U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00035820 · Arkansas

Frost Dates for Pocahontas, AR

NOAA weather station Pocahontas 1 (USC00035820), Arkansas · elevation 315 ft (96 m) · hardiness zone 7b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 18only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMarch 3150% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostNovember 150% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season214 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone7bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Pocahontas, ARSpring: a frost after March 12 in 9 years out of 10, after March 31 in half of the years, after April 18 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 21 in 1 year out of 10, before November 1 in half of the years, before November 17 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 214 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Mar 31First frost ~Nov 1Frost season at Pocahontas, ARSpring: a frost after March 12 in 9 years out of 10, after March 31 in half of the years, after April 18 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 21 in 1 year out of 10, before November 1 in half of the years, before November 17 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 214 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Mar 31First frost ~Nov 1
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 28 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)April 18October 21
50% (typical)March 31November 1
90% (likely)March 12November 17
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
214 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 18
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 12

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost March 29 (2 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 1. Frost-free season 220 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 Pocahontas: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 18, 20% April 11, 30% April 7, 40% April 4, 50% March 31, 60% March 27, 70% March 23, 80% March 18, 90% March 12. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 21, 2022 April 7, 2023 March 21.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Mar 1Apr 1May 1Apr 18Mar 31Mar 122021: April 212022: April 72023: March 21Fall at Pocahontas: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 21, 20% October 25, 30% October 27, 40% October 30, 50% November 1, 60% November 3, 70% November 7, 80% November 10, 90% November 17. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 4, 2023 October 31, 2025 November 10.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Dec 1Oct 21Nov 1Nov 172021: November 42023: October 312025: 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
2021April 21November 4
2022April 7incomplete record
2023March 21October 31
2024incomplete recordincomplete record
2025incomplete recordNovember 10
2026incomplete recordseason not over yet

What these dates mean

Setting out tender crops on March 12 in Pocahontas carries a 90% chance of a light frost and is a gamble. The cautious alternative for spring is April 18, when only a 10% chance of a light frost remains. In the fall, finishing tender crops by October 21 keeps the risk of a light frost at 10%, while waiting until November 17 would be a gamble with a 90% chance.

For a gardener, the 50% dates represent the point at which a light frost is equally likely to occur before or after the date; the spring median is March 31 and the fall median is November 1. These dates are not frost dates themselves but give a reference for the balance of risk.

Hard frost, defined at 28 °F, is more damaging than a light frost at 32 °F, and the median hard-frost dates are March 18 in spring and November 12 in fall.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after April 18" 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 21" 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 Pocahontas, ARNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Corning, AR — 24 mi; 2 — Paragould, AR — 31 mi; 3 — Jonesboro, AR — 33 mi; 4 — Newport, AR — 49 mi; 5 — near Batesville, AR — 55 mi.ARMO25 mi · 40 km1. Corning, AR — 24 mi12. Paragould, AR — 31 mi23. Jonesboro, AR — 33 mi34. Newport, AR — 49 mi45. near Batesville, AR — 55 mi5
  1. Corning, AR 24 mi (38 km)
  2. Paragould, AR 31 mi (49 km)
  3. Jonesboro, AR 33 mi (54 km)
  4. Newport, AR 49 mi (78 km)
  5. near Batesville, AR 55 mi (89 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: 36.2642, -90.9683.