U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USW00013729 · West Virginia

Frost Dates for Elkins, WV

NOAA weather station Elkins Randolph County Airport (USW00013729), West Virginia · elevation 1979 ft (603 m) · hardiness zone 6a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 21only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMay 550% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 1250% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season159 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone6acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Elkins, WVSpring: a frost after April 20 in 9 years out of 10, after May 5 in half of the years, after May 21 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 1 in 1 year out of 10, before October 12 in half of the years, before October 25 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 159 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~May 5First frost ~Oct 12Frost season at Elkins, WVSpring: a frost after April 20 in 9 years out of 10, after May 5 in half of the years, after May 21 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 1 in 1 year out of 10, before October 12 in half of the years, before October 25 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 159 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~May 5First frost ~Oct 12
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 30 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 21October 1
50% (typical)May 5October 12
90% (likely)April 20October 25
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
159 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 24
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 21

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost May 2 (3 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 17 (5 days later). Frost-free season 164 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 Elkins: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 21, 20% May 17, 30% May 12, 40% May 9, 50% May 5, 60% May 1, 70% April 29, 80% April 25, 90% April 20. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 May 15, 2022 May 9, 2023 May 5, 2024 April 23, 2025 May 10, 2026 May 15.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%May 1Jun 1May 21May 5Apr 202021: May 152022: May 92023: May 52024: April 232025: May 102026: May 15Fall at Elkins: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 1, 20% October 4, 30% October 7, 40% October 9, 50% October 12, 60% October 14, 70% October 17, 80% October 21, 90% October 25. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 3, 2022 October 8, 2023 October 11, 2024 October 10, 2025 October 10.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 1Oct 12Oct 252021: November 32022: October 82023: October 112024: October 102025: October 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
2021May 15November 3
2022May 9October 8
2023May 5October 11
2024April 23October 10
2025May 10October 10
2026May 15season not over yet

What these dates mean

Gardeners rely on the cautious fall date of October 1 for finishing the harvest in Elkins, as there is only a 10 % chance that a light frost has arrived earlier. In spring the cautious date for setting out tender crops is May 21, when the chance of a light frost later is also 10 %; planting before April 20 carries a 90 % risk and is a gamble.

The 50 % spring light-frost point is May 5, meaning a 50 % chance of a frost later than this date, and the 50 % fall light-frost point is October 12, meaning a 50 % chance of a frost earlier than this date. The 50 % hard-frost points are April 24 in spring and October 21 in fall. A hard frost at 28 °F can injure plants that survive a light frost at 32 °F, making it the more critical temperature threshold.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 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 1" 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 Elkins, WVNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Parsons, WV — 18 mi; 2 — Buckhannon, WV — 21 mi; 3 — Bartow, WV — 25 mi; 4 — Snowshoe, WV — 34 mi; 5 — Fairmont, WV — 42 mi.VAMDOHPA25 mi · 40 km1. Parsons, WV — 18 mi12. Buckhannon, WV — 21 mi23. Bartow, WV — 25 mi34. Snowshoe, WV — 34 mi45. Fairmont, WV — 42 mi5
  1. Parsons, WV 18 mi (28 km)
  2. Buckhannon, WV 21 mi (33 km)
  3. Bartow, WV 25 mi (40 km)
  4. Snowshoe, WV 34 mi (55 km)
  5. Fairmont, WV 42 mi (68 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 6a: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 38.8853, -79.8528.