U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00313228 · North Carolina

Frost Dates for Franklin, NC

NOAA weather station Franklin (USC00313228), North Carolina · elevation 2125 ft (648 m) · hardiness zone 7b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 4only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 1750% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 2350% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season187 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone7bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Franklin, NCSpring: a frost after April 2 in 9 years out of 10, after April 17 in half of the years, after May 4 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 11 in 1 year out of 10, before October 23 in half of the years, before November 4 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 187 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 17First frost ~Oct 23Frost season at Franklin, NCSpring: a frost after April 2 in 9 years out of 10, after April 17 in half of the years, after May 4 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 11 in 1 year out of 10, before October 23 in half of the years, before November 4 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 187 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 17First frost ~Oct 23
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 11
50% (typical)April 17October 23
90% (likely)April 2November 4
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
187 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 5
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 1

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 17 (same as the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 24 (1 day later). Frost-free season 191 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 Franklin: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 4, 20% April 30, 30% April 24, 40% April 21, 50% April 17, 60% April 15, 70% April 11, 80% April 8, 90% April 2. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 23, 2022 April 20, 2023 April 25, 2024 April 23, 2025 April 14, 2026 April 20.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 4Apr 17Apr 22021: April 232022: April 202023: April 252024: April 232025: April 142026: April 20Fall at Franklin: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 11, 20% October 14, 30% October 17, 40% October 20, 50% October 23, 60% October 25, 70% October 28, 80% November 1, 90% November 4. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 October 27, 2022 October 18, 2023 October 9, 2024 October 17, 2025 October 24.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 11Oct 23Nov 42021: October 272022: October 182023: October 92024: October 172025: October 24
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 23October 27
2022April 20October 18
2023April 25October 9
2024April 23October 17
2025April 14October 24
2026April 20season not over yet

What these dates mean

The 187 days between the 50% dates in Franklin mark the core growing window for tender crops. The 50% date is April 17 in spring and October 23 in fall; each represents an even, 50 % chance that a light frost (32 °F) will occur later (spring) or earlier (fall). The record spans 28 years, providing a solid statistical basis for those probabilities.

For a cautious plan, the spring light-frost date with only a 10 % chance of frost later is May 4, while the fall date with a 10 % chance of frost earlier is October 11; planting or harvesting around those dates keeps risk low. The hard-frost 50 % dates are April 5 and November 1, and a temperature of 28 °F can damage plants more severely than a light frost at 32 °F.

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 11" 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 Franklin, NCNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Highlands, NC — 14 mi; 2 — Cullowhee, NC — 15 mi; 3 — Waynesville, NC — 32 mi; 4 — Mount Leconte, TN — 33 mi; 5 — Walhalla, SC — 35 mi.TNSCGA25 mi · 40 km1. Highlands, NC — 14 mi12. Cullowhee, NC — 15 mi23. Waynesville, NC — 32 mi34. Mount Leconte, TN — 33 mi45. Walhalla, SC — 35 mi5
  1. Highlands, NC 14 mi (22 km)
  2. Cullowhee, NC 15 mi (25 km)
  3. Waynesville, NC 32 mi (51 km)
  4. Mount Leconte, TN 33 mi (53 km)
  5. Walhalla, SC 35 mi (56 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: 35.1803, -83.3931.