U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00468308 · West Virginia

Frost Dates for Snowshoe, WV

NOAA weather station Snowshoe (USC00468308), West Virginia · elevation 4847 ft (1477 m) · hardiness zone 5b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 29only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMay 1250% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 750% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season147 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone5bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Snowshoe, WVSpring: a frost after April 26 in 9 years out of 10, after May 12 in half of the years, after May 29 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 24 in 1 year out of 10, before October 7 in half of the years, before October 19 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 147 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~May 12First frost ~Oct 7Frost season at Snowshoe, WVSpring: a frost after April 26 in 9 years out of 10, after May 12 in half of the years, after May 29 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 24 in 1 year out of 10, before October 7 in half of the years, before October 19 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 147 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~May 12First frost ~Oct 7
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 28 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 29September 24
50% (typical)May 12October 7
90% (likely)April 26October 19
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
147 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
May 2
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 17

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost May 10 (2 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 10 (3 days later). Frost-free season 151 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 Snowshoe: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 29, 20% May 23, 30% May 19, 40% May 15, 50% May 12, 60% May 9, 70% May 5, 80% May 2, 90% April 26. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 May 14, 2022 May 9, 2023 May 18, 2024 April 23, 2025 June 2, 2026 May 17.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%May 1Jun 1May 29May 12Apr 262021: May 142022: May 92023: May 182024: April 232025: June 22026: May 17Fall at Snowshoe: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% September 24, 20% September 28, 30% October 1, 40% October 5, 50% October 7, 60% October 10, 70% October 12, 80% October 15, 90% October 19. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 October 17, 2022 October 8, 2023 October 8, 2025 September 10.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Sep 24Oct 7Oct 192021: October 172022: October 82023: October 82025: September 10
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 14October 17
2022May 9October 8
2023May 18October 8
2024April 23incomplete record
2025June 2September 10
2026May 17season not over yet

What these dates mean

The 147 days between the 32°F 50% dates in Snowshoe mark the span in which a gardener can expect an even-chance of a light frost at either end; the median spring date is May 12 and the median fall date is October 7, both of which are reference points rather than frost thresholds. A hard-frost 50% date occurs on May 2 in spring and on October 17 in fall, indicating when a 28°F chill is equally likely to have arrived.

For tender crops the cautious spring date is May 29, when there is only a 10 % chance of a light frost later, while the cautious fall date is September 24, with a 10 % chance of a light frost earlier. A hard frost matters more than a light frost because the 28°F temperature can cause far more severe damage to plant tissue than the milder 32°F chill.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 29" 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 Snowshoe, WVNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Marlinton, WV — 14 mi; 2 — Bartow, WV — 15 mi; 3 — Buckeye, WV — 16 mi; 4 — Gathright Dam, VA — 31 mi; 5 — Elkins, WV — 34 mi.WVVA25 mi · 40 km1. Marlinton, WV — 14 mi12. Bartow, WV — 15 mi23. Buckeye, WV — 16 mi34. Gathright Dam, VA — 31 mi45. Elkins, WV — 34 mi5
  1. Marlinton, WV 14 mi (22 km)
  2. Bartow, WV 15 mi (24 km)
  3. Buckeye, WV 16 mi (26 km)
  4. Gathright Dam, VA 31 mi (51 km)
  5. Elkins, WV 34 mi (55 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 5b: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 38.3989, -79.9947.