U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00318500 · North Carolina

Frost Dates for Tarboro, NC

NOAA weather station Tarboro 1 S (USC00318500), North Carolina · elevation 35 ft (11 m) · hardiness zone 8a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 10only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMarch 3050% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostNovember 950% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season226 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone8acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Tarboro, NCSpring: a frost after March 12 in 9 years out of 10, after March 30 in half of the years, after April 10 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 29 in 1 year out of 10, before November 9 in half of the years, before November 28 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 226 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Mar 30First frost ~Nov 9Frost season at Tarboro, NCSpring: a frost after March 12 in 9 years out of 10, after March 30 in half of the years, after April 10 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 29 in 1 year out of 10, before November 9 in half of the years, before November 28 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 226 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Mar 30First frost ~Nov 9
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 25 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)April 10October 29
50% (typical)March 30November 9
90% (likely)March 12November 28
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
226 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 15
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 23

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost March 31 (1 day later than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 9. Frost-free season 226 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 Tarboro: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 10, 20% April 6, 30% April 3, 40% April 1, 50% March 30, 60% March 26, 70% March 22, 80% March 18, 90% March 12. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 4, 2022 March 30, 2023 March 22, 2024 March 26, 2026 March 30.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Mar 1Apr 1Apr 10Mar 30Mar 122021: April 42022: March 302023: March 222024: March 262026: March 30Fall at Tarboro: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 29, 20% November 1, 30% November 3, 40% November 6, 50% November 9, 60% November 12, 70% November 15, 80% November 20, 90% November 28. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 16, 2022 October 21, 2023 November 2, 2024 December 2.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Dec 1Oct 29Nov 9Nov 282021: November 162022: October 212023: November 22024: December 2
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 4November 16
2022March 30October 21
2023March 22November 2
2024March 26December 2
2025incomplete recordincomplete record
2026March 30season not over yet

What these dates mean

April 10 is the cautious spring date, carrying a ten-percent chance that a light frost will occur later and allowing tender crops to be set out with confidence. The complementary cautious fall date is October 29, which holds a ten-percent chance that a light frost has already arrived and signals when tender crops should be finished for harvest.

The 50% light-frost dates are March 30 and November 9; there is a fifty-percent chance of a frost later than March 30 in spring and a fifty-percent chance of a frost earlier than November 9 in fall. The 50% hard-frost dates are March 15 and November 23. A hard frost at 28 °F can damage plants that survive a light frost at 32 °F, so it represents a greater threat to 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 April 10" 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 29" 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 Tarboro, NCNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Greenville, NC — 19 mi; 2 — Wilson, NC — 26 mi; 3 — Williamston, NC — 29 mi; 4 — Plymouth, NC — 49 mi; 5 — Edenton, NC — 56 mi.NC25 mi · 40 km1. Greenville, NC — 19 mi12. Wilson, NC — 26 mi23. Williamston, NC — 29 mi34. Plymouth, NC — 49 mi45. Edenton, NC — 56 mi5
  1. Greenville, NC 19 mi (30 km)
  2. Wilson, NC 26 mi (42 km)
  3. Williamston, NC 29 mi (46 km)
  4. Plymouth, NC 49 mi (79 km)
  5. Edenton, NC 56 mi (90 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: 35.8842, -77.5386.