U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USW00013737 · Virginia

Frost Dates for Norfolk, VA

NOAA weather station Norfolk International Airport (USW00013737), Virginia · elevation 30 ft (9 m) · hardiness zone 8b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter March 31only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMarch 1750% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostNovember 2350% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season252 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone8bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Norfolk, VASpring: a frost after February 27 in 9 years out of 10, after March 17 in half of the years, after March 31 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before November 8 in 1 year out of 10, before November 23 in half of the years, before December 10 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 252 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Mar 17First frost ~Nov 23Frost season at Norfolk, VASpring: a frost after February 27 in 9 years out of 10, after March 17 in half of the years, after March 31 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before November 8 in 1 year out of 10, before November 23 in half of the years, before December 10 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 252 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Mar 17First frost ~Nov 23
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)March 31November 8
50% (typical)March 17November 23
90% (likely)February 27December 10
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
252 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 4
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
December 8

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost March 17 (same as the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 21 (2 days earlier). Frost-free season 249 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 Norfolk: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% March 31, 20% March 27, 30% March 23, 40% March 19, 50% March 17, 60% March 14, 70% March 10, 80% March 5, 90% February 27. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 March 8, 2022 March 29, 2023 March 21, 2024 February 22, 2025 March 3, 2026 March 13.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Mar 1Apr 1Mar 31Mar 17Feb 272021: March 82022: March 292023: March 212024: February 222025: March 32026: March 13Fall at Norfolk: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% November 8, 20% November 13, 30% November 17, 40% November 20, 50% November 23, 60% November 26, 70% November 30, 80% December 3, 90% December 10. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 24, 2022 November 18, 2023 November 28, 2024 November 30, 2025 December 4.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Dec 1Nov 8Nov 23Dec 102021: November 242022: November 182023: November 282024: November 302025: December 4
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
2021March 8November 24
2022March 29November 18
2023March 21November 28
2024February 22November 30
2025March 3December 4
2026March 13season not over yet

What these dates mean

March 31 is the cautious spring light-frost date for Norfolk, giving a gardener a ten-percent chance that a frost will still arrive later and allowing tender crops to be set out with relatively low risk.

The median, or 50% date, for light frost in spring is March 17, meaning there is an even chance of a frost later than this day, while the median light-frost date in fall is November 23, indicating an even chance of a frost earlier than that day. For a cautious plan to finish harvesting tender crops, November 8 serves as the fall light-frost date with only a ten-percent chance that frost has already occurred.

Hard-frost thresholds are colder, and a 28 °F frost can damage plants that survive a 32 °F light frost; the 50% hard-frost dates are March 4 in spring and December 8 in fall. The 30-year record shows 252 days between the two 32 °F 50% dates.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after March 31" 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 November 8" 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 Norfolk, VANumbered nearest stations: 1 — near Suffolk, VA — 26 mi; 2 — Holland, VA — 35 mi; 3 — Williamsburg, VA — 39 mi; 4 — Wakefield, VA — 45 mi; 5 — Painter, VA — 51 mi.VA25 mi · 40 km1. near Suffolk, VA — 26 mi12. Holland, VA — 35 mi23. Williamsburg, VA — 39 mi34. Wakefield, VA — 45 mi45. Painter, VA — 51 mi5
  1. near Suffolk, VA 26 mi (41 km)
  2. Holland, VA 35 mi (57 km)
  3. Williamsburg, VA 39 mi (63 km)
  4. Wakefield, VA 45 mi (73 km)
  5. Painter, VA 51 mi (83 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: 36.9033, -76.1922.