U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USW00013723 · North Carolina

Frost Dates near Greensboro, NC

NOAA weather station Piedmont Triad International Airport (USW00013723), North Carolina · elevation 890 ft (271 m) · hardiness zone 8a*

Greensboro is the nearest town to the station (8.6 mi away) in GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). The dates below are measured at the station, not in the town itself.

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 14only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMarch 3050% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostNovember 550% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season220 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone8acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season near Greensboro, NCSpring: a frost after March 12 in 9 years out of 10, after March 30 in half of the years, after April 14 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 25 in 1 year out of 10, before November 5 in half of the years, before November 21 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 220 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Mar 30First frost ~Nov 5Frost season near Greensboro, NCSpring: a frost after March 12 in 9 years out of 10, after March 30 in half of the years, after April 14 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 25 in 1 year out of 10, before November 5 in half of the years, before November 21 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 220 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Mar 30First frost ~Nov 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 30 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)April 14October 25
50% (typical)March 30November 5
90% (likely)March 12November 21
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
220 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 18
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 17

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost March 31 (1 day later than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 6 (1 day later). Frost-free season 222 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 near Greensboro: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 14, 20% April 8, 30% April 5, 40% April 2, 50% March 30, 60% March 27, 70% March 24, 80% March 19, 90% March 12. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 22, 2022 March 28, 2023 March 21, 2024 April 6, 2025 March 7, 2026 March 18.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Mar 1Apr 1Apr 14Mar 30Mar 122021: April 222022: March 282023: March 212024: April 62025: March 72026: March 18Fall near Greensboro: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 25, 20% October 30, 30% November 1, 40% November 3, 50% November 5, 60% November 7, 70% November 11, 80% November 14, 90% November 21. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 5, 2022 October 19, 2023 November 1, 2024 November 22, 2025 November 10.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Dec 1Oct 25Nov 5Nov 212021: November 52022: October 192023: 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 22November 5
2022March 28October 19
2023March 21November 1
2024April 6November 22
2025March 7November 10
2026March 18season not over yet

What these dates mean

October 25 is the cautious fall date for the Greensboro area, indicating only a ten-percent chance that a light frost has arrived earlier; gardeners can aim to finish harvesting tender crops by that day.

The 50% date of March 30 marks the point where a light frost later in the season is equally likely as not, while the 50% date of November 5 marks the point where a light frost earlier in the season is equally likely as not. For a low-risk plan the cautious spring date is April 14, when the chance of a later light frost is ten percent, and the cautious fall date is October 25, when the chance of an earlier light frost is ten percent.

A hard frost at 28°F can damage or kill plants that would survive a 32°F light frost, and the median hard-frost dates are March 18 and November 17.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after April 14" 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 25" 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 Greensboro, NCNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Reidsville, NC — 24 mi; 2 — Lexington, NC — 25 mi; 3 — Danbury, NC — 26 mi; 4 — Asheboro, NC — 27 mi; 5 — Siler City, NC — 36 mi.NCVA25 mi · 40 km1. Reidsville, NC — 24 mi12. Lexington, NC — 25 mi23. Danbury, NC — 26 mi34. Asheboro, NC — 27 mi45. Siler City, NC — 36 mi5
  1. Reidsville, NC 24 mi (39 km)
  2. Lexington, NC 25 mi (40 km)
  3. Danbury, NC 26 mi (43 km)
  4. Asheboro, NC 27 mi (44 km)
  5. Siler City, NC 36 mi (57 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: 36.0969, -79.9433.