When to plant in Forrest City, AR
USDA Zone 8aEverything below — frost dates, hardiness zone, and what to plant when in Forrest City, Arkansas — is derived from the closest NOAA station with complete climate normals.
These dates come from a station roughly 27 km away, the closest with full normals; terrain around Forrest City (elevation, water, pavement) can move your real frost dates a few days either way. In zone 8a, Forrest City supports a wide range of perennials year-round; the frost dates above are what set your annual vegetable timing.
The average last spring frost in Forrest City is now 10 days earlier than in the 1981–2010 normals. See how frost dates are shifting nationwide →
Frost probability
WYNNE · 1991–2020The date the last spring and first fall frost occur, by threshold and probability. A 90% date is later in spring — and earlier in fall — than a 10% date; the 50% · 32°F row is what most gardeners plan around. These are Forrest City’s own odds, recorded at WYNNE.
| Threshold | SPRING 10% | SPRING 50% | SPRING 90% | FALL 10% | FALL 50% | FALL 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Apr 18 | Apr 4 | Mar 17 | Oct 15 | Oct 28 | Nov 12 |
| 32°F | Apr 8 | Mar 23 | Mar 3 | Oct 24 | Nov 7 | Nov 27 |
| 28°F | Mar 28 | Mar 9 | Feb 19 | Nov 2 | Nov 20 | Dec 12 |
Download this table as CSV ↓ — every threshold and probability, plus this city’s planting-window dates.
What to plant now
TODAY · JULY 19Full-year planting calendar
Each bar is the exact window to take a planting action in Forrest City, drawn to the day from the local frost dates. The dashed line is today.
Nearby weather stations
3 within 41 km · complete 32°F normalsWhen stations disagree by more than a few days, that spread is real microclimate variation — elevation, water, urban heat. Judge which station best matches your own yard.
Forrest City planting FAQ
When is the last spring frost in Forrest City, AR?
Plan for the last spring frost in Forrest City around March 23 (the date it has a 50% chance of a 32°F freeze). Anything frost-sensitive should go out after it.
When is the first fall frost in Forrest City, AR?
In Forrest City, the first 32°F freeze of fall lands around November 7 on average. Time your last harvests and any season-extension cover before it.
What hardiness zone is Forrest City in?
Forrest City is in USDA hardiness zone 8a. In zone 8a, winters are mild — many tender perennials overwinter here.
How long is the growing season in Forrest City?
Forrest City has about 229 frost-free days — a long growing season — between the average last spring frost (March 23) and first fall frost (November 7).
When should I plant tomatoes in Forrest City?
For Forrest City, sow tomatoes indoors about January 26–February 9 and move the seedlings out around March 30, after the last spring frost.
Never miss a window in Forrest City
An email when it’s time to start seeds, transplant, and sow — timed to Forrest City’s frost dates. Double opt-in, one-click unsubscribe, no spam.
Nearby cities
8 within reach- West Memphis · 56 km
- Marion · 57 km
- Horn Lake · 68 km
- Southaven · 75 km
- Hernando · 75 km
- Memphis · 76 km
- Olive Branch · 87 km
- Millington · 89 km
Frost dates recorded at WYNNE, 27 km from the city center · 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals · zone from the USDA/PRISM 2023 map. How we compute this.
BlissGarden. "When to Plant in Forrest City, AR — Frost Dates & Zone 8a." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00038052. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/arkansas/forrest-city.