U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00449263 · Virginia

Frost Dates for Woodstock, VA

NOAA weather station Woodstock 2 NE (USC00449263), Virginia · elevation 675 ft (206 m) · hardiness zone 7a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 14only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 2450% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 2050% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season177 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone7acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Woodstock, VASpring: a frost after April 7 in 9 years out of 10, after April 24 in half of the years, after May 14 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 4 in 1 year out of 10, before October 20 in half of the years, before November 2 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 177 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 24First frost ~Oct 20Frost season at Woodstock, VASpring: a frost after April 7 in 9 years out of 10, after April 24 in half of the years, after May 14 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 4 in 1 year out of 10, before October 20 in half of the years, before November 2 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 177 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 24First frost ~Oct 20
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 28 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 14October 4
50% (typical)April 24October 20
90% (likely)April 7November 2
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
177 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 8
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 31

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 23 (1 day earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 25 (5 days later). Frost-free season 182 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 Woodstock: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 14, 20% May 6, 30% May 1, 40% April 28, 50% April 24, 60% April 20, 70% April 16, 80% April 12, 90% April 7. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2025 April 18.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 14Apr 24Apr 72025: April 18Fall at Woodstock: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 4, 20% October 9, 30% October 13, 40% October 17, 50% October 20, 60% October 23, 70% October 26, 80% October 29, 90% November 2. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2025 October 17.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 4Oct 20Nov 22025: 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
2021incomplete recordincomplete record
2022incomplete recordno data
2023no datano data
2024no datano data
2025April 18October 17
2026incomplete recordseason not over yet

What these dates mean

May 14 is the cautious spring date, with only a 10 % chance of a light frost later; it lets a gardener set out tender crops with confidence while earlier planting on April 7 carries a 90 % chance of frost and is a gamble.

The 50 % dates—April 24 in spring and October 20 in fall—mark the point at which a light frost is equally likely to occur later (spring) or earlier (fall). Knowing these median dates helps a gardener gauge the balance of risk when timing planting or harvest around the light-frost season. The hard-frost median dates are April 8 and October 31; a hard frost at 28 °F can damage or kill plants that survive a light frost, so it represents a greater threat.

October 4 is the cautious fall date, with a 10 % chance of a light frost earlier; it guides a gardener in finishing the harvest of tender crops, while waiting until November 2 would involve a 90 % chance of frost and be a gamble.

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 4" 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 Woodstock, VANumbered nearest stations: 1 — Front Royal, VA — 15 mi; 2 — Winchester, VA — 26 mi; 3 — Dale Enterprise, VA — 40 mi; 4 — near Martinsburg, WV — 43 mi; 5 — Keyser, WV — 46 mi.VAWVMDPA25 mi · 40 km1. Front Royal, VA — 15 mi12. Winchester, VA — 26 mi23. Dale Enterprise, VA — 40 mi34. near Martinsburg, WV — 43 mi45. Keyser, WV — 46 mi5
  1. Front Royal, VA 15 mi (25 km)
  2. Winchester, VA 26 mi (42 km)
  3. Dale Enterprise, VA 40 mi (64 km)
  4. near Martinsburg, WV 43 mi (70 km)
  5. Keyser, WV 46 mi (74 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: 38.8969, -78.4678.