U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00383990 · South Carolina

Frost Dates for Hartsville, SC

NOAA weather station Hartsville (USC00383990), South Carolina · elevation 185 ft (56 m) · hardiness zone 8a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 13only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMarch 3050% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostNovember 650% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season224 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone8acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Hartsville, SCSpring: a frost after March 11 in 9 years out of 10, after March 30 in half of the years, after April 13 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 26 in 1 year out of 10, before November 6 in half of the years, before November 23 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 224 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Mar 30First frost ~Nov 6Frost season at Hartsville, SCSpring: a frost after March 11 in 9 years out of 10, after March 30 in half of the years, after April 13 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 26 in 1 year out of 10, before November 6 in half of the years, before November 23 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 224 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Mar 30First frost ~Nov 6
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 13October 26
50% (typical)March 30November 6
90% (likely)March 11November 23
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
224 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 16
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 18

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. Frost-free season 223 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 Hartsville: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 13, 20% April 8, 30% April 4, 40% April 1, 50% March 30, 60% March 25, 70% March 21, 80% March 18, 90% March 11. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 22, 2022 March 29, 2023 March 22, 2024 February 23, 2025 March 8, 2026 March 30.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Mar 1Apr 1Apr 13Mar 30Mar 112021: April 222022: March 292023: March 222024: February 232025: March 82026: March 30Fall at Hartsville: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 26, 20% October 30, 30% November 1, 40% November 4, 50% November 6, 60% November 10, 70% November 13, 80% November 17, 90% November 23. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 16, 2022 October 19, 2023 November 3, 2024 November 22, 2025 November 11.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Dec 1Oct 26Nov 6Nov 232021: November 162022: October 192023: November 32024: November 222025: 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 22November 16
2022March 29October 19
2023March 22November 3
2024February 23November 22
2025March 8November 11
2026March 30season not over yet

What these dates mean

April 13 is the cautious spring date, with only a 10 % chance of a light frost later, and it lets a gardener set out tender crops with minimal risk. The parallel cautious fall date is October 26, when there is just a 10 % chance that a light frost has arrived earlier, marking a safe point to finish harvesting tender crops.

The 50 % dates are milestones of equal odds for a 32 °F light frost: the 50 % date is March 30 in spring and November 6 in fall. The hard-frost 50 % dates are March 16 and November 18, showing when an even chance of a 28 °F frost exists. These dates give a gardener a clear sense of when frost risk is balanced.

Because a hard frost at 28 °F can injure plants that survive a light frost at 32 °F, it represents a higher threat to tender crops.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after April 13" 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 26" 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 Hartsville, SCNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Darlington, SC — 12 mi; 2 — Cheraw, SC — 23 mi; 3 — Florence, SC — 24 mi; 4 — Laurinburg, NC — 41 mi; 5 — Manning, SC — 49 mi.SCNC25 mi · 40 km1. Darlington, SC — 12 mi12. Cheraw, SC — 23 mi23. Florence, SC — 24 mi34. Laurinburg, NC — 41 mi45. Manning, SC — 49 mi5
  1. Darlington, SC 12 mi (19 km)
  2. Cheraw, SC 23 mi (37 km)
  3. Florence, SC 24 mi (38 km)
  4. Laurinburg, NC 41 mi (66 km)
  5. Manning, SC 49 mi (79 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: 34.395, -80.0486.