U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00093060 · Georgia

Frost Dates for Elberton, GA

NOAA weather station Elberton 2 N (USC00093060), Georgia · elevation 540 ft (165 m) · hardiness zone 8a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 21only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 650% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 3050% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season209 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone8acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Elberton, GASpring: a frost after March 20 in 9 years out of 10, after April 6 in half of the years, after April 21 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 17 in 1 year out of 10, before October 30 in half of the years, before November 14 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 209 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 6First frost ~Oct 30Frost season at Elberton, GASpring: a frost after March 20 in 9 years out of 10, after April 6 in half of the years, after April 21 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 17 in 1 year out of 10, before October 30 in half of the years, before November 14 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 209 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 6First frost ~Oct 30
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.Today

Frost dates (32°F)

Probability of frost, based on 26 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)April 21October 17
50% (typical)April 6October 30
90% (likely)March 20November 14
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
209 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 24
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 10

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 10 (4 days later than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 28 (2 days earlier). Frost-free season 201 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 Elberton: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 21, 20% April 16, 30% April 13, 40% April 10, 50% April 6, 60% April 3, 70% March 31, 80% March 26, 90% March 20. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 24, 2022 April 11, 2023 April 12, 2024 April 6, 2025 March 22, 2026 March 29.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1Apr 21Apr 6Mar 202021: April 242022: April 112023: April 122024: April 62025: March 222026: March 29Fall at Elberton: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 17, 20% October 22, 30% October 25, 40% October 28, 50% October 30, 60% November 1, 70% November 4, 80% November 8, 90% November 14. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 14, 2022 October 19, 2023 November 2, 2024 October 17, 2025 November 1.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Oct 17Oct 30Nov 142021: November 142022: October 192023: November 22024: October 172025: November 1
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 14
2022April 11October 19
2023April 12November 2
2024April 6October 17
2025March 22November 1
2026March 29season not over yet

What these dates mean

The 209 days between the 50% dates in Elberton, April 6 and October 30, frame the season when a light-frost (32°F) event is as likely to have happened as not, giving gardeners a clear window for most planting and harvesting tasks. Within that span, the median hard-frost (28°F) dates are March 24 in spring and November 10 in fall, marking when deeper freezes become equally probable.

For a cautious plan, tender crops should be set out after the spring cautious date of April 21 and finished before the fall cautious date of October 17; those dates carry only a 10 % chance of a light frost occurring later (spring) or earlier (fall). A hard frost matters more than a light frost because 28°F can injure or kill plants that would otherwise survive the milder 32°F exposure.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after April 21" 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 17" 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 Elberton, GANumbered nearest stations: 1 — Calhoun Falls, SC — 16 mi; 2 — Anderson County Airport, SC — 26 mi; 3 — Anderson, SC — 29 mi; 4 — near Athens, GA — 30 mi; 5 — Clemson, SC — 36 mi.GASCNC25 mi · 40 km1. Calhoun Falls, SC — 16 mi12. Anderson County Airport, SC — 26 mi23. Anderson, SC — 29 mi34. near Athens, GA — 30 mi45. Clemson, SC — 36 mi5
  1. Calhoun Falls, SC 16 mi (25 km)
  2. Anderson County Airport, SC 26 mi (42 km)
  3. Anderson, SC 29 mi (47 km)
  4. near Athens, GA 30 mi (49 km)
  5. Clemson, SC 36 mi (58 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: 34.1408, -82.855.