Skip to content

USDA Hardiness Zone 8a

Frost Dates for 72110 — Morrilton, Arkansas

NOAA 1991–2020 normals from Morrilton, AR (340 ft), under a mile west.

Updated

In Morrilton, the last spring frost (32°F) is around March 30 in half of years and has passed by April 15 in nine years out of ten. The first fall frost comes around November 2, as early as October 19 one year in ten, leaving a typical freeze-free season of 219 days (NOAA, Morrilton, AR).

Last spring frost
March 30

50% probability

First fall frost
November 2

50% probability

Growing season
219 days

freeze-free, 50%

Hardiness zone
8a

10 to 15°F (-12.2 to -9.4°C) coldest night

First snow
December 31

median, 1991–2020

Last snow
January 31

median, 1991–2020

Winters with snow
59%

16 of 27 observed

Snow per year
2.4"

NOAA normal

Frost risk by date in Morrilton

Half of springs at Morrilton, AR see their last 32°F night by March 30; only one in ten is past it by March 11, and one in ten still has one after April 15. Planting tender crops after April 5 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after April 9 20%, and after April 15 10%. The 16 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is narrower than at 65% of the 105 Arkansas stations behind this site's ZIP pages.

In fall the first 32°F night comes by November 2 in half of years, as early as October 19 one year in ten, and holds off past November 20 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 12 days later, around November 14; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is April 2, 13 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 219 days in a typical year, shorter than at 58% of the 105 Arkansas stations; it reaches 245 days one year in ten and falls short of 195 one year in ten. On average 81 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 11 days longer, to about April 10, and return around October 24. Nights of 24°F, cold enough to damage hardier plants, come in 100% of winters and 16°F in 86%.

Spring: the chance of another night this cold after the date
Low90%80%70%60%50%40%30%20%10%
36°FMar 28Apr 1Apr 5Apr 8Apr 10Apr 13Apr 17Apr 21Apr 27
32°FMar 11Mar 16Mar 21Mar 26Mar 30Apr 2Apr 5Apr 9Apr 15
28°FFeb 26Mar 3Mar 7Mar 10Mar 14Mar 18Mar 23Mar 28Apr 2
24°FFeb 7Feb 16Feb 22Feb 27Mar 1Mar 4Mar 8Mar 13Mar 19
20°F99% of yrsJan 18Jan 28Feb 2Feb 8Feb 14Feb 20Feb 25Mar 1Mar 7
16°F86% of yrsDec 30Jan 6Jan 15Jan 22Jan 29Feb 2Feb 7Feb 15Feb 27
Fall: the chance the first night this cold has come by the date
Low10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%
36°FOct 11Oct 16Oct 19Oct 21Oct 24Oct 27Oct 30Nov 1Nov 6
32°FOct 19Oct 24Oct 28Nov 1Nov 2Nov 5Nov 8Nov 13Nov 20
28°FOct 30Nov 3Nov 7Nov 10Nov 14Nov 18Nov 23Nov 27Dec 2
24°FNov 8Nov 14Nov 20Nov 24Nov 28Dec 1Dec 5Dec 10Dec 19
20°F99% of yrsNov 20Nov 28Dec 2Dec 9Dec 14Dec 20Dec 25Jan 1Jan 8
16°F86% of yrsDec 3Dec 12Dec 20Dec 26Dec 31Jan 3Jan 10Jan 17Feb 1

Freeze probabilities 1991–2020 at Morrilton, AR, from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals. Where a temperature is reached in fewer than 99.5% of years, the dates describe only the years that reach it. Not a forecast.

Frost risk on any date in 72110 →Compare Morrilton with another place →

Weather by month in Morrilton

July is the warmest month at Morrilton, AR, averaging 93°F by day and 71°F at night; January is the coldest at 50°F and 29°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 42% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 5,141 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 54% of the 105 Arkansas stations. 38% of them (1,965) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 983. Precipitation totals 51.2 inches a year, most in May (5.5") and least in September (3.3"); May to September bring 39% of it.

Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Morrilton, AR
MonthHigh °FLow °FPrecip. in32°F nightNights ≤ 32°FGDD 50°F
Jan50293.6100%2222
Feb55323.8100%1741
Mar64405.196%9144
Apr73485.342%1329
May80585.50%0596
Jun88673.60%0834
Jul93713.80%0983
Aug93693.70%0952
Sep86613.30%0704
Oct75493.940%2384
Nov63394.997%10122
Dec53314.7100%2033

Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Morrilton, AR (340 ft), NOAA NCEI. "32°F night": chance of at least one in the month. GDD: growing degree days, base 50°F.

Compared with the next station

The nearest other station, Conway, AR, 16 miles east of Morrilton, has a last frost 3 days later (April 2), the same first-frost date, a season 4 days shorter.

Frost dates for 72034 (Conway) →

When it snows in Morrilton, Arkansas

The first measurable snow (0.1 inch or more) in Morrilton usually arrives around December 31, and the last of the season around January 31. Those are the middle dates across the winters of 1991–2020 at Morrilton, AR, 0.5 miles away: half of years saw snow earlier, half later. Snow fell in 59% of those winters. The last 32°F night of spring typically comes 58 days after the last snow.

Planting calendar for 72110

What to do and when, from the 50% frost dates for Morrilton, Arkansas
WhenWhat to do
January 19 – February 2Start peppers and aubergines indoorsThey need eight to ten weeks under lights before they can go out.
February 2 – February 16Start tomatoes indoorsSix to eight weeks gives a transplant big enough to set fruit early.
March 2 – March 16Sow peas, spinach, lettuce, radish outdoorsThese tolerate light frost and prefer to germinate in cool soil.
March 30 onwardTransplant tomatoes, peppers, basil, squash, cucumbersThe average last freeze has passed — still watch the actual forecast.
by August 10Sow the autumn crop of carrots, beets and brassicasThey need about twelve weeks to size up before growth stops.
by October 19Harvest tender crops, or be ready to cover themA first freeze two weeks early is well within normal variation.
November 2 onwardPlant garlic, mulch beds, lift tender bulbsGarlic wants a cold spell; bare soil loses structure over winter.

The weeks before and after the 50% dates are general rules of thumb, not NOAA figures; a seed packet gives the timing for each variety.

Where these figures come from

ZIP 72110 is under a mile from Morrilton, AR, which stands at 340 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 72110 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.

Frost dates across Arkansas →

Hardiness zone and temperature range: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023 (USDA-ARS, Oregon State University), ZIP-code listing, unchanged. °C converted from °F by this site.

Thirty-year averages, not a forecast: check the forecast before planting out. How stations are matched and which pages are offered to search engines: methodology.

Other zone 8a places in Arkansas