U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00315116 · North Carolina

Frost Dates for Longwood, NC

NOAA weather station Longwood (USC00315116), North Carolina · elevation 40 ft (12 m) · hardiness zone 8b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 11only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMarch 2650% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostNovember 1150% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season231 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone8bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Longwood, NCSpring: a frost after March 3 in 9 years out of 10, after March 26 in half of the years, after April 11 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 29 in 1 year out of 10, before November 11 in half of the years, before December 1 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 231 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Mar 26First frost ~Nov 11Frost season at Longwood, NCSpring: a frost after March 3 in 9 years out of 10, after March 26 in half of the years, after April 11 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 29 in 1 year out of 10, before November 11 in half of the years, before December 1 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 231 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Mar 26First frost ~Nov 11
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 11October 29
50% (typical)March 26November 11
90% (likely)March 3December 1
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
231 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 10
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 25

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost March 27 (1 day later than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 9 (2 days earlier). Frost-free season 230 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 Longwood: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 11, 20% April 6, 30% April 2, 40% March 30, 50% March 26, 60% March 22, 70% March 18, 80% March 12, 90% March 3. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 4, 2022 March 29, 2023 March 22, 2024 February 23, 2026 March 30.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Mar 1Apr 1Apr 11Mar 26Mar 32021: April 42022: March 292023: March 222024: February 232026: March 30Fall at Longwood: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 29, 20% November 1, 30% November 4, 40% November 7, 50% November 11, 60% November 14, 70% November 18, 80% November 24, 90% December 1. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 24, 2022 November 18, 2023 November 2, 2024 November 22.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Dec 1Oct 29Nov 11Dec 12021: November 242022: November 182023: November 22024: November 22
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 24
2022March 29November 18
2023March 22November 2
2024February 23November 22
2025incomplete recordincomplete record
2026March 30season not over yet

What these dates mean

231 days separate the 32 °F 50% dates in Longwood, March 26 and November 11, framing the period in which most tender crops can be grown without a light frost. The 50% dates themselves indicate an even chance of a light frost occurring later (spring) or earlier (fall) and simply mark the middle of the historic frost probability range; they are not themselves frost dates.

For a cautious plan the spring 10 % date, April 11, is used to set out tender crops, while the fall 10 % date, October 29, signals when to finish harvesting those crops. A hard frost, defined at 28 °F, is more damaging than a light frost at 32 °F because it can injure or kill plants that survive a light frost. The probabilities are based on 30 years of record.

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 29" 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 Longwood, NCNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Wilmington, NC — 41 mi; 2 — Lumberton, NC — 51 mi; 3 — Florence, SC — 68 mi; 4 — Andrews, SC — 71 mi; 5 — Laurinburg, NC — 73 mi.SCNC25 mi · 40 km1. Wilmington, NC — 41 mi12. Lumberton, NC — 51 mi23. Florence, SC — 68 mi34. Andrews, SC — 71 mi45. Laurinburg, NC — 73 mi5
  1. Wilmington, NC 41 mi (66 km)
  2. Lumberton, NC 51 mi (81 km)
  3. Florence, SC 68 mi (110 km)
  4. Andrews, SC 71 mi (114 km)
  5. Laurinburg, NC 73 mi (118 km)

Sources

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

Station coordinates: 34.0106, -78.5464.