U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USW00013872 · North Carolina

Frost Dates for Asheville, NC

NOAA weather station Asheville (USW00013872), North Carolina · elevation 2238 ft (682 m) · hardiness zone 7b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 24only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 650% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 3150% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season205 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone7bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Asheville, NCSpring: a frost after March 20 in 9 years out of 10, after April 6 in half of the years, after April 24 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 17 in 1 year out of 10, before October 31 in half of the years, before November 13 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 205 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 6First frost ~Oct 31Frost season at Asheville, NCSpring: a frost after March 20 in 9 years out of 10, after April 6 in half of the years, after April 24 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 17 in 1 year out of 10, before October 31 in half of the years, before November 13 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 205 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 6First frost ~Oct 31
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)April 24October 17
50% (typical)April 6October 31
90% (likely)March 20November 13
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
205 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 26
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 10

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 7 (1 day later than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 31. Frost-free season 207 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 Asheville: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 24, 20% April 17, 30% April 13, 40% April 10, 50% April 6, 60% April 2, 70% March 31, 80% March 27, 90% March 20. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 22, 2022 April 10, 2023 March 21, 2024 April 7, 2025 April 13, 2026 March 19.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1Apr 24Apr 6Mar 202021: April 222022: April 102023: March 212024: April 72025: April 132026: March 19Fall at Asheville: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 17, 20% October 23, 30% October 26, 40% October 28, 50% October 31, 60% November 2, 70% November 4, 80% November 7, 90% November 13. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 6, 2022 October 18, 2023 November 1, 2024 November 21, 2025 November 10.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Oct 17Oct 31Nov 132021: November 62022: October 182023: November 12024: November 212025: November 10
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 22November 6
2022April 10October 18
2023March 21November 1
2024April 7November 21
2025April 13November 10
2026March 19season not over yet

What these dates mean

205 days between the 50% dates in Asheville frame the period in which most tender gardening activities can be scheduled. The 50% date is April 6 for spring light frost, meaning there is a fifty-percent chance that a frost will occur later, and the 50% date is October 31 for fall light frost, meaning there is a fifty-percent chance that a frost will occur earlier. Together they mark the middle of the frost-free window derived from thirty years of record.

For a cautious spring plan, the date to set out tender crops is April 24, which carries only a ten-percent chance of a light frost later. In the fall, the cautious date to finish harvesting tender crops is October 17, with only a ten-percent chance of a light frost earlier. Hard-frost risk is indicated by the 50% hard-frost dates of March 26 and November 10, and a hard frost at 28 °F can damage plants more severely than a light frost at 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 April 24" 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 Asheville, NCNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Bent Creek, NC — 7 mi; 2 — Asheville (Airport), NC — 11 mi; 3 — Marshall, NC — 16 mi; 4 — Mount Mitchell, NC — 20 mi; 5 — Waynesville, NC — 24 mi.TNSC25 mi · 40 km1. Bent Creek, NC — 7 mi12. Asheville (Airport), NC — 11 mi23. Marshall, NC — 16 mi34. Mount Mitchell, NC — 20 mi45. Waynesville, NC — 24 mi5
  1. Bent Creek, NC 7 mi (11 km)
  2. Asheville (Airport), NC 11 mi (18 km)
  3. Marshall, NC 16 mi (25 km)
  4. Mount Mitchell, NC 20 mi (32 km)
  5. Waynesville, NC 24 mi (39 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: 35.5953, -82.5567.