U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00449215 · Virginia

Frost Dates for Wise, VA

NOAA weather station Wise 1 SE (USC00449215), Virginia · elevation 2564 ft (782 m) · hardiness zone 6b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 14only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 2550% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 1850% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season175 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone6bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Wise, VASpring: a frost after April 8 in 9 years out of 10, after April 25 in half of the years, after May 14 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 6 in 1 year out of 10, before October 18 in half of the years, before October 29 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 175 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 25First frost ~Oct 18Frost season at Wise, VASpring: a frost after April 8 in 9 years out of 10, after April 25 in half of the years, after May 14 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 6 in 1 year out of 10, before October 18 in half of the years, before October 29 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 175 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 25First frost ~Oct 18
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 29 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 14October 6
50% (typical)April 25October 18
90% (likely)April 8October 29
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
175 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 11
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 27

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 23 (2 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 20 (2 days later). Frost-free season 179 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 Wise: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 14, 20% May 7, 30% May 3, 40% April 30, 50% April 25, 60% April 21, 70% April 17, 80% April 13, 90% April 8. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 23, 2022 April 22, 2023 April 25, 2024 April 22, 2025 April 13.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 14Apr 25Apr 82021: April 232022: April 222023: April 252024: April 222025: April 13Fall at Wise: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 6, 20% October 10, 30% October 13, 40% October 15, 50% October 18, 60% October 20, 70% October 22, 80% October 25, 90% October 29. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 October 27, 2022 October 9, 2023 November 1.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 6Oct 18Oct 292021: October 272022: October 92023: November 1
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 23October 27
2022April 22October 9
2023April 25November 1
2024April 22incomplete record
2025April 13incomplete record
2026incomplete recordseason not over yet

What these dates mean

Setting out tender crops on the early spring date, April 8, is a gamble in Wise because there is a 90 % chance that a light frost will still occur later in the season. Gardeners who wish to reduce that risk wait until the cautious date of May 14, when only a 10 % chance of a later frost remains.

The 50% date, April 25, marks the point at which a light frost is equally likely to occur later in spring, while the fall 50% date, October 18, marks the point at which a light frost is equally likely to have occurred earlier. For a cautious plan, tender crops should be finished by the October 6 date, which carries only a 10 % chance that a frost has already arrived.

Hard frost, recorded at 28 °F, is more damaging than a light frost at 32 °F because temperatures at 28 °F can kill plant tissue that survives 32 °F.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 14" 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 6" 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 Wise, VANumbered nearest stations: 1 — Clintwood, VA — 13 mi; 2 — Big Stone Gap, VA — 16 mi; 3 — Lebanon, VA — 29 mi; 4 — Kingsport, TN — 31 mi; 5 — near Bristol, TN — 36 mi.KYTNNCWV25 mi · 40 km1. Clintwood, VA — 13 mi12. Big Stone Gap, VA — 16 mi23. Lebanon, VA — 29 mi34. Kingsport, TN — 31 mi45. near Bristol, TN — 36 mi5
  1. Clintwood, VA 13 mi (20 km)
  2. Big Stone Gap, VA 16 mi (25 km)
  3. Lebanon, VA 29 mi (47 km)
  4. Kingsport, TN 31 mi (50 km)
  5. near Bristol, TN 36 mi (57 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: 36.9725, -82.5578.