Frost Dates for 63873 — Portageville, Missouri

Half of springs at Portageville, MO see their last 32°F night by March 25; only one in ten is past it by March 7, and one in ten still has one after April 9. Planting tender crops after April 1 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after April 4 20%, and after April 9 10%. The 15 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is narrower than at 54% of the 158 Missouri stations behind this site's ZIP pages.

In fall the first 32°F night comes by November 7 in half of years, as early as October 24 one year in ten, and holds off past November 27 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 13 days later, around November 20; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is March 31, 9 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 227 days in a typical year, longer than at 99% of the 158 Missouri stations; it reaches 252 days one year in ten and falls short of 207 one year in ten. On average 71 nights a year drop to 32°F or below. Nights of 36°F, when frost can still settle on leaves in low, open spots, continue 10 days longer, to about April 4, and return around October 27. Severe cold of 16°F or below comes in 95% of winters, usually between January 1 and February 5.

July is the warmest month at Portageville, MO, averaging 88°F by day and 71°F at night; January is the coldest at 43°F and 28°F. A freezing night is all but certain in every month from November to March (a 90% chance or more). From May to September the chance of a 32°F night stays under 10% each month. In spring, April still brings one in 32% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 4,677 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 95% of the 158 Missouri stations. 39% of them (1,812) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 921. Precipitation totals 48.9 inches a year, most in May (5.5") and least in August (2.6"); May to September bring 39% of it.

The nearest other station, New Madrid, MO, 14 miles northeast of Portageville, has a last frost 3 days later (March 28), a first frost 4 days earlier (November 3), a season 7 days shorter.

The first measurable snow (0.1 inch or more) in Portageville usually arrives around December 23, and the last of the season around February 9. Those are the middle dates across the winters of 1991–2020 at Portageville, MO, 1.7 miles away: half of years saw snow earlier, half later. Snow fell in 95% of those winters. The last 32°F night of spring typically comes 44 days after the last snow.

ZIP 63873 is 2 miles from Portageville, MO, which stands at 280 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 63873 in zone 7b, the band where the coldest night of the year averaged 5 to 10°F (-15.0 to -12.2°C) over 1991–2020; a zone describes winter lows, not frost dates.