U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00227111 · Mississippi

Frost Dates for Pontotoc, MS

NOAA weather station Pontotoc Experiment Station (USC00227111), Mississippi · elevation 405 ft (123 m) · hardiness zone 8a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 12only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMarch 2850% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostNovember 850% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season227 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone8acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Pontotoc, MSSpring: a frost after March 7 in 9 years out of 10, after March 28 in half of the years, after April 12 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 24 in 1 year out of 10, before November 8 in half of the years, before November 26 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 227 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Mar 28First frost ~Nov 8Frost season at Pontotoc, MSSpring: a frost after March 7 in 9 years out of 10, after March 28 in half of the years, after April 12 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 24 in 1 year out of 10, before November 8 in half of the years, before November 26 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 227 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Mar 28First frost ~Nov 8
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 26 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)April 12October 24
50% (typical)March 28November 8
90% (likely)March 7November 26
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
227 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 13
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 20

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost March 27 (1 day earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 7 (1 day earlier). Frost-free season 228 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 Pontotoc: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 12, 20% April 6, 30% April 3, 40% March 31, 50% March 28, 60% March 24, 70% March 19, 80% March 15, 90% March 7. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2025 April 3, 2026 March 18.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Mar 1Apr 1Apr 12Mar 28Mar 72025: April 32026: March 18Fall at Pontotoc: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 24, 20% October 30, 30% November 2, 40% November 5, 50% November 8, 60% November 12, 70% November 15, 80% November 20, 90% November 26. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2023 November 1, 2024 November 23.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Dec 1Oct 24Nov 8Nov 262023: November 12024: November 23
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
2021incomplete recordno data
2022incomplete recordincomplete record
2023incomplete recordNovember 1
2024incomplete recordNovember 23
2025April 3incomplete record
2026March 18season not over yet

What these dates mean

The 227 days between the 50% light-frost dates in Pontotoc – March 28 in spring and November 8 in fall – define the central window in which a gardener can expect an even odds of a frost. Within that span the period for planting and harvesting tender crops is bracketed by the cautious dates that carry only a 10 % chance of a frost occurring outside the window.

In spring the cautious date for setting out tender crops is April 12, while planting on March 7 carries a 90 % chance of a frost later than that day and is a gamble. In fall the cautious date to finish harvesting tender crops is October 24, and keeping crops until November 26 bears a 90 % chance of a frost earlier than that day. The hard-frost 50% dates are March 13 and November 20, and a hard frost (28 °F) matters more than a light frost (32 °F) because the lower temperature can damage plants that survive a light 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 12" 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 24" 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 Pontotoc, MSNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Tupelo, MS — 16 mi; 2 — Verona, MS — 16 mi; 3 — University, MS — 34 mi; 4 — near Starkville, MS — 48 mi; 5 — Corinth, MS — 56 mi.MSALAR25 mi · 40 km1. Tupelo, MS — 16 mi12. Verona, MS — 16 mi23. University, MS — 34 mi34. near Starkville, MS — 48 mi45. Corinth, MS — 56 mi5
  1. Tupelo, MS 16 mi (25 km)
  2. Verona, MS 16 mi (25 km)
  3. University, MS 34 mi (55 km)
  4. near Starkville, MS 48 mi (77 km)
  5. Corinth, MS 56 mi (89 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: 34.1381, -88.9983.