U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00381256 · South Carolina

Frost Dates for Caesars Head, SC

NOAA weather station Caesars Head (USC00381256), South Carolina · elevation 3200 ft (975 m) · hardiness zone 7b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 28only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 1050% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostNovember 250% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season206 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone7bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Caesars Head, SCSpring: a frost after March 24 in 9 years out of 10, after April 10 in half of the years, after April 28 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 22 in 1 year out of 10, before November 2 in half of the years, before November 16 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 206 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 10First frost ~Nov 2Frost season at Caesars Head, SCSpring: a frost after March 24 in 9 years out of 10, after April 10 in half of the years, after April 28 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 22 in 1 year out of 10, before November 2 in half of the years, before November 16 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 206 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 10First frost ~Nov 2
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 26 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)April 28October 22
50% (typical)April 10November 2
90% (likely)March 24November 16
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
206 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 30
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 12

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 10 (same as the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 2. Frost-free season 208 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 Caesars Head: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 28, 20% April 22, 30% April 17, 40% April 14, 50% April 10, 60% April 7, 70% April 4, 80% March 31, 90% March 24. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 23, 2022 April 19, 2023 April 10, 2024 April 7, 2025 April 10, 2026 March 19.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1Apr 28Apr 10Mar 242021: April 232022: April 192023: April 102024: April 72025: April 102026: March 19Fall at Caesars Head: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 22, 20% October 26, 30% October 28, 40% October 31, 50% November 2, 60% November 5, 70% November 8, 80% November 11, 90% November 16. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 5, 2022 October 18, 2023 November 1, 2024 November 22, 2025 November 10.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Oct 22Nov 2Nov 162021: November 52022: October 182023: November 12024: November 222025: 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 23November 5
2022April 19October 18
2023April 10November 1
2024April 7November 22
2025April 10November 10
2026March 19season not over yet

What these dates mean

Setting out tender crops on the early spring date, March 24, carries a 90% chance of a frost and is therefore a gamble for growers at Caesars Head.

The 50% dates show where the odds split evenly. For light frost, April 10 in spring and November 2 in fall each represent a 50% chance of a frost occurring later (spring) or earlier (fall). The hard-frost median dates are March 30 and November 12; a hard frost at 28 °F can injure plants more severely than a light frost at 32 °F. The climate record covers 26 years, and the span between the two 32°F 50% dates is 206 days.

A cautious plan uses the April 28 light-frost date for planting tender crops and the October 22 light-frost date for finishing their harvest, each carrying only a 10% chance of a frost.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after April 28" 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 22" 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 Caesars Head, SCNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Brevard, NC — 10 mi; 2 — Tryon, NC — 22 mi; 3 — Asheville (Airport), NC — 23 mi; 4 — Bent Creek, NC — 27 mi; 5 — Greer, SC — 28 mi.SCGATN25 mi · 40 km1. Brevard, NC — 10 mi12. Tryon, NC — 22 mi23. Asheville (Airport), NC — 23 mi34. Bent Creek, NC — 27 mi45. Greer, SC — 28 mi5
  1. Brevard, NC 10 mi (17 km)
  2. Tryon, NC 22 mi (36 km)
  3. Asheville (Airport), NC 23 mi (37 km)
  4. Bent Creek, NC 27 mi (44 km)
  5. Greer, SC 28 mi (45 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: 35.1072, -82.6256.