U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00442790 · Virginia

Frost Dates for Emporia, VA

NOAA weather station Emporia 1 WNW (USC00442790), Virginia · elevation 100 ft (31 m) · hardiness zone 7b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 14only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMarch 3150% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostNovember 650% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season221 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone7bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Emporia, VASpring: a frost after March 17 in 9 years out of 10, after March 31 in half of the years, after April 14 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 26 in 1 year out of 10, before November 6 in half of the years, before November 23 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 221 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Mar 31First frost ~Nov 6Frost season at Emporia, VASpring: a frost after March 17 in 9 years out of 10, after March 31 in half of the years, after April 14 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 26 in 1 year out of 10, before November 6 in half of the years, before November 23 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 221 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Mar 31First 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 26 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)April 14October 26
50% (typical)March 31November 6
90% (likely)March 17November 23
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
221 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 20
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 19

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost March 31 (same as the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 7 (1 day later). Frost-free season 222 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 Emporia: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 14, 20% April 9, 30% April 5, 40% April 3, 50% March 31, 60% March 30, 70% March 27, 80% March 23, 90% March 17. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 4, 2022 March 30, 2023 March 23, 2026 May 15.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1Apr 14Mar 31Mar 172021: April 42022: March 302023: March 232026: May 15Fall at Emporia: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 26, 20% October 31, 30% November 1, 40% November 3, 50% November 6, 60% November 9, 70% November 13, 80% November 17, 90% November 23. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2022 November 14, 2023 November 2, 2025 November 11.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Dec 1Oct 26Nov 6Nov 232022: November 142023: November 22025: 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 4incomplete record
2022March 30November 14
2023March 23November 2
2024incomplete recordincomplete record
2025incomplete recordNovember 11
2026May 15season not over yet

What these dates mean

April 14 is the cautious spring light-frost date for Emporia; with only a 10 % chance of a frost later, it lets a gardener plan to set out tender crops at that time.

The 50 % light-frost date in spring is March 31 and in fall is November 6; each marks the point where a frost is equally likely to occur before or after. October 26 is the cautious fall light-frost date, having only a 10 % chance that a frost has arrived earlier, so it guides the latest harvest of tender crops.

A hard frost, defined at 28 °F, is more damaging than a light frost, so the median hard-frost dates of March 20 and November 19 signal when temperatures commonly reach that more severe threshold.

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 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 Emporia, VANumbered nearest stations: 1 — near Blackstone, VA — 32 mi; 2 — Wakefield, VA — 36 mi; 3 — near Bracey, VA — 42 mi; 4 — Holland, VA — 44 mi; 5 — Hopewell, VA — 44 mi.VANC25 mi · 40 km1. near Blackstone, VA — 32 mi12. Wakefield, VA — 36 mi23. near Bracey, VA — 42 mi34. Holland, VA — 44 mi45. Hopewell, VA — 44 mi5
  1. near Blackstone, VA 32 mi (51 km)
  2. Wakefield, VA 36 mi (58 km)
  3. near Bracey, VA 42 mi (67 km)
  4. Holland, VA 44 mi (71 km)
  5. Hopewell, VA 44 mi (71 km)

Sources

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

Station coordinates: 36.6983, -77.5597.