Frost dates for Fayetteville Drake Field, AR
At Fayetteville Drake Field, the median last spring frost (32°F) is Apr 15 and the median first fall frost is Oct 21, for a typical growing season of 188 days. For a 90% chance that the last frost has passed, wait until May 1. Nearby ZIP codes are in USDA hardiness zones 7a to 7b.
- Apr 15Last spring frost (median)50% chance of 32°F after this date
- May 1Safer planting date10% chance of 32°F after this date
- Oct 21First fall frost (median)50% chance of 32°F by this date
- 188 daysGrowing season (median)between 32°F freezes
Last spring frost dates
The chance that the temperature drops to the threshold after each date.
| Temperature | 90% chance later | 50% chance later | 10% chance later |
|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Apr 11 | Apr 27 | May 11 |
| 32°F | Mar 31 | Apr 15 | May 1 |
| 28°F | Mar 17 | Apr 3 | Apr 21 |
| 24°F | Mar 3 | Mar 24 | Apr 10 |
First fall frost dates
The chance that the temperature has dropped to the threshold by each date.
| Temperature | 10% chance by | 50% chance by | 90% chance by |
|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Sep 29 | Oct 11 | Oct 24 |
| 32°F | Oct 8 | Oct 21 | Nov 3 |
| 28°F | Oct 16 | Oct 31 | Nov 14 |
| 24°F | Oct 27 | Nov 11 | Nov 29 |
Growing season length
Days between the last spring and first fall freeze, as the length reached in 9, 5 and 1 out of 10 years.
| Temperature | 9 in 10 years at least | 5 in 10 years at least | 1 in 10 years at least |
|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | 147 days | 167 days | 187 days |
| 32°F | 167 days | 188 days | 209 days |
| 28°F | 188 days | 209 days | 233 days |
| 24°F | 208 days | 234 days | 260 days |
Chance of a freeze in any year
| Temperature | Chance per year |
|---|---|
| 36°F | 100% |
| 32°F | 100% |
| 28°F | 100% |
| 24°F | 100% |
ZIP codes whose closest station is this one
| ZIP | Hardiness zone | Avg. extreme low | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 72701 | 7a | 0 to 5°F | 8 km |
| 72774 | 7b | 5 to 10°F | 9 km |
| 72730 | 7a | 0 to 5°F | 9 km |
| 72753 | 7a | 0 to 5°F | 17 km |
Not the official USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Zones shown here are the values published in the USDA-ARS / Oregon State University PRISM Group 2023 ZIP code tables, shown unaltered. For the official interactive map, visit planthardiness.ars.usda.gov.
About this station
- NOAA station ID USW00093993, at 36.0097, -94.1694, elevation 381 m (1,251 ft).
- Data quality: Standard (24+ years of data), 28 years of freeze data.
- Average days per year at or below 32°F: 94.
- Frost risk changes over short distances. Valleys and low spots freeze earlier than hillsides and city centers.
Nearby weather stations
- Fayetteville Exp. Station (10 km)
- Winslow 7ne (22 km)
- Fayetteville NW Ar Airport (33 km)
- Bentonville 4 S (35 km)
- Huntsville 1 SSW (38 km)
- Mountainburg 2 NE (40 km)
- Gravette (53 km)
- Kingston 2s (58 km)
Sources
- NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, annual/seasonal normals by station (version 1.0.1), file dated June 27, 2023; documentation.
- USDA Agricultural Research Service and PRISM Group, Oregon State University, 2023 Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP code tables (CONUS, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico), files dated November 17, 2023. Data © PRISM Group, Oregon State University, https://prism.oregonstate.edu, accessed November 1, 2026. Official map: planthardiness.ars.usda.gov.
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer ZIP Code Tabulation Areas file, dated August 30, 2024 (ZIP centroids used to find the nearest station).
Freeze dates are 30-year probabilities, not forecasts. Check your local forecast before planting tender plants.