U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00441593 · Virginia

Frost Dates for Charlottesville, VA

NOAA weather station Charlottesville 2 W (USC00441593), Virginia · elevation 866 ft (264 m) · hardiness zone 7b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 14only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 250% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostNovember 1050% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season222 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone7bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Charlottesville, VASpring: a frost after March 16 in 9 years out of 10, after April 2 in half of the years, after April 14 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 29 in 1 year out of 10, before November 10 in half of the years, before November 28 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 222 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 2First frost ~Nov 10Frost season at Charlottesville, VASpring: a frost after March 16 in 9 years out of 10, after April 2 in half of the years, after April 14 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 29 in 1 year out of 10, before November 10 in half of the years, before November 28 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 222 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 2First frost ~Nov 10
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 28 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)April 14October 29
50% (typical)April 2November 10
90% (likely)March 16November 28
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
222 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 22
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 22

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 2 (same as the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 10. Frost-free season 224 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 Charlottesville: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 14, 20% April 10, 30% April 7, 40% April 4, 50% April 2, 60% March 31, 70% March 28, 80% March 24, 90% March 16. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 22, 2022 March 30, 2023 March 21, 2024 March 25, 2025 April 9, 2026 March 19.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1Apr 14Apr 2Mar 162021: April 222022: March 302023: March 212024: March 252025: April 92026: March 19Fall at Charlottesville: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 29, 20% November 1, 30% November 4, 40% November 7, 50% November 10, 60% November 13, 70% November 16, 80% November 21, 90% November 28. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 6, 2022 November 14, 2023 November 2, 2024 November 14, 2025 November 11.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Dec 1Oct 29Nov 10Nov 282021: November 62022: November 142023: November 22024: November 142025: 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 22November 6
2022March 30November 14
2023March 21November 2
2024March 25November 14
2025April 9November 11
2026March 19season not over yet

What these dates mean

The 222 days between the 50 % dates in Charlottesville—the median light-frost dates of April 2 and November 10—frame the period when a light frost is as likely as not, and it holds the window for most tender garden work. For a gardener, the April 2 and November 10 dates simply mark the middle of the risk curve; earlier than April 2 or later than November 10 the odds move sharply away from the 50 % balance.

The cautious date for setting out tender crops in spring is April 14, when only a 10 % chance of a light frost remains, while planting on March 16 carries a 90 % chance and is a gamble. In the fall, the cautious date to finish harvesting tender crops is October 29, with a 10 % chance of an earlier frost, whereas waiting until November 28 entails a 90 % chance of a frost and is a gamble.

Hard frost at 28 °F—marked by the 50 % hard-frost dates of March 22 and November 22—can damage plants that survive a light frost at 32 °F, making it a more serious threat.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after April 14" 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 29" 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 Charlottesville, VANumbered nearest stations: 1 — Palmyra, VA — 21 mi; 2 — near Orange, VA — 26 mi; 3 — Louisa, VA — 28 mi; 4 — Staunton, VA — 32 mi; 5 — Dale Enterprise, VA — 37 mi.WV25 mi · 40 km1. Palmyra, VA — 21 mi12. near Orange, VA — 26 mi23. Louisa, VA — 28 mi34. Staunton, VA — 32 mi45. Dale Enterprise, VA — 37 mi5
  1. Palmyra, VA 21 mi (33 km)
  2. near Orange, VA 26 mi (42 km)
  3. Louisa, VA 28 mi (45 km)
  4. Staunton, VA 32 mi (51 km)
  5. Dale Enterprise, VA 37 mi (59 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: 38.0328, -78.5225.