U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USW00013867 · West Virginia

Frost Dates for Parkersburg, WV

NOAA weather station Parkersburg (USW00013867), West Virginia · elevation 620 ft (189 m) · hardiness zone 7a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 2only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 1450% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 3050% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season197 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone7acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Parkersburg, WVSpring: a frost after March 31 in 9 years out of 10, after April 14 in half of the years, after May 2 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 16 in 1 year out of 10, before October 30 in half of the years, before November 12 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 197 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 14First frost ~Oct 30Frost season at Parkersburg, WVSpring: a frost after March 31 in 9 years out of 10, after April 14 in half of the years, after May 2 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 16 in 1 year out of 10, before October 30 in half of the years, before November 12 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 197 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 14First frost ~Oct 30
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 2October 16
50% (typical)April 14October 30
90% (likely)March 31November 12
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
197 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 1
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 9

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 12 (2 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 1 (2 days later). Frost-free season 202 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 Parkersburg: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 2, 20% April 25, 30% April 20, 40% April 17, 50% April 14, 60% April 10, 70% April 7, 80% April 4, 90% March 31. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 23, 2022 April 21, 2023 April 25, 2024 April 8, 2025 April 10, 2026 April 9.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 2Apr 14Mar 312021: April 232022: April 212023: April 252024: April 82025: April 102026: April 9Fall at Parkersburg: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 16, 20% October 21, 30% October 24, 40% October 27, 50% October 30, 60% November 1, 70% November 3, 80% November 7, 90% November 12. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 3, 2022 November 15, 2023 November 1, 2024 November 22, 2025 November 11.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Oct 16Oct 30Nov 122021: November 32022: November 152023: November 12024: 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 23November 3
2022April 21November 15
2023April 25November 1
2024April 8November 22
2025April 10November 11
2026April 9season not over yet

What these dates mean

Setting out tender crops on March 31 in Parkersburg is a gamble, because there is a 90 % chance of a light frost later than that date. The cautious alternative for spring planting is May 2, when only a 10 % chance of a frost remains.

The 50 % spring date, April 14, marks the point at which a light frost is equally likely to occur later, while the 50 % fall date, October 30, marks the point at which a light frost is equally likely to have occurred earlier. For a conservative schedule, the fall cautious date is October 16, with only a 10 % chance that a frost has arrived earlier.

A hard frost, defined by 28 °F, matters more because it can damage plants that survive a 32 °F light frost; the 50 % hard-frost dates are April 1 in spring and November 9 in fall. The record spans 27 years, and the interval between the two 32 °F 50 % dates is 197 days.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 2" 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 16" 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 Parkersburg, WVNumbered nearest stations: 1 — near Williamstown, WV — 8 mi; 2 — Marietta, OH — 11 mi; 3 — Ripley, WV — 33 mi; 4 — Spencer, WV — 35 mi; 5 — Middlebourne, WV — 40 mi.WVOHPA25 mi · 40 km1. near Williamstown, WV — 8 mi12. Marietta, OH — 11 mi23. Ripley, WV — 33 mi34. Spencer, WV — 35 mi45. Middlebourne, WV — 40 mi5
  1. near Williamstown, WV 8 mi (12 km)
  2. Marietta, OH 11 mi (18 km)
  3. Ripley, WV 33 mi (53 km)
  4. Spencer, WV 35 mi (56 km)
  5. Middlebourne, WV 40 mi (64 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 7a: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 39.2811, -81.5572.