U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00310724 · North Carolina

Frost Dates for Bent Creek, NC

NOAA weather station Bent Creek (USC00310724), North Carolina · elevation 2110 ft (643 m) · hardiness zone 7b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 12only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 2650% 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 zone7bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Bent Creek, NCSpring: a frost after April 10 in 9 years out of 10, after April 26 in half of the years, after May 12 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 5 in 1 year out of 10, before October 18 in half of the years, before October 31 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 175 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 26First frost ~Oct 18Frost season at Bent Creek, NCSpring: a frost after April 10 in 9 years out of 10, after April 26 in half of the years, after May 12 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 5 in 1 year out of 10, before October 18 in half of the years, before October 31 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 175 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 26First 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 28 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 12October 5
50% (typical)April 26October 18
90% (likely)April 10October 31
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
175 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 12
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 28

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 21 (5 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 23 (5 days later). Frost-free season 183 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 Bent Creek: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 12, 20% May 7, 30% May 2, 40% April 30, 50% April 26, 60% April 22, 70% April 19, 80% April 15, 90% April 10. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 25, 2022 April 21, 2023 April 26.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 12Apr 26Apr 102021: April 252022: April 212023: April 26Fall at Bent Creek: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 5, 20% October 9, 30% October 12, 40% October 15, 50% October 18, 60% October 21, 70% October 23, 80% October 27, 90% October 31. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 6, 2022 October 18, 2023 October 9.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 5Oct 18Oct 312021: November 62022: October 182023: October 9
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 25November 6
2022April 21October 18
2023April 26October 9
2024no datano data
2025no datano data
2026no dataseason not over yet

What these dates mean

The 175 days between the 32°F 50% dates of April 26 and October 18 mark the central window for gardening at Bent Creek. April 26 carries a 50% chance of a light frost later than this date, while October 18 carries a 50% chance of a light frost earlier than this date, giving growers a balanced sense of risk at the midpoint of the season.

For a cautious spring schedule, the date is May 12, when only a 10% chance of a light frost remains later; for a cautious fall plan, October 5 is used, when only a 10% chance of a light frost has arrived earlier. The hard-frost median dates are April 12 and October 28, and a hard frost at 28°F can injure 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 May 12" 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 5" 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 Bent Creek, NCNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Asheville (Airport), NC — 6 mi; 2 — Asheville, NC — 7 mi; 3 — Brevard, NC — 21 mi; 4 — Waynesville, NC — 21 mi; 5 — Marshall, NC — 21 mi.TNSC25 mi · 40 km1. Asheville (Airport), NC — 6 mi12. Asheville, NC — 7 mi23. Brevard, NC — 21 mi34. Waynesville, NC — 21 mi45. Marshall, NC — 21 mi5
  1. Asheville (Airport), NC 6 mi (10 km)
  2. Asheville, NC 7 mi (11 km)
  3. Brevard, NC 21 mi (33 km)
  4. Waynesville, NC 21 mi (34 km)
  5. Marshall, NC 21 mi (34 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: 35.5044, -82.5967.