U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USW00093846 · South Carolina

Frost Dates for Anderson County Airport, SC

NOAA weather station Anderson County Airport (USW00093846), South Carolina · elevation 760 ft (232 m) · hardiness zone 8b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 13only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMarch 2950% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostNovember 850% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season227 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone8bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Anderson County Airport, SCSpring: a frost after March 11 in 9 years out of 10, after March 29 in half of the years, after April 13 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 26 in 1 year out of 10, before November 8 in half of the years, before November 23 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 227 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Mar 29First frost ~Nov 8Frost season at Anderson County Airport, SCSpring: a frost after March 11 in 9 years out of 10, after March 29 in half of the years, after April 13 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 26 in 1 year out of 10, before November 8 in half of the years, before November 23 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 227 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Mar 29First frost ~Nov 8
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 30 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)April 13October 26
50% (typical)March 29November 8
90% (likely)March 11November 23
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
227 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 15
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 21

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost March 27 (2 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 8. Frost-free season 229 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 Anderson County Airport: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 13, 20% April 8, 30% April 4, 40% April 1, 50% March 29, 60% March 26, 70% March 22, 80% March 18, 90% March 11. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 22, 2022 April 10, 2023 March 21, 2024 March 19, 2025 March 21, 2026 March 19.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Mar 1Apr 1Apr 13Mar 29Mar 112021: April 222022: April 102023: March 212024: March 192025: March 212026: March 19Fall at Anderson County Airport: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 26, 20% October 31, 30% November 2, 40% November 5, 50% November 8, 60% November 10, 70% November 14, 80% November 17, 90% November 23. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 14, 2022 October 19, 2023 November 2, 2024 November 29, 2025 November 10.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Dec 1Oct 26Nov 8Nov 232021: November 142022: October 192023: November 22024: November 292025: November 10
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 22November 14
2022April 10October 19
2023March 21November 2
2024March 19November 29
2025March 21November 10
2026March 19season not over yet

What these dates mean

The 227 days between the 50% dates in Anderson County Airport span March 29 to November 8, framing the period when tender crops can be grown. The 50% date is March 29 in spring and November 8 in fall; each marks an even chance of a light frost but is not a frost date.

For a cautious planting plan, the spring date to set out tender crops is April 13, with only a 10% chance of a light frost later, while the fall date to finish harvesting tender crops is October 26, with only a 10% chance of a light frost earlier. In contrast, March 11 carries a 90% chance of a frost later and November 23 carries a 90% chance of a frost earlier, making those dates risky.

A hard frost at 28°F, marked by the median dates March 15 and November 21, can damage plants more severely than a light frost at 32°F because the lower temperature can freeze plant tissues that survive a light frost.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after April 13" 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 26" 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 Anderson County Airport, SCNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Anderson, SC — 3 mi; 2 — Clemson, SC — 13 mi; 3 — Elberton, GA — 26 mi; 4 — Walhalla, SC — 27 mi; 5 — Calhoun Falls, SC — 29 mi.SCGANC25 mi · 40 km1. Anderson, SC — 3 mi12. Clemson, SC — 13 mi23. Elberton, GA — 26 mi34. Walhalla, SC — 27 mi45. Calhoun Falls, SC — 29 mi5
  1. Anderson, SC 3 mi (6 km)
  2. Clemson, SC 13 mi (21 km)
  3. Elberton, GA 26 mi (42 km)
  4. Walhalla, SC 27 mi (44 km)
  5. Calhoun Falls, SC 29 mi (47 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 8b: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 34.4978, -82.7097.