 80 km1. Lamesa, TX — 56 mi12. McCamey, TX — 56 mi23. near Wink, TX — 60 mi34. near Brownfield, TX — 86 mi45. Water Valley, TX — 88 mi5
  1. Lamesa, TX 56 mi (90 km)
  2. McCamey, TX 56 mi (90 km)
  3. near Wink, TX 60 mi (97 km)
  4. near Brownfield, TX 86 mi (139 km)
  5. Water Valley, TX 88 mi (141 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: 31.9433, -102.1889.