U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00463361 · West Virginia

Frost Dates for Gassaway, WV

NOAA weather station Gassaway (USC00463361), West Virginia · elevation 848 ft (259 m) · hardiness zone 6b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 9only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 2050% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 2550% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season185 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone6bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Gassaway, WVSpring: a frost after April 8 in 9 years out of 10, after April 20 in half of the years, after May 9 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 12 in 1 year out of 10, before October 25 in half of the years, before November 4 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 185 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 20First frost ~Oct 25Frost season at Gassaway, WVSpring: a frost after April 8 in 9 years out of 10, after April 20 in half of the years, after May 9 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 12 in 1 year out of 10, before October 25 in half of the years, before November 4 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 185 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 20First frost ~Oct 25
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 28 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 9October 12
50% (typical)April 20October 25
90% (likely)April 8November 4
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
185 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 9
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 1

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 20 (same as the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 29 (4 days later). Frost-free season 189 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 Gassaway: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 9, 20% May 2, 30% April 28, 40% April 23, 50% April 20, 60% April 18, 70% April 16, 80% April 13, 90% April 8. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 22, 2022 April 21, 2023 April 25, 2024 April 9, 2025 April 17, 2026 May 3.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 9Apr 20Apr 82021: April 222022: April 212023: April 252024: April 92025: April 172026: May 3Fall at Gassaway: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 12, 20% October 16, 30% October 19, 40% October 22, 50% October 25, 60% October 27, 70% October 29, 80% November 1, 90% November 4. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 4, 2022 October 20, 2023 November 1, 2024 November 13, 2025 October 24.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 12Oct 25Nov 42021: November 42022: October 202023: November 12024: November 132025: 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 22November 4
2022April 21October 20
2023April 25November 1
2024April 9November 13
2025April 17October 24
2026May 3season not over yet

What these dates mean

The 185 days between the 32°F 50% dates in Gassaway define the window for tender crops.

The median light-frost date in spring is April 20; there is a 50% chance of a light frost later than this date. The cautious spring date for setting out tender crops is May 9, when only a 10% chance of a light frost remains. The median light-frost date in fall is October 25; there is a 50% chance of a frost earlier than this date. The cautious fall date to finish harvesting tender crops is October 12, with a 10% chance that a light frost has already occurred.

Hard-frost median dates are April 9 and November 1, and a hard frost at 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 9" 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 12" 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 Gassaway, WVNumbered nearest stations: 1 — near Sutton, WV — 4 mi; 2 — Glenville, WV — 19 mi; 3 — Spencer, WV — 33 mi; 4 — Buckhannon, WV — 37 mi; 5 — West Union, WV — 43 mi.OH25 mi · 40 km1. near Sutton, WV — 4 mi12. Glenville, WV — 19 mi23. Spencer, WV — 33 mi34. Buckhannon, WV — 37 mi45. West Union, WV — 43 mi5
  1. near Sutton, WV 4 mi (6 km)
  2. Glenville, WV 19 mi (30 km)
  3. Spencer, WV 33 mi (53 km)
  4. Buckhannon, WV 37 mi (59 km)
  5. West Union, WV 43 mi (70 km)

Sources

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

Station coordinates: 38.665, -80.7672.