Frost dates / By state
Frost dates in Tennessee
NOAA 1991–2020 normals for a 32 °F freeze. Your own yard can run a little either side.
Short answer
Across 12 NOAA weather stations in Tennessee, the average last spring frost runs from March 16 at Memphis Intl Airport to April 20 at Crossville 7 NW. The first fall frost comes as early as October 20 at Crossville 7 NW and as late as November 16 at Memphis Intl Airport. Planting zones near these stations run from 7a to 8a.
Tennessee cities
- Frost dates in Nashville: last frost March 31, first frost November 3
- Frost dates in Memphis: last frost March 16, first frost November 16
- Frost dates in Knoxville: last frost April 11, first frost October 28
- Frost dates in Chattanooga: last frost March 24, first frost November 9
- Frost dates in Clarksville: last frost April 6, first frost October 28
- Frost dates in Murfreesboro: last frost April 9, first frost October 27
Find yours by ZIP code
The table below is by weather station. For the station nearest you, and your planting zone, type your ZIP code.
Tennessee frost dates by weather station
| Station | Last spring frost | First fall frost | Frost-free | Zone nearby |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bristol Tri City Airport 1,500 ft | April 16 1 in 10 after May 5 | October 24 1 in 10 by October 11 | 191 days | 7b |
| Chattanooga Lovell Airport 671 ft | March 24 1 in 10 after April 8 | November 9 1 in 10 by October 27 | 230 days | 8a |
| Clarksville Outlaw Airport 560 ft | April 6 1 in 10 after April 23 | October 28 1 in 10 by October 15 | 205 days | 7a |
| Crossville 7 NW 1,913 ft | April 20 1 in 10 after May 9 | October 20 1 in 10 by October 8 | 183 days | 7a |
| Crossville Mem Airport 1,867 ft | April 16 1 in 10 after May 5 | October 23 1 in 10 by October 12 | 190 days | 7a |
| Dyersburg Iii Golf 300 ft | March 28 1 in 10 after April 15 | November 2 1 in 10 by October 20 | 219 days | 7b |
| Jackson Mckellar Airport 433 ft | April 5 1 in 10 after April 21 | October 29 1 in 10 by October 16 | 207 days | 7b |
| Knoxville Mcghee Tyson Airport 962 ft | April 1 1 in 10 after April 17 | November 2 1 in 10 by October 21 | 215 days | 7b |
| Memphis Intl Airport 254 ft | March 16 1 in 10 after April 4 | November 16 1 in 10 by November 2 | 245 days | 8a |
| Nashville Intl Airport 600 ft | March 31 1 in 10 after April 16 | November 3 1 in 10 by October 22 | 217 days | 7b |
| Oak Ridge ASOS 910 ft | March 31 1 in 10 after April 15 | November 4 1 in 10 by October 22 | 218 days | 7b |
| Oak Ridge Atdd 905 ft | April 5 1 in 10 after April 19 | November 1 1 in 10 by October 19 | 210 days | 7b |
The average date is NOAA's 50% date: half of years have a later last frost, or an earlier first one. Plan by the 1-in-10 date if a freeze would cost you plants. Stations are NOAA's main weather stations, mostly airports. “Zone nearby” is the USDA 2023 zone of the nearest ZIP code within 10 miles. NOAA counts the frost season from August to July, so in the warmest places the “first fall” freeze lands after New Year.
How these dates work
Frost dates come from NOAA's 1991 to 2020 Climate Normals, which work out from each weather station's daily lows how likely the last spring freeze and the first fall freeze (32 °F) are by each date. We use the station nearest the middle of your ZIP code and show its height and distance, since a station on a hill or by a lake can differ from your yard.
The average date is the 50% date: half of years have a freeze after the spring date or before the fall one. The 1-in-10 dates are NOAA's 10% dates, the ones to plan by if a late freeze would cost you plants. Within one yard, cold air pools in low spots while walls and paving hold heat, so some corners freeze before others.
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Where the numbers come from
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, 2023. Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture
- PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University (zone data)
- NOAA NCEI, U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, annual/seasonal
- NOAA, Normals calculation methodology (frost-freeze probability dates)
- US Census Bureau, 2025 ZCTA gazetteer (ZIP code centers)