U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00409502 · Tennessee

Frost Dates for Waynesboro, TN

NOAA weather station Waynesboro (USC00409502), Tennessee · elevation 750 ft (229 m) · hardiness zone 7b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 30only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 1450% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 2450% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season192 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone7bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Waynesboro, TNSpring: a frost after March 28 in 9 years out of 10, after April 14 in half of the years, after April 30 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 12 in 1 year out of 10, before October 24 in half of the years, before November 7 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 192 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 14First frost ~Oct 24Frost season at Waynesboro, TNSpring: a frost after March 28 in 9 years out of 10, after April 14 in half of the years, after April 30 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 12 in 1 year out of 10, before October 24 in half of the years, before November 7 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 192 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 14First frost ~Oct 24
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 29 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)April 30October 12
50% (typical)April 14October 24
90% (likely)March 28November 7
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
192 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 2
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 3

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 12 (2 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 29 (5 days later). Frost-free season 198 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 Waynesboro: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 30, 20% April 25, 30% April 20, 40% April 17, 50% April 14, 60% April 10, 70% April 7, 80% April 2, 90% March 28. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 22, 2022 April 19, 2023 March 29, 2024 April 22, 2025 April 9, 2026 March 18.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1Apr 30Apr 14Mar 282021: April 222022: April 192023: March 292024: April 222025: April 92026: March 18Fall at Waynesboro: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 12, 20% October 16, 30% October 19, 40% October 22, 50% October 24, 60% October 27, 70% October 30, 80% November 1, 90% November 7. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 October 27, 2022 October 18, 2023 October 31, 2024 November 23, 2025 November 3.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 12Oct 24Nov 72021: October 272022: October 182023: October 312024: November 232025: November 3
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 22October 27
2022April 19October 18
2023March 29October 31
2024April 22November 23
2025April 9November 3
2026March 18season not over yet

What these dates mean

The cautious fall date in Waynesboro for finishing the harvest is October 12, when there is only a 10 % chance that a light frost has already arrived. This date guides the final harvest of tender crops before frost becomes likely.

For a gardener, the 50 % light-frost dates—April 14 in spring and October 24 in fall—mark the point at which the odds of a frost are even; they are not frost dates themselves but indicate a median risk. The cautious spring date for setting out tender crops is April 30, which carries a 10 % chance of a frost later, while the early date of March 28 carries a 90 % chance and is a gamble.

Hard frost at 28 °F, represented by the median dates April 2 and November 3, poses a greater threat than a light frost at 32 °F because it can damage plant tissue that would survive the milder temperature.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after April 30" 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 12" 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 Waynesboro, TNNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Linden, TN — 21 mi; 2 — Muscle Shoals, AL — 40 mi; 3 — Pulaski, TN — 41 mi; 4 — Lexington, TN — 43 mi; 5 — Columbia, TN — 44 mi.TNALMS25 mi · 40 km1. Linden, TN — 21 mi12. Muscle Shoals, AL — 40 mi23. Pulaski, TN — 41 mi34. Lexington, TN — 43 mi45. Columbia, TN — 44 mi5
  1. Linden, TN 21 mi (34 km)
  2. Muscle Shoals, AL 40 mi (64 km)
  3. Pulaski, TN 41 mi (66 km)
  4. Lexington, TN 43 mi (69 km)
  5. Columbia, TN 44 mi (71 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: 35.3042, -87.7592.