U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USW00093988 · Arkansas

Frost Dates for Pine Bluff (Grider Field), AR

NOAA weather station Pine Bluff Grider Field (USW00093988), Arkansas · elevation 207 ft (63 m) · hardiness zone 8b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 1only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMarch 1350% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostNovember 1350% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season243 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone8bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Pine Bluff (Grider Field), ARSpring: a frost after February 25 in 9 years out of 10, after March 13 in half of the years, after April 1 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 28 in 1 year out of 10, before November 13 in half of the years, before November 29 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 243 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Mar 13First frost ~Nov 13Frost season at Pine Bluff (Grider Field), ARSpring: a frost after February 25 in 9 years out of 10, after March 13 in half of the years, after April 1 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 28 in 1 year out of 10, before November 13 in half of the years, before November 29 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 243 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Mar 13First frost ~Nov 13
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 30 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)April 1October 28
50% (typical)March 13November 13
90% (likely)February 25November 29
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
243 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
February 28
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 26

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost March 12 (1 day earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 11 (2 days earlier). Frost-free season 245 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 (Grider Field): chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 1, 20% March 26, 30% March 22, 40% March 17, 50% March 13, 60% March 9, 70% March 5, 80% March 1, 90% February 25. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 March 6, 2022 March 13, 2023 March 20, 2024 February 19, 2025 March 21, 2026 March 16.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Mar 1Apr 1Apr 1Mar 13Feb 252021: March 62022: March 132023: March 202024: February 192025: March 212026: March 16Fall at Pine Bluff (Grider Field): chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 28, 20% November 1, 30% November 5, 40% November 9, 50% November 13, 60% November 16, 70% November 20, 80% November 24, 90% November 29. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 26, 2022 October 19, 2023 November 1, 2024 November 29, 2025 November 10.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Dec 1Oct 28Nov 13Nov 292021: November 262022: October 192023: November 12024: November 292025: November 10
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 6November 26
2022March 13October 19
2023March 20November 1
2024February 19November 29
2025March 21November 10
2026March 16season not over yet

What these dates mean

April 1 is the cautious spring date for Pine Bluff (Grider Field); with only a 10 % chance of a light frost later, it lets a gardener plan to set out tender crops.

The 50% light-frost date is March 13, which carries a 50 % chance of a frost later than this date. The 50% hard-frost date is February 28, which carries a 50 % chance of a hard frost later than this date. A hard frost at 28 °F can damage plants that survive a light frost at 32 °F.

The cautious fall date is October 28, where there is a 10 % chance that a light frost has arrived earlier, giving a gardener a reference for finishing the harvest of tender crops. The interval between the two 32°F 50% dates spans 243 days, derived from 30 years of record.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after April 1" 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 28" 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 (Grider Field), ARNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Pine Bluff, AR — 6 mi; 2 — Sheridan, AR — 28 mi; 3 — Keo, AR — 30 mi; 4 — Arkansas Post, AR — 35 mi; 5 — Fordyce, AR — 36 mi.MS25 mi · 40 km1. Pine Bluff, AR — 6 mi12. Sheridan, AR — 28 mi23. Keo, AR — 30 mi34. Arkansas Post, AR — 35 mi45. Fordyce, AR — 36 mi5
  1. Pine Bluff, AR 6 mi (10 km)
  2. Sheridan, AR 28 mi (44 km)
  3. Keo, AR 30 mi (48 km)
  4. Arkansas Post, AR 35 mi (57 km)
  5. Fordyce, AR 36 mi (58 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: 34.175, -91.9347.