U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00407184 · Tennessee

Frost Dates for Pikeville, TN

NOAA weather station Pikeville (USC00407184), Tennessee · elevation 864 ft (263 m) · hardiness zone 7b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 28only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 1150% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 2550% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season197 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone7bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Pikeville, TNSpring: a frost after March 24 in 9 years out of 10, after April 11 in half of the years, after April 28 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 5 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 197 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 11First frost ~Oct 25Frost season at Pikeville, TNSpring: a frost after March 24 in 9 years out of 10, after April 11 in half of the years, after April 28 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 5 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 197 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 11First 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 29 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)April 28October 12
50% (typical)April 11October 25
90% (likely)March 24November 5
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
197 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 29
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 3

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 10 (1 day earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 26 (1 day later). Frost-free season 198 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 Pikeville: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 28, 20% April 21, 30% April 17, 40% April 14, 50% April 11, 60% April 7, 70% April 4, 80% March 31, 90% March 24. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 22, 2022 April 19, 2023 March 30, 2024 April 6, 2025 April 13, 2026 March 19.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1Apr 28Apr 11Mar 242021: April 222022: April 192023: March 302024: April 62025: April 132026: March 19Fall at Pikeville: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 12, 20% October 16, 30% October 20, 40% October 23, 50% October 25, 60% October 28, 70% October 30, 80% November 1, 90% November 5. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 5, 2022 October 9, 2023 November 1, 2024 October 17, 2025 October 24.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 12Oct 25Nov 52021: November 52022: October 92023: November 12024: October 172025: October 24
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 22November 5
2022April 19October 9
2023March 30November 1
2024April 6October 17
2025April 13October 24
2026March 19season not over yet

What these dates mean

October 12, a 10% chance of a light frost earlier than this date, is the cautious fall date for finishing the harvest in Pikeville. Tender crops kept out after this date have a low risk of frost.

The 50% light-frost dates are April 11 and October 25; on each of those days the chance of a light frost is even, so a gardener should expect roughly equal odds of a frost occurring before or after. The 50% hard-frost dates are March 29 in spring and November 3 in fall, indicating even odds for a hard frost at 28 °F. For a cautious plan, the spring light-frost cautious date is April 28 (10% chance of a later frost), and the fall cautious date is October 12 (10% chance of an earlier frost).

A hard frost at 28 °F can injure plant tissue that would survive a light frost at 32 °F.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after April 28" 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 Pikeville, TNNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Dayton, TN — 14 mi; 2 — Crossville, TN — 25 mi; 3 — near Sparta, TN — 27 mi; 4 — Crossville Ed & Research, TN — 29 mi; 5 — McMinnville, TN — 33 mi.TNNC25 mi · 40 km1. Dayton, TN — 14 mi12. Crossville, TN — 25 mi23. near Sparta, TN — 27 mi34. Crossville Ed & Research, TN — 29 mi45. McMinnville, TN — 33 mi5
  1. Dayton, TN 14 mi (23 km)
  2. Crossville, TN 25 mi (40 km)
  3. near Sparta, TN 27 mi (43 km)
  4. Crossville Ed & Research, TN 29 mi (47 km)
  5. McMinnville, TN 33 mi (54 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 7b: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 35.5983, -85.1939.