U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00443310 · Virginia

Frost Dates for Gathright Dam, VA

NOAA weather station Gathright Dam (USC00443310), Virginia · elevation 1770 ft (540 m) · hardiness zone 7a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 10only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 2250% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 2150% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season181 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone7acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Gathright Dam, VASpring: a frost after April 8 in 9 years out of 10, after April 22 in half of the years, after May 10 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 7 in 1 year out of 10, before October 21 in half of the years, before November 3 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 181 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 22First frost ~Oct 21Frost season at Gathright Dam, VASpring: a frost after April 8 in 9 years out of 10, after April 22 in half of the years, after May 10 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 7 in 1 year out of 10, before October 21 in half of the years, before November 3 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 181 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 22First frost ~Oct 21
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 29 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 10October 7
50% (typical)April 22October 21
90% (likely)April 8November 3
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
181 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 8
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 1

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 19 (3 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 26 (5 days later). Frost-free season 188 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 Gathright Dam: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 10, 20% May 4, 30% April 30, 40% April 25, 50% April 22, 60% April 19, 70% April 16, 80% April 13, 90% April 8. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 24, 2022 April 21, 2023 April 26, 2024 April 23, 2025 April 18, 2026 April 22.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 10Apr 22Apr 82021: April 242022: April 212023: April 262024: April 232025: April 182026: April 22Fall at Gathright Dam: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 7, 20% October 12, 30% October 15, 40% October 19, 50% October 21, 60% October 24, 70% October 27, 80% October 31, 90% November 3. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 3, 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 7Oct 21Nov 32021: November 32022: 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 24November 3
2022April 21October 20
2023April 26November 1
2024April 23November 13
2025April 18October 24
2026April 22season not over yet

What these dates mean

May 10 carries a 10 % chance of a frost later than that date, making it the cautious spring date for setting out tender crops. Planting after this point gives a gardener a high likelihood of avoiding light frost damage.

April 22 marks the 50 % light-frost date in spring, meaning there is a 50 % chance of a frost later than that date; the equivalent median for fall is October 21, when there is a 50 % chance of a frost earlier than that date. The hard-frost 50 % dates are April 8 in spring and November 1 in fall, each indicating a 50 % chance of a hard frost later or earlier respectively. October 7 carries a 10 % chance of a frost earlier than that date, providing the cautious fall date for finishing tender-crop harvests.

A hard frost at 28 °F can damage plant tissue that survives a light frost at 32 °F, making it a more critical 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 10" 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 7" 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 Gathright Dam, VANumbered nearest stations: 1 — Covington, VA — 9 mi; 2 — Buckeye, WV — 19 mi; 3 — Marlinton, WV — 20 mi; 4 — White Sulphur Springs, WV — 22 mi; 5 — Lewisburg, WV — 25 mi.WVVA25 mi · 40 km1. Covington, VA — 9 mi12. Buckeye, WV — 19 mi23. Marlinton, WV — 20 mi34. White Sulphur Springs, WV — 22 mi45. Lewisburg, WV — 25 mi5
  1. Covington, VA 9 mi (15 km)
  2. Buckeye, WV 19 mi (31 km)
  3. Marlinton, WV 20 mi (33 km)
  4. White Sulphur Springs, WV 22 mi (36 km)
  5. Lewisburg, WV 25 mi (41 km)

Sources

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

Station coordinates: 37.9458, -79.9542.