U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00440735 · Virginia

Frost Dates for Big Stone Gap, VA

NOAA weather station Big Stone Gap (USC00440735), Virginia · elevation 1466 ft (447 m) · hardiness zone 7a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 5only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 2050% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 2350% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season186 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone7acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Big Stone Gap, VASpring: a frost after April 4 in 9 years out of 10, after April 20 in half of the years, after May 5 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 11 in 1 year out of 10, before October 23 in half of the years, before November 4 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 186 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 20First frost ~Oct 23Frost season at Big Stone Gap, VASpring: a frost after April 4 in 9 years out of 10, after April 20 in half of the years, after May 5 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 11 in 1 year out of 10, before October 23 in half of the years, before November 4 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 186 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 20First frost ~Oct 23
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 5October 11
50% (typical)April 20October 23
90% (likely)April 4November 4
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
186 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 4
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 1

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 18 (2 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 25 (2 days later). Frost-free season 189 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 Big Stone Gap: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 5, 20% April 30, 30% April 26, 40% April 22, 50% April 20, 60% April 17, 70% April 14, 80% April 10, 90% April 4. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 24, 2022 April 20, 2023 May 4, 2024 April 23.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 5Apr 20Apr 42021: April 242022: April 202023: May 42024: April 23Fall at Big Stone Gap: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 11, 20% October 15, 30% October 18, 40% October 21, 50% October 23, 60% October 26, 70% October 29, 80% November 1, 90% November 4. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 3, 2022 September 28, 2023 November 1, 2024 October 17.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 11Oct 23Nov 42021: November 32022: September 282023: November 12024: 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
2021April 24November 3
2022April 20September 28
2023May 4November 1
2024April 23October 17
2025incomplete recordincomplete record
2026incomplete recordseason not over yet

What these dates mean

The 186 days between the 50% dates in Big Stone Gap, April 20 and October 23, form the central growing window for tender crops. Within that span the median light-frost dates mark the point where a light frost is as likely as not, and the hard-frost 50% dates, April 4 and November 1, indicate when a 28 °F freeze is equally probable.

For a cautious spring plan, the 10 % chance date of May 5 is used to set out tender crops, while the 90 % chance date of April 4 would be a gamble. In the fall, the cautious date of October 11 (10 % chance of an earlier frost) signals when to finish harvesting tender crops, and November 4 (90 % chance) would be risky to extend the season.

A hard frost at 28 °F matters more than a light frost at 32 °F because it can damage plants that survive the milder temperature.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 5" 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 11" 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 Big Stone Gap, VANumbered nearest stations: 1 — Wise, VA — 16 mi; 2 — Clintwood, VA — 26 mi; 3 — Kingsport, TN — 28 mi; 4 — Rogersville, TN — 32 mi; 5 — near Bristol, TN — 34 mi.KYVANCWV25 mi · 40 km1. Wise, VA — 16 mi12. Clintwood, VA — 26 mi23. Kingsport, TN — 28 mi34. Rogersville, TN — 32 mi45. near Bristol, TN — 34 mi5
  1. Wise, VA 16 mi (25 km)
  2. Clintwood, VA 26 mi (42 km)
  3. Kingsport, TN 28 mi (45 km)
  4. Rogersville, TN 32 mi (52 km)
  5. near Bristol, TN 34 mi (55 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: 36.8567, -82.7997.