U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00226009 · Mississippi

Frost Dates for Moorhead, MS

NOAA weather station Moorhead (USC00226009), Mississippi · elevation 117 ft (36 m) · hardiness zone 8b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter March 27only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMarch 850% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostNovember 2050% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season255 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone8bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Moorhead, MSSpring: a frost after February 17 in 9 years out of 10, after March 8 in half of the years, after March 27 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before November 4 in 1 year out of 10, before November 20 in half of the years, before December 9 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 255 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Mar 8First frost ~Nov 20Frost season at Moorhead, MSSpring: a frost after February 17 in 9 years out of 10, after March 8 in half of the years, after March 27 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before November 4 in 1 year out of 10, before November 20 in half of the years, before December 9 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 255 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Mar 8First frost ~Nov 20
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 27 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)March 27November 4
50% (typical)March 8November 20
90% (likely)February 17December 9
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
255 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
February 25
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
December 3

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost March 7 (1 day earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 17 (3 days earlier). Frost-free season 255 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 Moorhead: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% March 27, 20% March 20, 30% March 15, 40% March 11, 50% March 8, 60% March 4, 70% February 28, 80% February 24, 90% February 17.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Mar 1Apr 1Mar 27Mar 8Feb 17Fall at Moorhead: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% November 4, 20% November 8, 30% November 12, 40% November 16, 50% November 20, 60% November 24, 70% November 28, 80% December 2, 90% December 9.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Dec 1Nov 4Nov 20Dec 9
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

Planting tender crops on February 17 in Moorhead carries a 90% chance of a light frost, making it a gamble. The cautious spring date for setting out tender crops is March 27, when only a 10% chance of a light frost remains, and the cautious fall date to finish harvesting tender crops is November 4, with a 10% chance that a light frost has arrived earlier.

The 50% date is March 8, indicating a 50% chance of a light frost later than that day, and the 50% date is November 20, indicating a 50% chance of a light frost earlier than that day. For hard frosts, the median dates are February 25 in spring and December 3 in fall; each marks a 50% chance of a 28 °F frost occurring later (spring) or earlier (fall).

A hard frost at 28 °F can damage plants that survive a light frost at 32 °F, so it is a more critical threshold.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after March 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 November 4" 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 Moorhead, MSNumbered nearest stations: 1 — near Greenwood, MS — 25 mi; 2 — Yazoo City, MS — 39 mi; 3 — Rohwer, AR — 51 mi; 4 — Dermott, AR — 51 mi; 5 — Winona, MS — 51 mi.MSAR25 mi · 40 km1. near Greenwood, MS — 25 mi12. Yazoo City, MS — 39 mi23. Rohwer, AR — 51 mi34. Dermott, AR — 51 mi45. Winona, MS — 51 mi5
  1. near Greenwood, MS 25 mi (40 km)
  2. Yazoo City, MS 39 mi (62 km)
  3. Rohwer, AR 51 mi (82 km)
  4. Dermott, AR 51 mi (82 km)
  5. Winona, MS 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: 33.4517, -90.5097.