U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00465963 · West Virginia

Frost Dates for Middlebourne, WV

NOAA weather station Middlebourne 3 ESE (USC00465963), West Virginia · elevation 779 ft (237 m) · hardiness zone 6b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 19only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMay 150% 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 zone6bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Middlebourne, WVSpring: a frost after April 17 in 9 years out of 10, after May 1 in half of the years, after May 19 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 2 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 ~May 1First frost ~Oct 15Frost season at Middlebourne, WVSpring: a frost after April 17 in 9 years out of 10, after May 1 in half of the years, after May 19 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 2 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 ~May 1First 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 30 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 19October 2
50% (typical)May 1October 15
90% (likely)April 17October 28
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
167 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 20
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 25

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost May 1 (same as the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 20 (5 days later). Frost-free season 172 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 Middlebourne: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 19, 20% May 12, 30% May 8, 40% May 4, 50% May 1, 60% April 28, 70% April 25, 80% April 21, 90% April 17. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 May 14, 2022 April 30, 2023 April 26, 2024 April 27, 2025 April 18.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%May 1Jun 1May 19May 1Apr 172021: May 142022: April 302023: April 262024: April 272025: April 18Fall at Middlebourne: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 2, 20% October 6, 30% October 9, 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 11.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 2Oct 15Oct 282021: November 32022: October 92023: October 232024: October 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
2021May 14November 3
2022April 30October 9
2023April 26October 23
2024April 27October 11
2025April 18incomplete record
2026incomplete recordseason not over yet

What these dates mean

Setting out tender crops on the early spring date (April 17) carries a 90% chance of a light frost later than that day, making it a gamble for Middlebourne growers. The cautious approach waits until the later spring date, May 19, where only a 10% chance of a frost later than the date remains.

The spring 50% date is May 1, at which point there is a 50% chance of a light frost later than this date; the fall 50% date is October 15, when there is a 50% chance of a light frost earlier than this date. For a careful schedule, the fall cautious date is October 2, which has only a 10% chance that a frost has arrived earlier.

Hard frost at 28 °F (the April 20 and October 25 50% dates) can damage plants more severely than a light frost at 32 °F, so it is a more critical threshold for tender crops.

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 2" 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 Middlebourne, WVNumbered nearest stations: 1 — West Union, WV — 13 mi; 2 — Hannibal Locks & Dam, OH — 14 mi; 3 — Moundsville, WV — 31 mi; 4 — Marietta, OH — 31 mi; 5 — near Williamstown, WV — 32 mi.OHPA25 mi · 40 km1. West Union, WV — 13 mi12. Hannibal Locks & Dam, OH — 14 mi23. Moundsville, WV — 31 mi34. Marietta, OH — 31 mi45. near Williamstown, WV — 32 mi5
  1. West Union, WV 13 mi (21 km)
  2. Hannibal Locks & Dam, OH 14 mi (22 km)
  3. Moundsville, WV 31 mi (49 km)
  4. Marietta, OH 31 mi (50 km)
  5. near Williamstown, WV 32 mi (52 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: 39.47, -80.8569.