U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00460509 · West Virginia

Frost Dates for Bartow, WV

NOAA weather station Bartow 1 S (USC00460509), West Virginia · elevation 3025 ft (922 m) · hardiness zone 6a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 26only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMay 950% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 550% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season149 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone6acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Bartow, WVSpring: a frost after April 22 in 9 years out of 10, after May 9 in half of the years, after May 26 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 21 in 1 year out of 10, before October 5 in half of the years, before October 18 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 149 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~May 9First frost ~Oct 5Frost season at Bartow, WVSpring: a frost after April 22 in 9 years out of 10, after May 9 in half of the years, after May 26 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 21 in 1 year out of 10, before October 5 in half of the years, before October 18 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 149 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~May 9First frost ~Oct 5
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 28 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 26September 21
50% (typical)May 9October 5
90% (likely)April 22October 18
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
149 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 26
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 16

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost May 8 (1 day earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 11 (6 days later). Frost-free season 153 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 Bartow: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 26, 20% May 21, 30% May 16, 40% May 12, 50% May 9, 60% May 5, 70% May 1, 80% April 28, 90% April 22. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 May 15, 2022 May 10, 2023 May 6, 2024 April 24, 2025 May 11, 2026 May 12.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%May 1Jun 1May 26May 9Apr 222021: May 152022: May 102023: May 62024: April 242025: May 112026: May 12Fall at Bartow: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% September 21, 20% September 26, 30% October 1, 40% October 3, 50% October 5, 60% October 8, 70% October 11, 80% October 13, 90% October 18. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 2, 2022 October 9, 2023 October 11.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Sep 21Oct 5Oct 182021: November 22022: October 92023: October 11
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
2021May 15November 2
2022May 10October 9
2023May 6October 11
2024April 24incomplete record
2025May 11incomplete record
2026May 12season not over yet

What these dates mean

The 149 days between the 50% dates in Bartow define the period when average temperatures remain above the light-frost threshold. May 9 is the 50% date for light frost in spring, indicating equal odds of a frost occurring or not, while October 5 is the 50% date for light frost in fall with the same balanced probability. The cautious spring date for setting out tender crops is May 26, when there is a 10 % chance of a frost later, and the cautious fall date for completing tender-crop harvest is September 21, when there is a 10 % chance of a frost earlier. The 50% hard-frost dates are April 26 in spring and October 16 in fall.

A hard frost at 28 °F can injure plant tissue that would survive a light frost at 32 °F, so it represents a greater risk.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 26" 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 September 21" 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 Bartow, WVNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Snowshoe, WV — 15 mi; 2 — Elkins, WV — 25 mi; 3 — Marlinton, WV — 28 mi; 4 — Buckeye, WV — 31 mi; 5 — Parsons, WV — 38 mi.WVVA25 mi · 40 km1. Snowshoe, WV — 15 mi12. Elkins, WV — 25 mi23. Marlinton, WV — 28 mi34. Buckeye, WV — 31 mi45. Parsons, WV — 38 mi5
  1. Snowshoe, WV 15 mi (24 km)
  2. Elkins, WV 25 mi (40 km)
  3. Marlinton, WV 28 mi (45 km)
  4. Buckeye, WV 31 mi (50 km)
  5. Parsons, WV 38 mi (61 km)

Sources

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

Station coordinates: 38.5311, -79.7714.