U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USW00013880 · South Carolina

Frost Dates for Charleston, SC

NOAA weather station Charleston International Airport (USW00013880), South Carolina · elevation 40 ft (12 m) · hardiness zone 9a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter March 27only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMarch 750% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostNovember 2750% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season266 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone9acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Charleston, SCSpring: a frost after February 12 in 9 years out of 10, after March 7 in half of the years, after March 27 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before November 8 in 1 year out of 10, before November 27 in half of the years, before December 21 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 266 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Mar 7First frost ~Nov 27Frost season at Charleston, SCSpring: a frost after February 12 in 9 years out of 10, after March 7 in half of the years, after March 27 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before November 8 in 1 year out of 10, before November 27 in half of the years, before December 21 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 266 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Mar 7First frost ~Nov 27
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)March 27November 8
50% (typical)March 7November 27
90% (likely)February 12December 21
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
266 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
February 20
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
December 15

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost March 6 (1 day earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 24 (3 days earlier). Frost-free season 264 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 Charleston: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% March 27, 20% March 20, 30% March 15, 40% March 11, 50% March 7, 60% March 3, 70% February 27, 80% February 22, 90% February 12. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 3, 2022 March 14, 2023 January 28, 2024 February 20, 2025 March 3, 2026 March 18.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Feb 1Mar 1Apr 1Mar 27Mar 7Feb 122021: April 32022: March 142023: January 282024: February 202025: March 32026: March 18Fall at Charleston: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% November 8, 20% November 13, 30% November 19, 40% November 23, 50% November 27, 60% December 1, 70% December 4, 80% December 11, 90% December 21. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 23, 2022 December 23, 2023 December 12, 2024 November 30, 2025 November 11.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Dec 1Jan 1Nov 8Nov 27Dec 212021: November 232022: December 232023: December 122024: November 302025: November 11
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 3November 23
2022March 14December 23
2023January 28December 12
2024February 20November 30
2025March 3November 11
2026March 18season not over yet

What these dates mean

Setting out tender crops on the early spring date, February 12, carries a 90% chance of a frost, making it a gamble for gardeners in Charleston.

A cautious plan for tender crops uses the March 27 date, which has only a 10% chance of a frost later, and the November 8 date, which has a 10% chance of a frost earlier, to time planting and harvest. The 50% dates—March 7 in spring and November 27 in fall—mark the point where frost has a 50% chance of occurring later (spring) or earlier (fall) than the date. Hard-frost dates are February 20 and December 15; a hard frost at 28 °F can damage plants that survive a light frost at 32 °F. The record spans 30 years, and the interval between the two 32 °F 50% dates is 266 days.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after March 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 November 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 Charleston, SCNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Andrews, SC — 46 mi; 2 — Yemassee, SC — 49 mi; 3 — Manning, SC — 56 mi; 4 — Bamberg, SC — 64 mi; 5 — Savannah, GA — 86 mi.SCGA50 mi · 80 km1. Andrews, SC — 46 mi12. Yemassee, SC — 49 mi23. Manning, SC — 56 mi34. Bamberg, SC — 64 mi45. Savannah, GA — 86 mi5
  1. Andrews, SC 46 mi (75 km)
  2. Yemassee, SC 49 mi (79 km)
  3. Manning, SC 56 mi (90 km)
  4. Bamberg, SC 64 mi (102 km)
  5. Savannah, GA 86 mi (139 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 9a: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 32.8986, -80.0403.