Arkansas frost dates

Average last spring and first fall frost dates for Arkansas’s largest cities, with each city’s USDA hardiness zone.

Reviewed October 2026

Among Arkansas’s 20 largest cities, the average last spring frost ranges from Mar 13 in Texarkana to Apr 12 in Rogers. Elevation, distance from the coast and city heat all shift the date, so use your own ZIP code below for the closest match.

City	Average last spring frost	Average first fall frost	Frost-free days	Hardiness zone	Weather station used
Little Rock	Mar 21	Nov 10	234	8a	Little Rock Airport Adams Fld, AR, 7 mi
Fayetteville	Apr 4	Oct 31	210	7a	Fayetteville Exp Stn, AR, 2 mi
Fort Smith	Mar 25	Nov 6	226	8a	Ft Smith Rgnl Airport, AR
Springdale	Apr 4	Oct 31	210	7a	Fayetteville Exp Stn, AR, 6 mi
Jonesboro	Mar 23	Nov 9	231	7b–8a	Jonesboro Muni Airport, AR, 2 mi
Rogers	Apr 12	Oct 26	197	7a	Bentonville 4 S, AR, 4 mi
Conway	Apr 2	Nov 2	214	8a	Conway, AR, 2 mi
North Little Rock	Mar 21	Nov 10	234	8a	Little Rock Airport Adams Fld, AR, 4 mi
Bentonville	Apr 12	Oct 26	197	7a	Bentonville 4 S, AR, 2 mi
Pine Bluff	Mar 14	Nov 16	247	8a	Pine Bluff, AR
Benton	Mar 24	Nov 7	228	8a	Benton, AR, 2 mi
Hot Springs	Mar 19	Nov 13	239	8a	Hot Springs 1 Nne, AR, 2 mi
Sherwood	Mar 16	Nov 16	245	8a	Little Rock, AR, 3 mi
Bella Vista	Apr 12	Oct 26	197	7a	Bentonville 4 S, AR, 10 mi
Paragould	Mar 26	Nov 6	225	7b	Paragould 1S, AR
Russellville	Mar 29	Nov 2	218	8a	Russellville Muni Airport, AR, 3 mi
Jacksonville	Mar 16	Nov 16	245	8a	Little Rock, AR, 8 mi
Texarkana	Mar 13	Nov 13	245	8b	Texarkana Webb Fld, AR, 2 mi
Cabot	Apr 4	Oct 31	210	8a	Cabot, AR
Centerton	Apr 8	Oct 28	203	7a	Fayetteville Nw Ar Airport, AR, 5 mi

Frost dates are the dates after (spring) or before (fall) which the chance of a 32°F freeze is below 50%, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals for the weather station nearest each city’s center. Zones are from the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map for the ZIP codes around each city; a range means nearby ZIP codes differ. Cities are the 20 largest by Census Bureau 2024 population estimates.

An average is not a guarantee. There’s still about a 1 in 2 chance of frost after the average last spring date. Many gardeners wait an extra week or two before setting out tomatoes, peppers and basil, and keep covers handy.

Planting dates for Little Rock

Timed from Little Rock’s average last frost of Mar 21, using University of New Hampshire Extension’s planting guidance. For your exact dates, enter your ZIP code in the calendar below.

Crop	Start seeds indoors	Plant outside
Tomatoes	Jan 31 to Feb 14	Mar 28 to Apr 4
Peppers	Jan 24 to Feb 7	Apr 4
Lettuce	Jan 17 to Jan 24	Feb 21 to Feb 28
Broccoli	Jan 10 to Jan 24	Feb 21 to Mar 7
Cucumbers	Feb 28 to Mar 7	Mar 28 to Apr 4
Basil	Feb 7 to Feb 21	Apr 4

When to plant, for your garden

Your seed-starting and planting dates, timed from your last spring frost. Full calendar, 12 crops.

ZIP code

Last frost date

Enter your ZIP code to look up your average last frost date and hardiness zone, or type the date in yourself.

Frost dates: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020. Hardiness zones: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, 2023, ZIP code data from PRISM Group, Oregon State University, prism.oregonstate.edu, accessed Oct. 20, 2026.

More about frost dates

How to find your last frost date, and what your zone means · Full planting calendar · How to start seeds indoors

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