U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00469683 · West Virginia

Frost Dates near Winfield, WV

NOAA weather station Winfield Locks (USC00469683), West Virginia · elevation 621 ft (189 m) · hardiness zone 7a*

Winfield is the nearest town to the station (1.2 mi away) in GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). The dates below are measured at the station, not in the town itself.

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 9only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 1850% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 3050% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season193 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone7acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season near Winfield, WVSpring: a frost after April 2 in 9 years out of 10, after April 18 in half of the years, after May 9 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 17 in 1 year out of 10, before October 30 in half of the years, before November 10 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 193 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 18First frost ~Oct 30Frost season near Winfield, WVSpring: a frost after April 2 in 9 years out of 10, after April 18 in half of the years, after May 9 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 17 in 1 year out of 10, before October 30 in half of the years, before November 10 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 193 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 18First frost ~Oct 30
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)May 9October 17
50% (typical)April 18October 30
90% (likely)April 2November 10
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
193 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 4
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 8

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 17 (1 day earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 31 (1 day later). Frost-free season 197 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 near Winfield: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 9, 20% May 1, 30% April 26, 40% April 21, 50% April 18, 60% April 15, 70% April 11, 80% April 7, 90% April 2. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2022 April 21, 2023 April 27, 2024 April 23, 2025 April 14, 2026 May 4.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 9Apr 18Apr 22022: April 212023: April 272024: April 232025: April 142026: May 4Fall near Winfield: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 17, 20% October 22, 30% October 25, 40% October 28, 50% October 30, 60% November 1, 70% November 3, 80% November 5, 90% November 10. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2022 October 19, 2023 October 31, 2024 October 21, 2025 October 24.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Oct 17Oct 30Nov 102022: October 192023: October 312024: October 212025: October 24
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
2021incomplete recordincomplete record
2022April 21October 19
2023April 27October 31
2024April 23October 21
2025April 14October 24
2026May 4season not over yet

What these dates mean

October 17 marks the cautious fall date in the Winfield area for finishing the harvest, because only a 10 % chance of a light frost has occurred earlier. In spring the analogous cautious date is May 9, when the chance of a light frost later in the season is just 10 %, making it the low-risk day to set out tender crops. Both dates give gardeners a clear point at which frost risk is minimal.

April 18 is the 50 % date for light frost in spring; at this point there is a 50 % chance of a light frost later than this date. October 30 is the 50 % date for light frost in fall; there is a 50 % chance of a light frost earlier than this date. The 50 % hard-frost dates are April 4 in spring and November 8 in fall. Hard frost (28 °F) can damage plants that would survive a light frost (32 °F), so it represents a higher 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 May 9" 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 17" 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 Winfield, WVNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Hogsett RC Byrd Dam, WV — 18 mi; 2 — near Charleston, WV — 20 mi; 3 — Ripley, WV — 23 mi; 4 — Gallipolis, OH — 25 mi; 5 — Spencer, WV — 35 mi.WVOHKY25 mi · 40 km1. Hogsett RC Byrd Dam, WV — 18 mi12. near Charleston, WV — 20 mi23. Ripley, WV — 23 mi34. Gallipolis, OH — 25 mi45. Spencer, WV — 35 mi5
  1. Hogsett RC Byrd Dam, WV 18 mi (29 km)
  2. near Charleston, WV 20 mi (33 km)
  3. Ripley, WV 23 mi (37 km)
  4. Gallipolis, OH 25 mi (40 km)
  5. Spencer, WV 35 mi (57 km)

Sources

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

Station coordinates: 38.5278, -81.9153.