U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USW00013883 · South Carolina

Frost Dates for Columbia, SC

NOAA weather station Columbia (USW00013883), South Carolina · elevation 231 ft (70 m) · hardiness zone 8b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 10only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMarch 2550% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostNovember 750% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season229 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone8bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Columbia, SCSpring: a frost after March 4 in 9 years out of 10, after March 25 in half of the years, after April 10 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 26 in 1 year out of 10, before November 7 in half of the years, before November 24 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 229 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Mar 25First frost ~Nov 7Frost season at Columbia, SCSpring: a frost after March 4 in 9 years out of 10, after March 25 in half of the years, after April 10 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 26 in 1 year out of 10, before November 7 in half of the years, before November 24 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 229 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Mar 25First frost ~Nov 7
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 30 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)April 10October 26
50% (typical)March 25November 7
90% (likely)March 4November 24
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
229 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 10
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 22

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost March 23 (2 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 6 (1 day earlier). Frost-free season 230 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 Columbia: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 10, 20% April 4, 30% April 1, 40% March 28, 50% March 25, 60% March 21, 70% March 17, 80% March 13, 90% March 4. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 3, 2022 April 10, 2023 March 21, 2024 February 25, 2025 March 7, 2026 March 19.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Mar 1Apr 1Apr 10Mar 25Mar 42021: April 32022: April 102023: March 212024: February 252025: March 72026: March 19Fall at Columbia: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 26, 20% October 30, 30% November 1, 40% November 4, 50% November 7, 60% November 10, 70% November 14, 80% November 18, 90% November 24. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 8, 2022 November 17, 2023 November 1, 2024 November 30, 2025 November 11.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Dec 1Oct 26Nov 7Nov 242021: November 82022: November 172023: November 12024: 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 8
2022April 10November 17
2023March 21November 1
2024February 25November 30
2025March 7November 11
2026March 19season not over yet

What these dates mean

The 229 days between the 32°F 50% dates in Columbia, March 25 and November 7, define the window when a gardener can expect an even chance of a light frost occurring later in spring or earlier in fall. The 50% date is March 25, marking a 50 % chance a light frost will occur after this day, and the 50% date is November 7, marking a 50 % chance a light frost will occur before this day. The cautious date for setting out tender crops in spring is April 10, which carries only a 10 % chance of a later frost, while the cautious date to finish harvesting tender crops in fall is October 26, which carries only a 10 % chance of an earlier frost.

Hard frost at 28°F poses a greater threat because temperatures that low can damage plant tissue that survives a 32°F light frost; the 50% hard-frost dates are March 10 and November 22, indicating when a hard frost is equally likely to have occurred in spring or to arrive in fall.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after April 10" 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 26" 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 Columbia, SCNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Columbia University of SC, SC — 6 mi; 2 — near Chapin, SC — 24 mi; 3 — Saluda, SC — 38 mi; 4 — Bamberg, SC — 46 mi; 5 — Chester, SC — 51 mi.GA25 mi · 40 km1. Columbia University of SC, SC — 6 mi12. near Chapin, SC — 24 mi23. Saluda, SC — 38 mi34. Bamberg, SC — 46 mi45. Chester, SC — 51 mi5
  1. Columbia University of SC, SC 6 mi (10 km)
  2. near Chapin, SC 24 mi (39 km)
  3. Saluda, SC 38 mi (60 km)
  4. Bamberg, SC 46 mi (74 km)
  5. Chester, SC 51 mi (82 km)

Sources

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

Station coordinates: 33.9486, -81.1186.