Frost Dates for 72021 — Brinkley, Arkansas

Half of springs at Brinkley, AR see their last 32°F night by March 18; only one in ten is past it by March 1, and one in ten still has one after April 6. Planting tender crops after March 27 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after March 31 20%, and after April 6 10%. The 19 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is wider than at 80% of the 105 Arkansas stations behind this site's ZIP pages.

In fall the first 32°F night comes by November 11 in half of years, as early as October 28 one year in ten, and holds off past December 1 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 14 days later, around November 25; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is March 25, 12 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 237 days in a typical year, longer than at 79% of the 105 Arkansas stations; it reaches 261 days one year in ten and falls short of 213 one year in ten. On average 60 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 14 days longer, to about April 1, and return around November 1. Nights of 24°F, cold enough to damage hardier plants, come in 100% of winters and 16°F in 72%.

July is the warmest month at Brinkley, AR, averaging 90°F by day and 72°F at night; January is the coldest at 48°F and 31°F. A freezing night is all but certain in every month from December to February (a 90% chance or more). From May to September the chance of a 32°F night stays under 10% each month. In spring, March still brings one in 89% of years and April still brings one in 20% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 5,140 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 53% of the 105 Arkansas stations. 39% of them (2,005) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 963. Precipitation totals 51.3 inches a year, most in May (6.3") and least in September (3.0"); May to September bring 37% of it.

The nearest other station, Des Arc, AR, 19 miles northwest of Brinkley, has a last frost 7 days earlier (March 11), a first frost 3 days later (November 14), a season 10 days longer.

The first measurable snow (0.1 inch or more) in Brinkley usually arrives around January 22, and the last of the season around February 9. Those are the middle dates across the winters of 1991–2020 at Brinkley, AR, 1.6 miles away: half of years saw snow earlier, half later. Snow fell in 74% of those winters. The last 32°F night of spring typically comes 37 days after the last snow.

ZIP 72021 is 2 miles from Brinkley, AR, which stands at 185 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 72021 in zone 8a, the band where the coldest night of the year averaged 10 to 15°F (-12.2 to -9.4°C) over 1991–2020; a zone describes winter lows, not frost dates.