U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00466248 · West Virginia

Frost Dates for Moundsville, WV

NOAA weather station Moundsville (USC00466248), West Virginia · elevation 620 ft (189 m) · hardiness zone 6b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 12only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 2650% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 2150% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season177 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone6bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Moundsville, WVSpring: a frost after April 15 in 9 years out of 10, after April 26 in half of the years, after May 12 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 8 in 1 year out of 10, before October 21 in half of the years, before November 2 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 177 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 26First frost ~Oct 21Frost season at Moundsville, WVSpring: a frost after April 15 in 9 years out of 10, after April 26 in half of the years, after May 12 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 8 in 1 year out of 10, before October 21 in half of the years, before November 2 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 177 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 26First frost ~Oct 21
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)May 12October 8
50% (typical)April 26October 21
90% (likely)April 15November 2
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
177 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 15
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 1

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 24 (2 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 25 (4 days later). Frost-free season 182 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 Moundsville: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 12, 20% May 6, 30% May 2, 40% April 29, 50% April 26, 60% April 23, 70% April 21, 80% April 18, 90% April 15. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 May 1, 2022 May 1, 2023 April 25, 2024 April 22, 2025 April 17, 2026 April 21.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 12Apr 26Apr 152021: May 12022: May 12023: April 252024: April 222025: April 172026: April 21Fall at Moundsville: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 8, 20% October 13, 30% October 16, 40% October 19, 50% October 21, 60% October 24, 70% October 26, 80% October 29, 90% November 2. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 3, 2022 October 9, 2023 October 31, 2024 October 27, 2025 October 27.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 8Oct 21Nov 22021: November 32022: October 92023: October 312024: October 272025: October 27
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
2021May 1November 3
2022May 1October 9
2023April 25October 31
2024April 22October 27
2025April 17October 27
2026April 21season not over yet

What these dates mean

Setting out tender crops on April 15 in Moundsville is a gamble, because it carries a 90% chance that a light frost will still occur later that season.

The cautious spring date for tender crops is May 12, which has only a 10% chance of a later frost. In the fall, the cautious date to finish harvesting tender crops is October 8, also with a 10% chance of an earlier frost. For a gardener, the 50% spring date, April 26, marks the point where a light frost is equally likely to happen later, while the 50% fall date, October 21, marks equal odds of a frost occurring earlier. For hard frosts, the median dates are April 15 in spring and November 1 in fall, when a 28 °F frost is a 50-50 prospect.

A hard frost can damage woody tissue that a light frost often spares, so the 28 °F threshold is more critical for plant survival.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 12" 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 8" 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 Moundsville, WVNumbered nearest stations: 1 — near Wheeling, WV — 17 mi; 2 — Hannibal Locks & Dam, OH — 18 mi; 3 — Middlebourne, WV — 31 mi; 4 — Waynesburg, PA — 31 mi; 5 — Steubenville, OH — 33 mi.OHPAWVMD25 mi · 40 km1. near Wheeling, WV — 17 mi12. Hannibal Locks & Dam, OH — 18 mi23. Middlebourne, WV — 31 mi34. Waynesburg, PA — 31 mi45. Steubenville, OH — 33 mi5
  1. near Wheeling, WV 17 mi (27 km)
  2. Hannibal Locks & Dam, OH 18 mi (28 km)
  3. Middlebourne, WV 31 mi (49 km)
  4. Waynesburg, PA 31 mi (50 km)
  5. Steubenville, OH 33 mi (53 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 6b: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 39.9056, -80.755.