U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00387631 · South Carolina

Frost Dates for Saluda, SC

NOAA weather station Saluda (USC00387631), South Carolina · elevation 480 ft (146 m) · hardiness zone 8a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 15only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMarch 3150% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostNovember 450% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season218 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone8acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Saluda, SCSpring: a frost after March 13 in 9 years out of 10, after March 31 in half of the years, after April 15 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 21 in 1 year out of 10, before November 4 in half of the years, before November 21 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 218 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Mar 31First frost ~Nov 4Frost season at Saluda, SCSpring: a frost after March 13 in 9 years out of 10, after March 31 in half of the years, after April 15 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 21 in 1 year out of 10, before November 4 in half of the years, before November 21 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 218 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Mar 31First frost ~Nov 4
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)April 15October 21
50% (typical)March 31November 4
90% (likely)March 13November 21
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
218 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 17
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 16

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 1 (1 day later than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 2 (2 days earlier). Frost-free season 217 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 Saluda: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 15, 20% April 9, 30% April 5, 40% April 2, 50% March 31, 60% March 28, 70% March 25, 80% March 19, 90% March 13. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 22, 2022 April 11, 2023 March 22, 2024 March 20, 2025 March 19, 2026 March 20.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Mar 1Apr 1Apr 15Mar 31Mar 132021: April 222022: April 112023: March 222024: March 202025: March 192026: March 20Fall at Saluda: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 21, 20% October 27, 30% October 30, 40% November 1, 50% November 4, 60% November 7, 70% November 10, 80% November 14, 90% November 21. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 8, 2022 October 19, 2023 November 2, 2025 November 11.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Dec 1Oct 21Nov 4Nov 212021: November 82022: October 192023: November 22025: 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
2021April 22November 8
2022April 11October 19
2023March 22November 2
2024March 20incomplete record
2025March 19November 11
2026March 20season not over yet

What these dates mean

October 21 marks the cautious fall date for finishing the harvest of tender crops in Saluda; there is only a 10 % chance that a light frost has already arrived by that day. The median point for a light frost in autumn is November 4, a 50 % chance that frost has occurred earlier, while November 21 carries a 90 % chance and represents a gamble for extended production.

Gardeners who wish to set out tender crops in spring rely on the cautious date of April 15, when the probability of a later light frost is just 10 %. The median spring light-frost date is March 31, and March 13 carries a 90 % chance, making an earlier planting risky. The 50 % hard-frost dates are March 17 in spring and November 16 in fall; hard frosts at 28 °F can damage plants more severely than the lighter 32 °F freezes.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after April 15" 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 21" 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 Saluda, SCNumbered nearest stations: 1 — near Chapin, SC — 25 mi; 2 — Columbia, SC — 38 mi; 3 — Laurens, SC — 38 mi; 4 — Columbia University of SC, SC — 43 mi; 5 — Appling, GA — 44 mi.GA25 mi · 40 km1. near Chapin, SC — 25 mi12. Columbia, SC — 38 mi23. Laurens, SC — 38 mi34. Columbia University of SC, SC — 43 mi45. Appling, GA — 44 mi5
  1. near Chapin, SC 25 mi (40 km)
  2. Columbia, SC 38 mi (60 km)
  3. Laurens, SC 38 mi (61 km)
  4. Columbia University of SC, SC 43 mi (69 km)
  5. Appling, GA 44 mi (71 km)

Sources

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

Station coordinates: 33.9919, -81.7714.