U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00092283 · Georgia

Frost Dates for Cornelia, GA

NOAA weather station Cornelia (USC00092283), Georgia · elevation 1470 ft (448 m) · hardiness zone 8a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 14only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMarch 3050% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostNovember 650% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season222 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone8acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Cornelia, GASpring: a frost after March 12 in 9 years out of 10, after March 30 in half of the years, after April 14 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 24 in 1 year out of 10, before November 6 in half of the years, before November 25 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 222 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Mar 30First frost ~Nov 6Frost season at Cornelia, GASpring: a frost after March 12 in 9 years out of 10, after March 30 in half of the years, after April 14 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 24 in 1 year out of 10, before November 6 in half of the years, before November 25 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 222 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Mar 30First frost ~Nov 6
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 24
50% (typical)March 30November 6
90% (likely)March 12November 25
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
222 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 18
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 18

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost March 29 (1 day earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 6. 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 Cornelia: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 14, 20% April 8, 30% April 4, 40% April 1, 50% March 30, 60% March 27, 70% March 23, 80% March 18, 90% March 12. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 22, 2022 April 10, 2023 March 22, 2024 March 20, 2025 March 22, 2026 March 19.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Mar 1Apr 1Apr 14Mar 30Mar 122021: April 222022: April 102023: March 222024: March 202025: March 222026: March 19Fall at Cornelia: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 24, 20% October 29, 30% November 1, 40% November 3, 50% November 6, 60% November 9, 70% November 12, 80% November 17, 90% November 25. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 14, 2022 October 19, 2023 November 1, 2024 November 30, 2025 November 10.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Dec 1Oct 24Nov 6Nov 252021: November 142022: October 192023: November 12024: November 302025: November 10
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
2022April 10October 19
2023March 22November 1
2024March 20November 30
2025March 22November 10
2026March 19season not over yet

What these dates mean

October 24 marks the cautious fall date in Cornelia for finishing the harvest of tender crops; only a 10 % chance of a light frost exists before that day.

For a gardener, the 50 % light-frost dates indicate when the odds of frost are even. The spring median is March 30 and the fall median is November 6; at those points a frost is as likely as not. A cautious planting schedule therefore waits until the April 14 light-frost date (10 % chance of later frost) in spring, while in fall it aims to complete tender crops by the October 24 date.

Hard frosts at 28 °F are more damaging than light frosts at 32 °F, and the 50 % hard-frost dates are March 18 in spring and November 18 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 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 24" 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 Cornelia, GANumbered nearest stations: 1 — Helen, GA — 17 mi; 2 — Gainesville, GA — 24 mi; 3 — Walhalla, SC — 31 mi; 4 — Blairsville, GA — 33 mi; 5 — near Athens, GA — 41 mi.SCNCTN25 mi · 40 km1. Helen, GA — 17 mi12. Gainesville, GA — 24 mi23. Walhalla, SC — 31 mi34. Blairsville, GA — 33 mi45. near Athens, GA — 41 mi5
  1. Helen, GA 17 mi (27 km)
  2. Gainesville, GA 24 mi (39 km)
  3. Walhalla, SC 31 mi (49 km)
  4. Blairsville, GA 33 mi (53 km)
  5. near Athens, GA 41 mi (66 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: 34.5181, -83.5286.