U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00315177 · North Carolina

Frost Dates for Lumberton, NC

NOAA weather station Lumberton (USC00315177), North Carolina · elevation 112 ft (34 m) · hardiness zone 8b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 8only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMarch 2450% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostNovember 1150% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season234 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone8bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Lumberton, NCSpring: a frost after March 2 in 9 years out of 10, after March 24 in half of the years, after April 8 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 29 in 1 year out of 10, before November 11 in half of the years, before December 2 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 234 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Mar 24First frost ~Nov 11Frost season at Lumberton, NCSpring: a frost after March 2 in 9 years out of 10, after March 24 in half of the years, after April 8 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 29 in 1 year out of 10, before November 11 in half of the years, before December 2 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 234 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Mar 24First frost ~Nov 11
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 26 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)April 8October 29
50% (typical)March 24November 11
90% (likely)March 2December 2
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
234 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 8
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 25

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost March 22 (2 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 11. Frost-free season 236 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 Lumberton: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 8, 20% April 3, 30% March 31, 40% March 28, 50% March 24, 60% March 20, 70% March 17, 80% March 12, 90% March 2. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2023 March 22, 2024 February 20, 2025 March 4, 2026 March 19.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Mar 1Apr 1Apr 8Mar 24Mar 22023: March 222024: February 202025: March 42026: March 19Fall at Lumberton: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 29, 20% November 1, 30% November 4, 40% November 8, 50% November 11, 60% November 15, 70% November 19, 80% November 25, 90% December 2. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2022 November 18, 2023 November 2, 2024 November 30, 2025 November 11.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Dec 1Oct 29Nov 11Dec 22022: November 182023: November 22024: November 302025: 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
2021incomplete recordincomplete record
2022incomplete recordNovember 18
2023March 22November 2
2024February 20November 30
2025March 4November 11
2026March 19season not over yet

What these dates mean

The 234 days between the 32°F 50% dates, March 24 and November 11, frame the period in which tender crops can be grown with the lowest overall frost risk. The 50% date in spring, March 24, gives a 50% chance of a light frost later, while the 50% date in fall, November 11, gives a 50% chance of a light frost earlier. For a cautious plan, the spring light-frost cautious date is April 8, when only a 10% chance of frost remains later, and the fall cautious date is October 29, when only a 10% chance of frost has arrived earlier. A hard frost at 28°F, whose 50% dates are March 8 and November 25, is more damaging than a light frost at 32°F because it reaches a lower temperature that can kill plant tissue.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after April 8" 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 29" 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 Lumberton, NCNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Laurinburg, NC — 26 mi; 2 — near Fayetteville, NC — 31 mi; 3 — Cheraw, SC — 49 mi; 4 — Florence, SC — 50 mi; 5 — Longwood, NC — 51 mi.NC25 mi · 40 km1. Laurinburg, NC — 26 mi12. near Fayetteville, NC — 31 mi23. Cheraw, SC — 49 mi34. Florence, SC — 50 mi45. Longwood, NC — 51 mi5
  1. Laurinburg, NC 26 mi (43 km)
  2. near Fayetteville, NC 31 mi (50 km)
  3. Cheraw, SC 49 mi (79 km)
  4. Florence, SC 50 mi (81 km)
  5. Longwood, NC 51 mi (81 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 8b: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 34.6269, -79.025.