U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00235671 · Missouri

Frost Dates for Moberly, MO

NOAA weather station Moberly (USC00235671), Missouri · elevation 860 ft (262 m) · hardiness zone 6b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 27only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 1350% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 2550% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season195 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone6bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Moberly, MOSpring: a frost after March 31 in 9 years out of 10, after April 13 in half of the years, after April 27 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 12 in 1 year out of 10, before October 25 in half of the years, before November 6 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 195 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 13First frost ~Oct 25Frost season at Moberly, MOSpring: a frost after March 31 in 9 years out of 10, after April 13 in half of the years, after April 27 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 12 in 1 year out of 10, before October 25 in half of the years, before November 6 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 195 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 13First frost ~Oct 25
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 27October 12
50% (typical)April 13October 25
90% (likely)March 31November 6
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
195 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 3
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 2

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 11 (2 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 26 (1 day later). Frost-free season 196 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 Moberly: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 27, 20% April 23, 30% April 19, 40% April 16, 50% April 13, 60% April 10, 70% April 7, 80% April 4, 90% March 31.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1Apr 27Apr 13Mar 31Fall at Moberly: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 12, 20% October 17, 30% October 21, 40% October 23, 50% October 25, 60% October 28, 70% October 30, 80% November 1, 90% November 6.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 12Oct 25Nov 6
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.

What these dates mean

April 27 is the cautious spring date for tender crops in Moberly, carrying only a 10 % chance that a light frost will occur later, so a gardener can set out delicate seedlings with relatively low risk.

The 50 % dates—April 13 in spring and October 25 in fall—mark the point at which a light frost is equally likely to have happened or not; they provide a neutral reference for timing. The hard-frost 50 % dates are April 3 and November 2, and a hard frost at 28 °F can injure plants that would survive a light frost at 32 °F.

For the autumn season, October 12 is the cautious date, giving only a 10 % chance that a light frost has already arrived and signalling when to finish harvesting tender crops.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after April 27" 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 12" 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 Moberly, MONumbered nearest stations: 1 — Salisbury, MO — 20 mi; 2 — near Macon, MO — 23 mi; 3 — Shelbina, MO — 28 mi; 4 — New Franklin, MO — 33 mi; 5 — Columbia, MO — 43 mi.MOIL25 mi · 40 km1. Salisbury, MO — 20 mi12. near Macon, MO — 23 mi23. Shelbina, MO — 28 mi34. New Franklin, MO — 33 mi45. Columbia, MO — 43 mi5
  1. Salisbury, MO 20 mi (32 km)
  2. near Macon, MO 23 mi (37 km)
  3. Shelbina, MO 28 mi (44 km)
  4. New Franklin, MO 33 mi (52 km)
  5. Columbia, MO 43 mi (70 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 6b: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 39.4194, -92.4369.