U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00311055 · North Carolina

Frost Dates for Brevard, NC

NOAA weather station Brevard (USC00311055), North Carolina · elevation 2175 ft (663 m) · hardiness zone 7b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 7only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 2150% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 2350% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season185 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone7bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Brevard, NCSpring: a frost after April 4 in 9 years out of 10, after April 21 in half of the years, after May 7 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 11 in 1 year out of 10, before October 23 in half of the years, before November 3 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 185 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 21First frost ~Oct 23Frost season at Brevard, NCSpring: a frost after April 4 in 9 years out of 10, after April 21 in half of the years, after May 7 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 11 in 1 year out of 10, before October 23 in half of the years, before November 3 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 185 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 21First frost ~Oct 23
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 25 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 7October 11
50% (typical)April 21October 23
90% (likely)April 4November 3
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
185 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 4
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 1

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 20 (1 day earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 23. Frost-free season 184 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 Brevard: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 7, 20% May 2, 30% April 27, 40% April 23, 50% April 21, 60% April 17, 70% April 14, 80% April 10, 90% April 4. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 24, 2022 April 21, 2023 April 12, 2024 April 8, 2025 April 14, 2026 March 30.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 7Apr 21Apr 42021: April 242022: April 212023: April 122024: April 82025: April 142026: March 30Fall at Brevard: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 11, 20% October 15, 30% October 18, 40% October 20, 50% October 23, 60% October 25, 70% October 28, 80% October 31, 90% November 3. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 8, 2022 October 18, 2023 November 1, 2024 October 17, 2025 October 23.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 11Oct 23Nov 32021: November 82022: October 182023: November 12024: October 172025: October 23
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 8
2022April 21October 18
2023April 12November 1
2024April 8October 17
2025April 14October 23
2026March 30season not over yet

What these dates mean

Setting out tender crops on the early spring date of April 4 is a gamble; historically there is a 90 % chance that a light frost will still occur after this day in Brevard. The median point for light-frost risk is the 50 % date of April 21, meaning a 50 % chance of a frost later than this date. In the autumn, the 50 % date is October 23, giving a 50 % chance of a frost earlier than this date.

For a cautious planting plan, gardeners use the later spring date of May 7, which carries only a 10 % chance of a frost later, and the early fall date of October 11, which carries only a 10 % chance of a frost earlier. Counting on tender crops to survive until November 3 would be a gamble, as a frost occurs earlier than that date 90 % of the time.

The hard-frost 50 % dates are April 4 in spring and November 1 in fall, and a hard frost at 28 °F can injure plants that would otherwise survive a light frost at 32 °F.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 7" 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 11" 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 Brevard, NCNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Caesars Head, SC — 10 mi; 2 — Asheville (Airport), NC — 18 mi; 3 — Bent Creek, NC — 21 mi; 4 — Waynesville, NC — 22 mi; 5 — Cullowhee, NC — 25 mi.NCSCTNGA25 mi · 40 km1. Caesars Head, SC — 10 mi12. Asheville (Airport), NC — 18 mi23. Bent Creek, NC — 21 mi34. Waynesville, NC — 22 mi45. Cullowhee, NC — 25 mi5
  1. Caesars Head, SC 10 mi (17 km)
  2. Asheville (Airport), NC 18 mi (29 km)
  3. Bent Creek, NC 21 mi (33 km)
  4. Waynesville, NC 22 mi (36 km)
  5. Cullowhee, NC 25 mi (41 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: 35.2283, -82.7358.