U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00464840 · West Virginia

Frost Dates for Keyser, WV

NOAA weather station Keyser 2 SSW (USC00464840), West Virginia · elevation 965 ft (294 m) · hardiness zone 7a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 19only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 3050% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 1550% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season167 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone7acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Keyser, WVSpring: a frost after April 14 in 9 years out of 10, after April 30 in half of the years, after May 19 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 1 in 1 year out of 10, before October 15 in half of the years, before October 28 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 167 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 30First frost ~Oct 15Frost season at Keyser, WVSpring: a frost after April 14 in 9 years out of 10, after April 30 in half of the years, after May 19 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 1 in 1 year out of 10, before October 15 in half of the years, before October 28 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 167 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 30First frost ~Oct 15
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 25 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 19October 1
50% (typical)April 30October 15
90% (likely)April 14October 28
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
167 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 16
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 26

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 30 (same as the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 20 (5 days later). Frost-free season 171 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 Keyser: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 19, 20% May 12, 30% May 7, 40% May 2, 50% April 30, 60% April 26, 70% April 22, 80% April 18, 90% April 14. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 25, 2022 May 10, 2023 April 26, 2024 April 23, 2025 April 18.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1Jun 1May 19Apr 30Apr 142021: April 252022: May 102023: April 262024: April 232025: April 18Fall at Keyser: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 1, 20% October 5, 30% October 8, 40% October 12, 50% October 15, 60% October 18, 70% October 21, 80% October 24, 90% October 28. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 3, 2022 October 9, 2023 October 23, 2024 October 18.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 1Oct 15Oct 282021: November 32022: October 92023: October 232024: October 18
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 25November 3
2022May 10October 9
2023April 26October 23
2024April 23October 18
2025April 18incomplete record
2026incomplete recordseason not over yet

What these dates mean

May 19 carries a 10 % chance of a light frost later, making it the cautious spring date for setting out tender crops in Keyser. Gardeners can plan to transplant delicate seedlings after this date with the lowest risk of a frost interrupting growth.

The 50 % dates are the median points where a frost is equally likely to have occurred or not. For light frost the 50 % date is April 30 in spring and October 15 in fall; for hard frost the 50 % dates are April 16 and October 26. These dates are not frost dates themselves but give a clear picture of when frost risk is split fifty-fifty.

In the fall, October 1 is the cautious date with a 10 % chance that a light frost has already arrived, allowing growers to finish harvesting tender crops. A hard frost (28 °F) matters more than a light frost (32 °F) because it can damage plant tissue that survives a milder frost.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 19" 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 Keyser, WVNumbered nearest stations: 1 — near Westernport, MD — 9 mi; 2 — Frostburg, MD — 17 mi; 3 — Cumberland, MD — 20 mi; 4 — Oakland, MD — 21 mi; 5 — Parsons, WV — 41 mi.PAVA25 mi · 40 km1. near Westernport, MD — 9 mi12. Frostburg, MD — 17 mi23. Cumberland, MD — 20 mi34. Oakland, MD — 21 mi45. Parsons, WV — 41 mi5
  1. near Westernport, MD 9 mi (15 km)
  2. Frostburg, MD 17 mi (27 km)
  3. Cumberland, MD 20 mi (33 km)
  4. Oakland, MD 21 mi (34 km)
  5. Parsons, WV 41 mi (67 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: 39.4214, -79.005.