U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00237632 · Missouri

Frost Dates for Sedalia, MO

NOAA weather station Sedalia WTP (USC00237632), Missouri · elevation 780 ft (238 m) · hardiness zone 6b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 2only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 1850% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 2250% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season186 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone6bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Sedalia, MOSpring: a frost after April 1 in 9 years out of 10, after April 18 in half of the years, after May 2 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 6 in 1 year out of 10, before October 22 in half of the years, before November 1 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 186 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 18First frost ~Oct 22Frost season at Sedalia, MOSpring: a frost after April 1 in 9 years out of 10, after April 18 in half of the years, after May 2 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 6 in 1 year out of 10, before October 22 in half of the years, before November 1 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 186 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 18First frost ~Oct 22
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 27 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 2October 6
50% (typical)April 18October 22
90% (likely)April 1November 1
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
186 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 5
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 31

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 16 (2 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 22. Frost-free season 187 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 Sedalia: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 2, 20% April 28, 30% April 24, 40% April 21, 50% April 18, 60% April 14, 70% April 10, 80% April 7, 90% April 1. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 23, 2022 April 27, 2023 April 25, 2024 April 23, 2026 March 29.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 2Apr 18Apr 12021: April 232022: April 272023: April 252024: April 232026: March 29Fall at Sedalia: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 6, 20% October 13, 30% October 17, 40% October 19, 50% October 22, 60% October 24, 70% October 26, 80% October 29, 90% November 1. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 3, 2022 October 8, 2023 October 11, 2024 October 16, 2025 October 31.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 6Oct 22Nov 12021: November 32022: October 82023: October 112024: October 162025: October 31
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 23November 3
2022April 27October 8
2023April 25October 11
2024April 23October 16
2025incomplete recordOctober 31
2026March 29season not over yet

What these dates mean

May 2 is the cautious spring date for light frost in Sedalia; with only a 10 % chance of a frost after that day a gardener can plan to set out tender crops. The earlier date of April 1 carries a 90 % chance of a frost and is a gamble for those crops.

The median 32 °F dates are April 18 in spring and October 22 in fall; each marks a 50 % chance of a light frost occurring on either side of the date, so a gardener should expect roughly equal odds of frost on either side of those points. The cautious fall date is October 6, when there is only a 10 % chance that a frost has arrived, allowing the final harvest of tender crops, while November 1 is a high-risk date.

Hard frost at 28 °F is more damaging than a light frost, and the 50 % hard-frost dates are April 5 in spring and October 31 in fall, indicating when a hard freeze becomes equally likely.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 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 6" 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 Sedalia, MONumbered nearest stations: 1 — New Franklin, MO — 34 mi; 2 — Clinton, MO — 35 mi; 3 — California, MO — 36 mi; 4 — Higginsville, MO — 38 mi; 5 — Eldon, MO — 41 mi.25 mi · 40 km1. New Franklin, MO — 34 mi12. Clinton, MO — 35 mi23. California, MO — 36 mi34. Higginsville, MO — 38 mi45. Eldon, MO — 41 mi5
  1. New Franklin, MO 34 mi (56 km)
  2. Clinton, MO 35 mi (57 km)
  3. California, MO 36 mi (58 km)
  4. Higginsville, MO 38 mi (61 km)
  5. Eldon, MO 41 mi (67 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 6b: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 38.6753, -93.2228.