U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00440021 · Virginia

Frost Dates for Abingdon, VA

NOAA weather station Abingdon 3 S (USC00440021), Virginia · elevation 1925 ft (587 m) · hardiness zone 7a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 10only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 2150% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 2050% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season182 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone7acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Abingdon, VASpring: a frost after April 5 in 9 years out of 10, after April 21 in half of the years, after May 10 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 8 in 1 year out of 10, before October 20 in half of the years, before November 3 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 182 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 21First frost ~Oct 20Frost season at Abingdon, VASpring: a frost after April 5 in 9 years out of 10, after April 21 in half of the years, after May 10 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 8 in 1 year out of 10, before October 20 in half of the years, before November 3 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 182 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 21First frost ~Oct 20
frost likely chance fading 90% → 10% frost-free in a typical yearThe year at a glance. Blue: frost is likely; the gradient fades as the chance drops from 90% to 10%; green: the frost-free part of a typical year.

Frost dates (32°F)

Probability of frost, based on 29 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 10October 8
50% (typical)April 21October 20
90% (likely)April 5November 3
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
182 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 7
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 1

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 22 (1 day later than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 23 (3 days later). Frost-free season 183 days.

A shorter, more recent NOAA period. The 30-year normals above remain the main reference: 15 years carry more year-to-year noise.

Add these dates to your calendar Yearly reminders for the typical last frost, the lower-risk planting date and the typical first fall frost (.ics).

How the chance of frost changes with the date

Spring at Abingdon: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 10, 20% May 3, 30% April 28, 40% April 24, 50% April 21, 60% April 18, 70% April 15, 80% April 11, 90% April 5. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 24, 2022 April 11, 2024 April 23, 2025 April 14, 2026 May 4.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 10Apr 21Apr 52021: April 242022: April 112024: April 232025: April 142026: May 4Fall at Abingdon: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 8, 20% October 12, 30% October 15, 40% October 17, 50% October 20, 60% October 23, 70% October 26, 80% October 30, 90% November 3. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 6, 2023 November 1, 2024 October 18, 2025 October 24.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 8Oct 20Nov 32021: November 62023: November 12024: October 182025: October 24
Two charts, because spring and fall answer different questions: in spring, the chance that a frost still comes after a date; in fall, the chance that the first frost has already come before it. NOAA publishes these odds from 10% to 90%, so the lines stop there. ◆ marks the actual date in each recent year.

What actually happened in recent years

Observed dates of the last spring and first fall frost (32°F) at this station; ◆ marks them on the charts above
YearLast spring frostFirst fall frost
2021April 24November 6
2022April 11incomplete record
2023incomplete recordNovember 1
2024April 23October 18
2025April 14October 24
2026May 4season not over yet

What these dates mean

The cautious fall date for finishing the harvest in Abingdon is October 8, when there is only a 10 % chance that a light frost has arrived earlier.

April 21 is the 50% date for spring light frost, indicating a 50 % chance of a frost later than this date; October 20 is the 50% date for fall light frost, indicating a 50 % chance of a frost earlier than this date. The hard-frost 50% dates are April 7 and November 1; a hard frost at 28 °F can damage plants that survive a light frost at 32 °F, so its timing is especially critical.

For tender crops, the cautious spring date is May 10, when only a 10 % chance of a later frost exists, and the cautious fall date is October 8, with a 10 % chance of an earlier frost. Planting on April 5 or keeping crops until November 3 would involve a 90 % chance of frost, a gamble.

How to read the probabilities

The dates are probabilities from 30 years of weather, not a forecast for this year.

  • Spring: "10% after May 10" means that in about one spring out of ten a frost still happens after that date. The 90% date is the earliest: a frost after it happens in most years.
  • Fall: "10% before October 8" means that in about one fall out of ten the first frost arrives before that date.
  • 50% is the typical date: half of the years are earlier, half are later.
  • A light frost (32°F) damages tender plants; a hard frost (28°F) also stops most hardy vegetables.

Nearby weather stations

Map of weather stations near Abingdon, VANumbered nearest stations: 1 — near Mountain City, TN — 16 mi; 2 — Lebanon, VA — 17 mi; 3 — Saltville, VA — 19 mi; 4 — Elizabethton, TN — 27 mi; 5 — near Bristol, TN — 28 mi.NCTNKYWV25 mi · 40 km1. near Mountain City, TN — 16 mi12. Lebanon, VA — 17 mi23. Saltville, VA — 19 mi34. Elizabethton, TN — 27 mi45. near Bristol, TN — 28 mi5
  1. near Mountain City, TN 16 mi (26 km)
  2. Lebanon, VA 17 mi (27 km)
  3. Saltville, VA 19 mi (30 km)
  4. Elizabethton, TN 27 mi (43 km)
  5. near Bristol, TN 28 mi (45 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 7a: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 36.6686, -81.9647.