U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00094230 · Georgia

Frost Dates for Helen, GA

NOAA weather station Helen (USC00094230), Georgia · elevation 1493 ft (455 m) · hardiness zone 8a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 3only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 1150% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 2850% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season197 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone8acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Helen, GASpring: a frost after March 25 in 9 years out of 10, after April 11 in half of the years, after May 3 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 13 in 1 year out of 10, before October 28 in half of the years, before November 10 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 197 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 11First frost ~Oct 28Frost season at Helen, GASpring: a frost after March 25 in 9 years out of 10, after April 11 in half of the years, after May 3 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 13 in 1 year out of 10, before October 28 in half of the years, before November 10 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 197 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 11First frost ~Oct 28
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)May 3October 13
50% (typical)April 11October 28
90% (likely)March 25November 10
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
197 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 30
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 7

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 10 (1 day earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 29 (1 day later). Frost-free season 200 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 Helen: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 3, 20% April 25, 30% April 20, 40% April 15, 50% April 11, 60% April 8, 70% April 4, 80% March 31, 90% March 25. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 23, 2022 April 12.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 3Apr 11Mar 252021: April 232022: April 12Fall at Helen: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 13, 20% October 18, 30% October 22, 40% October 25, 50% October 28, 60% October 31, 70% November 2, 80% November 5, 90% November 10. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 7.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 13Oct 28Nov 102021: November 7
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 7
2022April 12no data
2023no datano data
2024no datano data
2025no datano data
2026no dataseason not over yet

What these dates mean

Setting out tender crops on March 25 in Helen is a gamble, because there is a 90 % chance of a light frost later. Gardeners who prefer a lower risk wait until the cautious spring date of May 3, when only a 10 % chance of a frost later remains.

The 50% date for light frost in spring is April 11, which represents a 50 % chance of a frost later than this date. In fall the cautious date to finish harvesting tender crops is October 13, carrying a 10 % chance of a frost earlier. The 50% fall date is October 28, giving a 50 % chance of a frost earlier than this date.

A hard frost at 28 °F, indicated by the median dates March 30 in spring and November 7 in fall, can damage plants more severely than a light frost at 32 °F.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 3" 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 13" 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 Helen, GANumbered nearest stations: 1 — Blairsville, GA — 16 mi; 2 — Cornelia, GA — 17 mi; 3 — Gainesville, GA — 29 mi; 4 — Walhalla, SC — 37 mi; 5 — Franklin, NC — 38 mi.SCNCTN25 mi · 40 km1. Blairsville, GA — 16 mi12. Cornelia, GA — 17 mi23. Gainesville, GA — 29 mi34. Walhalla, SC — 37 mi45. Franklin, NC — 38 mi5
  1. Blairsville, GA 16 mi (26 km)
  2. Cornelia, GA 17 mi (27 km)
  3. Gainesville, GA 29 mi (46 km)
  4. Walhalla, SC 37 mi (60 km)
  5. Franklin, NC 38 mi (61 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: 34.6997, -83.7261.