U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00035186 · Arkansas

Frost Dates for Newport, AR

NOAA weather station Newport (USC00035186), Arkansas · elevation 228 ft (70 m) · hardiness zone 8a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 4only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMarch 1850% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostNovember 1150% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season240 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone8acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Newport, ARSpring: a frost after February 28 in 9 years out of 10, after March 18 in half of the years, after April 4 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 31 in 1 year out of 10, before November 11 in half of the years, before December 1 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 240 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Mar 18First frost ~Nov 11Frost season at Newport, ARSpring: a frost after February 28 in 9 years out of 10, after March 18 in half of the years, after April 4 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 31 in 1 year out of 10, before November 11 in half of the years, before December 1 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 240 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Mar 18First frost ~Nov 11
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 29 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)April 4October 31
50% (typical)March 18November 11
90% (likely)February 28December 1
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
240 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 6
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 25

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost March 15 (3 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 10 (1 day earlier). Frost-free season 241 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 Newport: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 4, 20% March 31, 30% March 25, 40% March 21, 50% March 18, 60% March 14, 70% March 10, 80% March 5, 90% February 28. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 2, 2022 March 14, 2023 March 21, 2024 March 20, 2025 March 2.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Mar 1Apr 1Apr 4Mar 18Feb 282021: April 22022: March 142023: March 212024: March 202025: March 2Fall at Newport: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 31, 20% November 3, 30% November 5, 40% November 8, 50% November 11, 60% November 14, 70% November 19, 80% November 24, 90% December 1. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 4, 2022 October 19, 2023 October 31, 2024 November 29.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Dec 1Oct 31Nov 11Dec 12021: November 42022: October 192023: October 312024: November 29
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 2November 4
2022March 14October 19
2023March 21October 31
2024March 20November 29
2025March 2incomplete record
2026incomplete recordseason not over yet

What these dates mean

The 240 days between the 50% light-frost dates in Newport – the median March 18 and the median November 11 – define the central window in which a gardener can expect even odds on a frost occurring.

For a cautious plan, the spring date to set out tender crops is April 4, which carries only a 10 % chance of a frost later, while the fall date to finish harvesting tender crops is October 31, which carries only a 10 % chance of a frost earlier. Planting on February 28 or counting on crops through December 1 represents a 90 % chance of frost and is therefore a gamble.

Hard frosts at 28 °F, with median dates of March 6 and November 25, are more damaging than light frosts at 32 °F because the lower temperature can injure plants that survive the milder frost.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after April 4" 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 31" 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 Newport, ARNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Beedeville, AR — 16 mi; 2 — near Batesville, AR — 33 mi; 3 — Searcy, AR — 34 mi; 4 — Jonesboro, AR — 38 mi; 5 — near Heber Springs, AR — 41 mi.25 mi · 40 km1. Beedeville, AR — 16 mi12. near Batesville, AR — 33 mi23. Searcy, AR — 34 mi34. Jonesboro, AR — 38 mi45. near Heber Springs, AR — 41 mi5
  1. Beedeville, AR 16 mi (25 km)
  2. near Batesville, AR 33 mi (53 km)
  3. Searcy, AR 34 mi (55 km)
  4. Jonesboro, AR 38 mi (62 km)
  5. near Heber Springs, AR 41 mi (66 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: 35.6042, -91.2744.