U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00037712 · Arkansas

Frost Dates for West Memphis, AR

NOAA weather station West Memphis (USC00037712), Arkansas · elevation 215 ft (66 m) · hardiness zone 8a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 7only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMarch 1950% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostNovember 1050% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season235 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone8acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at West Memphis, ARSpring: a frost after March 1 in 9 years out of 10, after March 19 in half of the years, after April 7 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 28 in 1 year out of 10, before November 10 in half of the years, before November 30 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 235 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Mar 19First frost ~Nov 10Frost season at West Memphis, ARSpring: a frost after March 1 in 9 years out of 10, after March 19 in half of the years, after April 7 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 28 in 1 year out of 10, before November 10 in half of the years, before November 30 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 235 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Mar 19First frost ~Nov 10
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 7October 28
50% (typical)March 19November 10
90% (likely)March 1November 30
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
235 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 7
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 22

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost March 16 (3 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 8 (2 days earlier). Frost-free season 237 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 West Memphis: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 7, 20% April 2, 30% March 28, 40% March 24, 50% March 19, 60% March 15, 70% March 11, 80% March 6, 90% March 1. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 March 7, 2023 March 20, 2025 February 24, 2026 March 18.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Mar 1Apr 1Apr 7Mar 19Mar 12021: March 72023: March 202025: February 242026: March 18Fall at West Memphis: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 28, 20% November 1, 30% November 4, 40% November 6, 50% November 10, 60% November 13, 70% November 17, 80% November 22, 90% November 30. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 5, 2023 November 1, 2024 November 29, 2025 November 10.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Dec 1Oct 28Nov 10Nov 302021: November 52023: November 12024: November 292025: 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
2021March 7November 5
2022incomplete recordincomplete record
2023March 20November 1
2024incomplete recordNovember 29
2025February 24November 10
2026March 18season not over yet

What these dates mean

October 28 marks the cautious fall date to finish the harvest in West Memphis, with only a 10 % chance a light frost has arrived earlier. Waiting until this date reduces the risk of frost damage to tender crops as the season ends.

In spring, the cautious date for setting out tender crops is April 7, when the chance of a light frost later than that day is 10 %. The 50 % light-frost date is March 19, an even chance of a frost on either side. The 50 % hard-frost date is March 7, the point where a hard frost is as likely as not.

The fall 50 % light-frost date is November 10 and the 50 % hard-frost date is November 22, each an even-odds threshold. A hard frost at 28 °F matters more than a light frost at 32 °F because it can damage plant tissue that survives a milder frost. The record covers 29 years, with 235 days between the two 32 °F 50 % dates.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after April 7" 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 28" 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 West Memphis, ARNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Memphis (Airport), TN — 12 mi; 2 — near Cordova, TN — 21 mi; 3 — Hernando, MS — 24 mi; 4 — Independence, MS — 36 mi; 5 — Keiser, AR — 39 mi.ARTNMS25 mi · 40 km1. Memphis (Airport), TN — 12 mi12. near Cordova, TN — 21 mi23. Hernando, MS — 24 mi34. Independence, MS — 36 mi45. Keiser, AR — 39 mi5
  1. Memphis (Airport), TN 12 mi (19 km)
  2. near Cordova, TN 21 mi (34 km)
  3. Hernando, MS 24 mi (39 km)
  4. Independence, MS 36 mi (58 km)
  5. Keiser, AR 39 mi (63 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: 35.1242, -90.1805.