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When to plant in West Memphis, AR

USDA Zone 8a

Here are the average frost dates, USDA hardiness zone, and a month-by-month planting calendar for West Memphis, Arkansas — all computed from West Memphis's nearest NOAA weather station.

Zone 8a means many perennials and even some tender shrubs overwinter in West Memphis, while your frost dates still decide when annuals go out.

Station · W MEMPHIS · 3.3 km
Last spring frost
March 19
50% chance · 32°F
First fall frost
November 10
50% chance · 32°F
Growing season
236 days
frost-free
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Frost calendar for West MemphisA year-band showing 32°F frost risk from January to December for West Memphis: last spring frost around March 19, first fall frost around November 10, about 236 frost-free days between.
Shaded months carry frost risk; the clear span is the average frost-free season.

The average last spring frost in West Memphis is now 7 days earlier than in the 1981–2010 normals. See how frost dates are shifting nationwide →

Frost probability

W MEMPHIS · 1991–2020

The 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 West Memphis’s own odds, recorded at W MEMPHIS.

Frost-probability curves for West MemphisProbability of the last spring frost and first fall frost by date at 32°F. The last spring frost is most likely around March 19 and the first fall frost around November 10, giving about 236 frost-free days.
Last spring frostFirst fall frostbold = 32°F · thin = 28°F / 36°F · dot = 50% date · band = 10–90% window
ThresholdSPRING 10%SPRING 50%SPRING 90%FALL 10%FALL 50%FALL 90%
36°FApr 20Apr 2Mar 14Oct 17Oct 31Nov 15
32°FApr 7Mar 19Mar 1Oct 28Nov 10Nov 30
28°FMar 31Mar 7Feb 16Nov 5Nov 22Dec 14

Download this table as CSV ↓ — every threshold and probability, plus this city’s planting-window dates.

What to plant now

TODAY · JULY 19
Fall sowin 2 days
Brussels Sprouts
July 21August 4
Fall sowin 16 days
Rutabaga
August 4August 18

Add these crops to your calendar (.ics) ↓

Full-year planting calendar

Start indoorsTransplantDirect sowFall sow

Each bar is the exact window to take a planting action in West Memphis, drawn to the day from the local frost dates. The dashed line is today.

Nearby weather stations

3 within 22 km · complete 32°F normals

When 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.

W MEMPHIS
Primary
3 km · 66 m elevation
SPRING
Mar 19
FALL
Nov 10
WEST MEMPHIS MUNI AP
4 km · 65 m elevation
SPRING
Mar 16
FALL
Nov 11
MEMPHIS INTL AP
22 km · 77 m elevation
SPRING
Mar 16
FALL
Nov 16

West Memphis planting FAQ

When is the last spring frost in West Memphis, AR?

Plan for the last spring frost in West Memphis around March 19 (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 West Memphis, AR?

The first fall frost in West Memphis typically arrives around November 10 (50% probability at 32°F). Harvest or protect frost-sensitive crops before then.

What hardiness zone is West Memphis in?

West Memphis is in USDA hardiness zone 8a. In zone 8a, winters are mild — many tender perennials overwinter here.

How long is the growing season in West Memphis?

There are roughly 236 frost-free days in West Memphis (a long growing season), running from the average last frost around March 19 to the first fall frost near November 10.

When should I plant tomatoes in West Memphis?

In West Memphis, start tomato seeds indoors around January 22–February 5, then transplant seedlings outdoors around March 26 once the danger of frost has passed.

Planting reminders

Never miss a window in West Memphis

An email when it’s time to start seeds, transplant, and sow — timed to West Memphis’s frost dates. Double opt-in, one-click unsubscribe, no spam.

Nearby cities

8 within reach

Frost dates recorded at W MEMPHIS, 3 km from the city center · 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals · zone from the USDA/PRISM 2023 map. How we compute this.

Cite this page
BlissGarden. "When to Plant in West Memphis, AR — Frost Dates & Zone 8a." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00037712. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/arkansas/west-memphis.