U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00035754 · Arkansas

Frost Dates for Pine Bluff, AR

NOAA weather station Pine Bluff (USC00035754), Arkansas · elevation 230 ft (70 m) · hardiness zone 8b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 2only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMarch 1450% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostNovember 1650% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season245 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone8bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Pine Bluff, ARSpring: a frost after February 27 in 9 years out of 10, after March 14 in half of the years, after April 2 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 31 in 1 year out of 10, before November 16 in half of the years, before December 1 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 245 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Mar 14First frost ~Nov 16Frost season at Pine Bluff, ARSpring: a frost after February 27 in 9 years out of 10, after March 14 in half of the years, after April 2 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 31 in 1 year out of 10, before November 16 in half of the years, before December 1 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 245 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Mar 14First frost ~Nov 16
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.Today

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 2October 31
50% (typical)March 14November 16
90% (likely)February 27December 1
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
245 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 4
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 29

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost March 14 (same as the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 14 (2 days earlier). Frost-free season 243 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 Pine Bluff: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 2, 20% March 27, 30% March 22, 40% March 18, 50% March 14, 60% March 12, 70% March 8, 80% March 4, 90% February 27. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 March 8, 2022 March 14, 2023 March 21, 2024 March 20, 2025 March 21, 2026 March 18.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Mar 1Apr 1Apr 2Mar 14Feb 272021: March 82022: March 142023: March 212024: March 202025: March 212026: March 18Fall at Pine Bluff: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 31, 20% November 4, 30% November 8, 40% November 11, 50% November 16, 60% November 19, 70% November 23, 80% November 27, 90% December 1. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 7, 2022 October 19, 2023 November 2, 2024 November 29, 2025 November 2.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Dec 1Oct 31Nov 16Dec 12021: November 72022: October 192023: November 22024: November 292025: November 2
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 8November 7
2022March 14October 19
2023March 21November 2
2024March 20November 29
2025March 21November 2
2026March 18season not over yet

What these dates mean

Setting out tender crops on the early spring date, February 27, carries a 90% chance of a frost and is therefore a gamble for Pine Bluff gardeners. The same level of risk applies to a late-season gamble of counting on tender crops as late as December 1, when the chance of a frost is also 90%.

For a cautious plan, the spring light-frost date of April 2 is used, because only a 10% chance of a frost remains after that date. In the fall, the cautious date is October 31, when there is a 10% chance that a frost has already arrived. The 50% spring date is March 14, meaning there is a 50% chance of a light frost later than this date; the 50% fall date is November 16, meaning there is a 50% chance of a light frost earlier than this date.

Hard frost at 28 °F can injure plants that survive a light frost at 32 °F, so the median hard-frost dates—March 4 in spring and November 29 in fall—are especially significant for growers.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after April 2" 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 Pine Bluff, ARNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Pine Bluff (Grider Field), AR — 6 mi; 2 — Sheridan, AR — 22 mi; 3 — Keo, AR — 26 mi; 4 — Fordyce, AR — 35 mi; 5 — Little Rock (Adams Field), AR — 37 mi.MS25 mi · 40 km1. Pine Bluff (Grider Field), AR — 6 mi12. Sheridan, AR — 22 mi23. Keo, AR — 26 mi34. Fordyce, AR — 35 mi45. Little Rock (Adams Field), AR — 37 mi5
  1. Pine Bluff (Grider Field), AR 6 mi (10 km)
  2. Sheridan, AR 22 mi (35 km)
  3. Keo, AR 26 mi (42 km)
  4. Fordyce, AR 35 mi (57 km)
  5. Little Rock (Adams Field), AR 37 mi (59 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: 34.2256, -92.0186.