U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00381588 · South Carolina

Frost Dates for Cheraw, SC

NOAA weather station Cheraw (USC00381588), South Carolina · elevation 150 ft (46 m) · hardiness zone 8a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 9only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMarch 2650% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostNovember 950% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season231 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone8acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Cheraw, SCSpring: a frost after March 5 in 9 years out of 10, after March 26 in half of the years, after April 9 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 29 in 1 year out of 10, before November 9 in half of the years, before November 27 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 231 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Mar 26First frost ~Nov 9Frost season at Cheraw, SCSpring: a frost after March 5 in 9 years out of 10, after March 26 in half of the years, after April 9 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 29 in 1 year out of 10, before November 9 in half of the years, before November 27 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 231 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Mar 26First frost ~Nov 9
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 27 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)April 9October 29
50% (typical)March 26November 9
90% (likely)March 5November 27
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
231 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 13
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 21

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost March 28 (2 days later than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 7 (2 days earlier). Frost-free season 226 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 Cheraw: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 9, 20% April 5, 30% April 1, 40% March 29, 50% March 26, 60% March 22, 70% March 17, 80% March 13, 90% March 5. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 22, 2022 March 29, 2023 March 22, 2024 March 19, 2025 March 7, 2026 March 30.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Mar 1Apr 1Apr 9Mar 26Mar 52021: April 222022: March 292023: March 222024: March 192025: March 72026: March 30Fall at Cheraw: 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 6, 50% November 9, 60% November 12, 70% November 16, 80% November 21, 90% November 27. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 14, 2022 October 19, 2023 November 2, 2024 November 22, 2025 November 11.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Dec 1Oct 29Nov 9Nov 272021: November 142022: October 192023: November 22024: November 222025: 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 14
2022March 29October 19
2023March 22November 2
2024March 19November 22
2025March 7November 11
2026March 30season not over yet

What these dates mean

The 231 days between the 50% dates in Cheraw span the period from March 26 to November 9, during which light frosts are less likely to interrupt gardening activities. The 50% dates themselves mark the point where there is an even chance of a 32 °F frost occurring later in spring or earlier in fall.

In spring, April 9 carries a 10% chance of a frost later than that date, making it the cautious date for setting out tender crops, while March 5 carries a 90% chance and would be a gamble. In fall, October 29 carries a 10% chance of a frost earlier than that date, so it is the cautious date for finishing harvest of tender crops, whereas November 27 carries a 90% chance and would be a gamble.

Hard frost at 28 °F is more damaging than a light frost, and its median dates—March 13 in spring and November 21 in fall—highlight the tighter window when temperatures can injure plants that survive the milder 32 °F 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 9" 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 Cheraw, SCNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Hartsville, SC — 23 mi; 2 — Laurinburg, NC — 24 mi; 3 — Darlington, SC — 28 mi; 4 — Florence, SC — 37 mi; 5 — Lumberton, NC — 49 mi.NC25 mi · 40 km1. Hartsville, SC — 23 mi12. Laurinburg, NC — 24 mi23. Darlington, SC — 28 mi34. Florence, SC — 37 mi45. Lumberton, NC — 49 mi5
  1. Hartsville, SC 23 mi (37 km)
  2. Laurinburg, NC 24 mi (38 km)
  3. Darlington, SC 28 mi (45 km)
  4. Florence, SC 37 mi (59 km)
  5. Lumberton, NC 49 mi (79 km)

Sources

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

Station coordinates: 34.7028, -79.8822.