U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00036562 · Arkansas

Frost Dates for Sheridan, AR

NOAA weather station Sheridan (USC00036562), Arkansas · elevation 250 ft (76 m) · hardiness zone 8a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 17only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 150% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostNovember 350% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season218 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone8acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Sheridan, ARSpring: a frost after March 11 in 9 years out of 10, after April 1 in half of the years, after April 17 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 20 in 1 year out of 10, before November 3 in half of the years, before November 20 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 218 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 1First frost ~Nov 3Frost season at Sheridan, ARSpring: a frost after March 11 in 9 years out of 10, after April 1 in half of the years, after April 17 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 20 in 1 year out of 10, before November 3 in half of the years, before November 20 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 218 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 1First frost ~Nov 3
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 30 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)April 17October 20
50% (typical)April 1November 3
90% (likely)March 11November 20
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
218 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 16
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 15

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost March 29 (3 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 4 (1 day later). Frost-free season 219 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 Sheridan: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 17, 20% April 10, 30% April 7, 40% April 4, 50% April 1, 60% March 28, 70% March 24, 80% March 18, 90% March 11. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 22, 2022 April 10, 2023 March 21.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Mar 1Apr 1May 1Apr 17Apr 1Mar 112021: April 222022: April 102023: March 21Fall at Sheridan: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 20, 20% October 25, 30% October 29, 40% November 1, 50% November 3, 60% November 6, 70% November 10, 80% November 14, 90% November 20. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 4, 2023 November 1, 2024 October 17, 2025 November 10.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Dec 1Oct 20Nov 3Nov 202021: November 42023: November 12024: October 172025: 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 22November 4
2022April 10incomplete record
2023March 21November 1
2024incomplete recordOctober 17
2025incomplete recordNovember 10
2026incomplete recordseason not over yet

What these dates mean

Setting out tender crops on the early spring date of March 11 carries a 90% chance of a frost later that season in Sheridan. The 50% date of April 1 marks the point where a light frost is as likely as not later in spring, while the 50% date of November 3 marks the point where a light frost is as likely as not earlier in fall.

A cautious planting plan waits until the April 17 date, which has only a 10% chance of a later frost, and finishes harvesting tender crops by October 20, when only a 10% chance of an earlier frost remains.

A hard frost at 28 °F, reflected by the March 16 and November 15 50% dates, can damage plants that survive a light frost at 32 °F.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after April 17" 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 20" 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 Sheridan, ARNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Pine Bluff, AR — 22 mi; 2 — Pine Bluff (Grider Field), AR — 28 mi; 3 — Little Rock (Adams Field), AR — 31 mi; 4 — Keo, AR — 31 mi; 5 — Fordyce, AR — 33 mi.MS25 mi · 40 km1. Pine Bluff, AR — 22 mi12. Pine Bluff (Grider Field), AR — 28 mi23. Little Rock (Adams Field), AR — 31 mi34. Keo, AR — 31 mi45. Fordyce, AR — 33 mi5
  1. Pine Bluff, AR 22 mi (35 km)
  2. Pine Bluff (Grider Field), AR 28 mi (44 km)
  3. Little Rock (Adams Field), AR 31 mi (49 km)
  4. Keo, AR 31 mi (50 km)
  5. Fordyce, AR 33 mi (53 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: 34.3019, -92.3914.