U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00319555 · North Carolina

Frost Dates for West Kerr Scott Resv, NC

NOAA weather station West Kerr Scott Resv (USC00319555), North Carolina · elevation 1070 ft (326 m) · hardiness zone 7b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 22only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 750% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostNovember 150% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season208 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone7bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at West Kerr Scott Resv, NCSpring: a frost after March 24 in 9 years out of 10, after April 7 in half of the years, after April 22 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 19 in 1 year out of 10, before November 1 in half of the years, before November 12 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 208 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 7First frost ~Nov 1Frost season at West Kerr Scott Resv, NCSpring: a frost after March 24 in 9 years out of 10, after April 7 in half of the years, after April 22 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 19 in 1 year out of 10, before November 1 in half of the years, before November 12 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 208 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 7First frost ~Nov 1
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 30 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)April 22October 19
50% (typical)April 7November 1
90% (likely)March 24November 12
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
208 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 26
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 11

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 5 (2 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 3 (2 days later). Frost-free season 211 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 West Kerr Scott Resv: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 22, 20% April 17, 30% April 13, 40% April 10, 50% April 7, 60% April 5, 70% April 2, 80% March 30, 90% March 24. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 24, 2022 April 11, 2023 March 22, 2024 March 26, 2025 April 14, 2026 March 30.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1Apr 22Apr 7Mar 242021: April 242022: April 112023: March 222024: March 262025: April 142026: March 30Fall at West Kerr Scott Resv: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 19, 20% October 24, 30% October 27, 40% October 30, 50% November 1, 60% November 3, 70% November 5, 80% November 8, 90% November 12. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 6, 2022 November 14, 2023 November 2, 2024 November 27, 2025 November 11.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Dec 1Oct 19Nov 1Nov 122021: November 62022: November 142023: November 22024: November 272025: 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 24November 6
2022April 11November 14
2023March 22November 2
2024March 26November 27
2025April 14November 11
2026March 30season not over yet

What these dates mean

October 19 marks the cautious fall date for West Kerr Scott Resv, when there is only a 10 % chance that a light frost has arrived and tender crops should be finished. In spring the cautious date is April 22, the point at which a light frost later than that day is only a 10 % risk.

For a gardener, the 50 % dates represent the moment when the odds of a frost are even. The light-frost 50 % dates are April 7 and November 1, while the hard-frost 50 % dates are March 26 and November 11. The hard-frost threshold of 28 °F can injure plants that would survive a 32 °F light frost, so it is a more critical concern.

These observations are drawn from 30 years of NOAA normals for the station at 1,070 ft elevation.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after April 22" 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 19" 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 West Kerr Scott Resv, NCNumbered nearest stations: 1 — North Wilkesboro, NC — 5 mi; 2 — Jefferson, NC — 23 mi; 3 — Lenoir, NC — 23 mi; 4 — Boone, NC — 24 mi; 5 — near Hickory, NC — 28 mi.VATN25 mi · 40 km1. North Wilkesboro, NC — 5 mi12. Jefferson, NC — 23 mi23. Lenoir, NC — 23 mi34. Boone, NC — 24 mi45. near Hickory, NC — 28 mi5
  1. North Wilkesboro, NC 5 mi (8 km)
  2. Jefferson, NC 23 mi (37 km)
  3. Lenoir, NC 23 mi (37 km)
  4. Boone, NC 24 mi (39 km)
  5. near Hickory, NC 28 mi (45 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 7b: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 36.1308, -81.2275.