U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00408868 · Tennessee

Frost Dates for Tazewell, TN

NOAA weather station Tazewell (USC00408868), Tennessee · elevation 1365 ft (416 m) · hardiness zone 7a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 11only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 2350% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 1950% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season177 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone7acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Tazewell, TNSpring: a frost after April 9 in 9 years out of 10, after April 23 in half of the years, after May 11 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 8 in 1 year out of 10, before October 19 in half of the years, before November 1 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 177 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 23First frost ~Oct 19Frost season at Tazewell, TNSpring: a frost after April 9 in 9 years out of 10, after April 23 in half of the years, after May 11 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 8 in 1 year out of 10, before October 19 in half of the years, before November 1 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 177 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 23First frost ~Oct 19
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)May 11October 8
50% (typical)April 23October 19
90% (likely)April 9November 1
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
177 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 10
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 28

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 23 (same as the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 22 (3 days later). Frost-free season 180 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 Tazewell: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 11, 20% May 4, 30% April 30, 40% April 27, 50% April 23, 60% April 20, 70% April 17, 80% April 14, 90% April 9. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 25, 2022 April 28, 2023 April 26, 2024 April 23, 2025 April 14, 2026 May 3.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 11Apr 23Apr 92021: April 252022: April 282023: April 262024: April 232025: April 142026: May 3Fall at Tazewell: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 8, 20% October 12, 30% October 14, 40% October 16, 50% October 19, 60% October 21, 70% October 24, 80% October 27, 90% November 1. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 October 27, 2022 October 9, 2023 November 1, 2024 October 17, 2025 October 24.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 8Oct 19Nov 12021: October 272022: October 92023: November 12024: October 172025: October 24
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 25October 27
2022April 28October 9
2023April 26November 1
2024April 23October 17
2025April 14October 24
2026May 3season not over yet

What these dates mean

May 11 is the cautious spring date, with only a 10 % chance of a light frost later than that day, and it lets a gardener plan to set out tender crops.

The 50% date is April 23, the point at which a light frost is as likely as not, and the 50% date is October 19, the same balance in fall. The cautious fall date is October 8, when there is just a 10 % chance of a light frost earlier than that day, guiding the finish of tender-crop harvesting.

The 50% hard-frost dates are April 10 and October 28, and a hard frost at 28 °F can damage plants that survive a light frost at 32 °F, making it a more critical threshold.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 11" 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 8" 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 Tazewell, TNNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Rogersville, TN — 32 mi; 2 — Norris, TN — 33 mi; 3 — Sevierville, TN — 37 mi; 4 — Newport, TN — 39 mi; 5 — near Knoxville, TN — 45 mi.TNNCKYVA25 mi · 40 km1. Rogersville, TN — 32 mi12. Norris, TN — 33 mi23. Sevierville, TN — 37 mi34. Newport, TN — 39 mi45. near Knoxville, TN — 45 mi5
  1. Rogersville, TN 32 mi (52 km)
  2. Norris, TN 33 mi (53 km)
  3. Sevierville, TN 37 mi (60 km)
  4. Newport, TN 39 mi (63 km)
  5. near Knoxville, TN 45 mi (72 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 7a: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 36.465, -83.5603.