U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00166244 · Louisiana

Frost Dates for Minden, LA

NOAA weather station Minden (USC00166244), Louisiana · elevation 185 ft (56 m) · hardiness zone 8b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 6only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMarch 1750% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostNovember 1450% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season241 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone8bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Minden, LASpring: a frost after February 26 in 9 years out of 10, after March 17 in half of the years, after April 6 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 28 in 1 year out of 10, before November 14 in half of the years, before December 3 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 241 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Mar 17First frost ~Nov 14Frost season at Minden, LASpring: a frost after February 26 in 9 years out of 10, after March 17 in half of the years, after April 6 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 28 in 1 year out of 10, before November 14 in half of the years, before December 3 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 241 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Mar 17First 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 6October 28
50% (typical)March 17November 14
90% (likely)February 26December 3
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
241 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 1
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 27

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost March 13 (4 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 13 (1 day earlier). Frost-free season 244 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 Minden: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 6, 20% April 1, 30% March 27, 40% March 22, 50% March 17, 60% March 13, 70% March 8, 80% March 3, 90% February 26. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 March 4.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Mar 1Apr 1Apr 6Mar 17Feb 262021: March 4Fall at Minden: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 28, 20% November 2, 30% November 6, 40% November 10, 50% November 14, 60% November 18, 70% November 22, 80% November 29, 90% December 3.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Dec 1Oct 28Nov 14Dec 3
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 4incomplete record
2022incomplete recordno data
2023no datano data
2024no datano data
2025no datano data
2026no dataseason not over yet

What these dates mean

The 241 days between the 50% dates in Minden frame the central growing window for gardeners. The 50% date is March 17 and the 50% date is November 14; each marks the point at which a light frost has a 50% chance of occurring. The 50% hard-frost dates are March 1 and November 27. A cautious spring plan would wait until April 6, which carries a 10% chance of a frost later, while a cautious fall plan would finish tender crops by October 28, which carries a 10% chance of a frost earlier. Hard frost at 28 °F can injure or kill plants that often survive a light frost at 32 °F. The climate record covers 26 years, providing the basis for these probabilities.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after April 6" 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 28" 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 Minden, LANumbered nearest stations: 1 — Homer, LA — 20 mi; 2 — near Bossier City, LA — 24 mi; 3 — Bienville, LA — 26 mi; 4 — Shreveport, LA — 34 mi; 5 — near El Dorado, AR — 51 mi.TX25 mi · 40 km1. Homer, LA — 20 mi12. near Bossier City, LA — 24 mi23. Bienville, LA — 26 mi34. Shreveport, LA — 34 mi45. near El Dorado, AR — 51 mi5
  1. Homer, LA 20 mi (31 km)
  2. near Bossier City, LA 24 mi (38 km)
  3. Bienville, LA 26 mi (42 km)
  4. Shreveport, LA 34 mi (54 km)
  5. near El Dorado, AR 51 mi (82 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: 32.6053, -93.2947.