U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00093621 · Georgia

Frost Dates for Gainesville, GA

NOAA weather station Gainesville (USC00093621), Georgia · elevation 1170 ft (357 m) · hardiness zone 8a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 11only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMarch 2750% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostNovember 1250% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season231 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone8acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Gainesville, GASpring: a frost after March 6 in 9 years out of 10, after March 27 in half of the years, after April 11 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 31 in 1 year out of 10, before November 12 in half of the years, before December 1 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 231 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Mar 27First frost ~Nov 12Frost season at Gainesville, GASpring: a frost after March 6 in 9 years out of 10, after March 27 in half of the years, after April 11 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 31 in 1 year out of 10, before November 12 in half of the years, before December 1 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 231 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Mar 27First frost ~Nov 12
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 27 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)April 11October 31
50% (typical)March 27November 12
90% (likely)March 6December 1
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
231 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 12
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 26

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost March 25 (2 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 10 (2 days earlier). Frost-free season 233 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 Gainesville: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 11, 20% April 5, 30% April 2, 40% March 30, 50% March 27, 60% March 23, 70% March 18, 80% March 14, 90% March 6. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 4, 2022 March 15, 2023 March 22, 2024 March 20, 2025 March 4, 2026 March 19.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Mar 1Apr 1Apr 11Mar 27Mar 62021: April 42022: March 152023: March 222024: March 202025: March 42026: March 19Fall at Gainesville: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 31, 20% November 2, 30% November 6, 40% November 8, 50% November 12, 60% November 15, 70% November 19, 80% November 25, 90% December 1. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 15, 2022 November 14, 2023 November 2, 2024 November 30, 2025 November 11.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Dec 1Oct 31Nov 12Dec 12021: November 152022: November 142023: November 22024: November 302025: November 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
2021April 4November 15
2022March 15November 14
2023March 22November 2
2024March 20November 30
2025March 4November 11
2026March 19season not over yet

What these dates mean

Planting tender crops on the early spring date of March 6 carries a 90 % chance that a light frost will occur later, making it a gamble for Gainesville growers. The median light-frost date of March 27 marks the point where the odds of a frost later are even, while the median hard-frost date of March 12 indicates a 50 % chance of temperatures dropping to 28 °F. In the autumn, the median light-frost date of November 12 and the median hard-frost date of November 26 play the same roles for the opposite direction of risk.

For a cautious planting schedule, the 10 % chance light-frost dates are used: April 11 for setting out tender crops in spring and October 31 for finishing harvest in fall. A hard frost at 28 °F matters more than a light frost at 32 °F because it can damage plant tissue that would 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 April 11" 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 31" 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 Gainesville, GANumbered nearest stations: 1 — Cornelia, GA — 24 mi; 2 — Helen, GA — 29 mi; 3 — Jasper, GA — 36 mi; 4 — Blairsville, GA — 39 mi; 5 — near Athens, GA — 39 mi.GASCNCTN25 mi · 40 km1. Cornelia, GA — 24 mi12. Helen, GA — 29 mi23. Jasper, GA — 36 mi34. Blairsville, GA — 39 mi45. near Athens, GA — 39 mi5
  1. Cornelia, GA 24 mi (39 km)
  2. Helen, GA 29 mi (46 km)
  3. Jasper, GA 36 mi (57 km)
  4. Blairsville, GA 39 mi (62 km)
  5. near Athens, GA 39 mi (63 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 8a: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 34.3006, -83.86.