U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00462522 · West Virginia

Frost Dates for Dunlow, WV

NOAA weather station Dunlow 1 SW (USC00462522), West Virginia · elevation 1113 ft (339 m) · hardiness zone 7a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 4only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 1350% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 2650% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season197 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone7acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Dunlow, WVSpring: a frost after March 27 in 9 years out of 10, after April 13 in half of the years, after May 4 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 14 in 1 year out of 10, before October 26 in half of the years, before November 7 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 197 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 13First frost ~Oct 26Frost season at Dunlow, WVSpring: a frost after March 27 in 9 years out of 10, after April 13 in half of the years, after May 4 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 14 in 1 year out of 10, before October 26 in half of the years, before November 7 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 197 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 13First frost ~Oct 26
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)May 4October 14
50% (typical)April 13October 26
90% (likely)March 27November 7
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
197 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 31
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 6

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 13 (same as the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 30 (4 days later). Frost-free season 199 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 Dunlow: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 4, 20% April 27, 30% April 20, 40% April 16, 50% April 13, 60% April 9, 70% April 5, 80% April 1, 90% March 27. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 24, 2022 April 21, 2023 April 26, 2025 April 13, 2026 May 4.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 4Apr 13Mar 272021: April 242022: April 212023: April 262025: April 132026: May 4Fall at Dunlow: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 14, 20% October 18, 30% October 21, 40% October 24, 50% October 26, 60% October 29, 70% October 31, 80% November 3, 90% November 7. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 3, 2022 October 9, 2023 November 1, 2024 October 17, 2025 November 10.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 14Oct 26Nov 72021: November 32022: October 92023: November 12024: October 172025: 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 24November 3
2022April 21October 9
2023April 26November 1
2024incomplete recordOctober 17
2025April 13November 10
2026May 4season not over yet

What these dates mean

Setting out tender crops on the early spring date of March 27 carries a 90 % chance of a light frost, so it is a gamble for growers in Dunlow. The cautious alternative is May 4, which has only a 10 % chance of a frost later than that date.

The 50% date in spring is April 13, indicating a 50 % chance of a light frost later than this date. In the fall the 50% date is October 26, meaning there is a 50 % chance of a light frost earlier than this date. For a low-risk schedule, the cautious fall date is October 14, with a 10 % chance of a frost earlier than that day, while November 7 represents a 90 % gamble.

Hard frosts at 28 °F are more damaging than light frosts at 32 °F, and the median hard-frost dates are March 31 in spring and November 6 in fall. The 32 °F 50% dates are 197 days apart, based on 28 years of record.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 4" 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 14" 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 Dunlow, WVNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Logan, WV — 24 mi; 2 — near Huntington, WV — 30 mi; 3 — South Point, OH — 34 mi; 4 — near Winfield, WV — 48 mi; 5 — Hogsett RC Byrd Dam, WV — 52 mi.WVKYOH25 mi · 40 km1. Logan, WV — 24 mi12. near Huntington, WV — 30 mi23. South Point, OH — 34 mi34. near Winfield, WV — 48 mi45. Hogsett RC Byrd Dam, WV — 52 mi5
  1. Logan, WV 24 mi (38 km)
  2. near Huntington, WV 30 mi (48 km)
  3. South Point, OH 34 mi (55 km)
  4. near Winfield, WV 48 mi (77 km)
  5. Hogsett RC Byrd Dam, WV 52 mi (84 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 7a: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 37.9494, -82.4047.