U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USW00003812 · North Carolina

Frost Dates for Asheville (Airport), NC

NOAA weather station Asheville Regional Airport (USW00003812), North Carolina · elevation 2117 ft (645 m) · hardiness zone 7b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 27only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 950% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 2850% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season201 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone7bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Asheville (Airport), NCSpring: a frost after March 22 in 9 years out of 10, after April 9 in half of the years, after April 27 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 14 in 1 year out of 10, before October 28 in half of the years, before November 9 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 201 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 9First frost ~Oct 28Frost season at Asheville (Airport), NCSpring: a frost after March 22 in 9 years out of 10, after April 9 in half of the years, after April 27 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 14 in 1 year out of 10, before October 28 in half of the years, before November 9 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 201 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 9First frost ~Oct 28
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.Today

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 27October 14
50% (typical)April 9October 28
90% (likely)March 22November 9
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
201 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 26
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 8

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 8 (1 day earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 29 (1 day later). Frost-free season 203 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 Asheville (Airport): chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 27, 20% April 20, 30% April 17, 40% April 13, 50% April 9, 60% April 6, 70% April 2, 80% March 30, 90% March 22. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 23, 2022 April 20, 2023 April 10, 2024 April 7, 2025 March 27, 2026 March 29.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1Apr 27Apr 9Mar 222021: April 232022: April 202023: April 102024: April 72025: March 272026: March 29Fall at Asheville (Airport): chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 14, 20% October 19, 30% October 22, 40% October 25, 50% October 28, 60% October 31, 70% November 2, 80% November 5, 90% November 9. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 6, 2022 October 18, 2023 November 1, 2024 October 18, 2025 November 1.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 14Oct 28Nov 92021: November 62022: October 182023: November 12024: October 182025: November 1
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 23November 6
2022April 20October 18
2023April 10November 1
2024April 7October 18
2025March 27November 1
2026March 29season not over yet

What these dates mean

April 27 is the cautious spring light-frost date for Asheville (Airport); with only a 10% chance of a frost later than that day, gardeners can plan to set out tender crops after it. The 50% date is April 9, meaning a gardener faces an even odds frost chance on that calendar day. In the fall the cautious light-frost date is October 14, when there is just a 10% chance a frost has already arrived, so finishing harvest of tender crops by then keeps risk low. The 50% date is October 28, marking the point of even odds for an early frost.

Hard frosts, defined by 28°F, are represented by the 50% dates March 26 in spring and November 8 in fall; a hard frost can damage plants that survive a light frost, making it a more critical threshold for gardeners.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after April 27" 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 14" 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 Asheville (Airport), NCNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Bent Creek, NC — 6 mi; 2 — Asheville, NC — 11 mi; 3 — Brevard, NC — 18 mi; 4 — Tryon, NC — 22 mi; 5 — Caesars Head, SC — 23 mi.NCSCTNGA25 mi · 40 km1. Bent Creek, NC — 6 mi12. Asheville, NC — 11 mi23. Brevard, NC — 18 mi34. Tryon, NC — 22 mi45. Caesars Head, SC — 23 mi5
  1. Bent Creek, NC 6 mi (10 km)
  2. Asheville, NC 11 mi (18 km)
  3. Brevard, NC 18 mi (29 km)
  4. Tryon, NC 22 mi (36 km)
  5. Caesars Head, SC 23 mi (37 km)

Sources

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

Station coordinates: 35.4319, -82.5375.