U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00465672 · West Virginia

Frost Dates for Marlinton, WV

NOAA weather station Marlinton (USC00465672), West Virginia · elevation 2150 ft (655 m) · hardiness zone 6a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 28only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMay 1150% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 650% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season148 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone6acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Marlinton, WVSpring: a frost after April 27 in 9 years out of 10, after May 11 in half of the years, after May 28 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 24 in 1 year out of 10, before October 6 in half of the years, before October 19 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 148 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~May 11First frost ~Oct 6Frost season at Marlinton, WVSpring: a frost after April 27 in 9 years out of 10, after May 11 in half of the years, after May 28 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 24 in 1 year out of 10, before October 6 in half of the years, before October 19 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 148 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~May 11First frost ~Oct 6
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 25 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 28September 24
50% (typical)May 11October 6
90% (likely)April 27October 19
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
148 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
May 1
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 15

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 Marlinton: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 28, 20% May 22, 30% May 19, 40% May 15, 50% May 11, 60% May 8, 70% May 4, 80% May 1, 90% April 27.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%May 1Jun 1May 28May 11Apr 27Fall at Marlinton: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% September 24, 20% September 29, 30% October 1, 40% October 4, 50% October 6, 60% October 8, 70% October 11, 80% October 14, 90% October 19.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Sep 24Oct 6Oct 19
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.

What these dates mean

September 24 marks the cautious fall date in Marlinton, when there is only a 10% chance that a light frost has arrived and the garden can still finish harvesting tender crops.

The 50% light-frost dates are May 11 in spring and October 6 in fall; at each of those points a gardener faces an even chance of a frost occurring later (spring) or earlier (fall). For a low-risk plan the cautious spring date is May 28, which carries only a 10% chance of a frost later, while the cautious fall date is September 24. The 50% hard-frost dates are May 1 and October 15, marking the points where a hard freeze is as likely as not. The interval between the two 32°F 50% dates covers 148 days.

Hard frost at 28 °F is more damaging than a light frost at 32 °F because it can injure plants that would survive the milder temperature.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 28" 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 September 24" 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 Marlinton, WVNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Buckeye, WV — 3 mi; 2 — Snowshoe, WV — 14 mi; 3 — Gathright Dam, VA — 20 mi; 4 — Bartow, WV — 28 mi; 5 — Covington, VA — 29 mi.WVVA25 mi · 40 km1. Buckeye, WV — 3 mi12. Snowshoe, WV — 14 mi23. Gathright Dam, VA — 20 mi34. Bartow, WV — 28 mi45. Covington, VA — 29 mi5
  1. Buckeye, WV 3 mi (5 km)
  2. Snowshoe, WV 14 mi (22 km)
  3. Gathright Dam, VA 20 mi (33 km)
  4. Bartow, WV 28 mi (45 km)
  5. Covington, VA 29 mi (46 km)

Sources

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

Station coordinates: 38.2175, -80.0914.