U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00469522 · West Virginia

Frost Dates for White Sulphur Springs, WV

NOAA weather station White Sulphur Springs (USC00469522), West Virginia · elevation 1919 ft (585 m) · hardiness zone 6b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 19only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMay 250% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 1350% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season165 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone6bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at White Sulphur Springs, WVSpring: a frost after April 17 in 9 years out of 10, after May 2 in half of the years, after May 19 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 1 in 1 year out of 10, before October 13 in half of the years, before October 29 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 165 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~May 2First frost ~Oct 13Frost season at White Sulphur Springs, WVSpring: a frost after April 17 in 9 years out of 10, after May 2 in half of the years, after May 19 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 1 in 1 year out of 10, before October 13 in half of the years, before October 29 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 165 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~May 2First frost ~Oct 13
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)May 19October 1
50% (typical)May 2October 13
90% (likely)April 17October 29
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
165 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 19
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 24

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 30 (2 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 17 (4 days later). Frost-free season 170 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 White Sulphur Springs: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 19, 20% May 14, 30% May 10, 40% May 5, 50% May 2, 60% April 29, 70% April 24, 80% April 20, 90% April 17. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 25, 2022 May 10, 2023 May 27, 2024 April 24, 2025 April 18, 2026 May 9.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%May 1Jun 1May 19May 2Apr 172021: April 252022: May 102023: May 272024: April 242025: April 182026: May 9Fall at White Sulphur Springs: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 1, 20% October 5, 30% October 8, 40% October 11, 50% October 13, 60% October 16, 70% October 19, 80% October 23, 90% October 29. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 3, 2022 October 9, 2023 October 23, 2024 October 11, 2025 October 17.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 1Oct 13Oct 292021: November 32022: October 92023: October 232024: October 112025: October 17
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 25November 3
2022May 10October 9
2023May 27October 23
2024April 24October 11
2025April 18October 17
2026May 9season not over yet

What these dates mean

May 19, which carries a 10 % chance of a later frost, is the cautious spring date for setting out tender crops in White Sulphur Springs. Gardeners can use that date to plan the first outdoor planting with the lowest risk of a light frost.

The 50% date in spring is May 2; at that point there is a 50 % chance of a frost later than this date. The 50% date in fall is October 13; at that point there is a 50 % chance of a frost earlier than this date. The median hard-frost dates are April 19 and October 24, marking when a 28 °F frost becomes equally likely to have occurred or not.

October 1, which carries a 10 % chance of an earlier frost, is the cautious fall date for finishing the harvest of tender crops. A hard frost at 28 °F matters more than a light frost at 32 °F because the lower temperature can damage plant tissue that would survive a milder 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 19" 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 1" 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 White Sulphur Springs, WVNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Lewisburg, WV — 7 mi; 2 — Covington, VA — 18 mi; 3 — Gathright Dam, VA — 22 mi; 4 — Buckeye, WV — 29 mi; 5 — Marlinton, WV — 32 mi.WVVA25 mi · 40 km1. Lewisburg, WV — 7 mi12. Covington, VA — 18 mi23. Gathright Dam, VA — 22 mi34. Buckeye, WV — 29 mi45. Marlinton, WV — 32 mi5
  1. Lewisburg, WV 7 mi (11 km)
  2. Covington, VA 18 mi (28 km)
  3. Gathright Dam, VA 22 mi (36 km)
  4. Buckeye, WV 29 mi (47 km)
  5. Marlinton, WV 32 mi (51 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 6b: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 37.7883, -80.3083.