U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00448022 · Virginia

Frost Dates for Pearisburg, VA

NOAA weather station Pearisburg 4 SSE (USC00448022), Virginia · elevation 1678 ft (512 m) · hardiness zone 7a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 16only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 2750% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 1750% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season171 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone7acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Pearisburg, VASpring: a frost after April 12 in 9 years out of 10, after April 27 in half of the years, after May 16 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 3 in 1 year out of 10, before October 17 in half of the years, before October 29 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 171 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 27First frost ~Oct 17Frost season at Pearisburg, VASpring: a frost after April 12 in 9 years out of 10, after April 27 in half of the years, after May 16 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 3 in 1 year out of 10, before October 17 in half of the years, before October 29 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 171 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 27First frost ~Oct 17
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 29 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 16October 3
50% (typical)April 27October 17
90% (likely)April 12October 29
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
171 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 11
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 26

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 24 (3 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 21 (4 days later). Frost-free season 178 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 Pearisburg: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 16, 20% May 10, 30% May 3, 40% April 30, 50% April 27, 60% April 23, 70% April 20, 80% April 16, 90% April 12. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 May 13, 2022 April 21, 2023 May 6, 2024 April 24, 2025 April 18, 2026 May 9.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 16Apr 27Apr 122021: May 132022: April 212023: May 62024: April 242025: April 182026: May 9Fall at Pearisburg: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 3, 20% October 8, 30% October 11, 40% October 14, 50% October 17, 60% October 20, 70% October 23, 80% October 26, 90% October 29. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 3, 2022 September 29, 2024 October 11, 2025 October 17.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 3Oct 17Oct 292021: November 32022: September 292024: October 112025: October 17
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 13November 3
2022April 21September 29
2023May 6incomplete record
2024April 24October 11
2025April 18October 17
2026May 9season not over yet

What these dates mean

May 16 is the cautious spring date for Pearisburg, carrying only a 10 % chance of a light frost later than that day, and it lets a gardener schedule the first planting of tender crops with minimal frost risk.

April 27 carries a 50 % chance of a light frost later than this date, while April 12 has a 90 % chance and is a gamble for early tender-crop planting. The median hard-frost date is April 11. In the fall, October 3 is the cautious date, with only a 10 % chance of a light frost earlier than that day, guiding the latest safe harvest of tender crops, whereas October 29 has a 90 % chance and is a gamble for extending the season. October 17 carries a 50 % chance of a light frost earlier than this date, and the median hard-frost date is October 26.

Hard frost at 28 °F can damage plants more severely than a light frost at 32 °F, so the hard-frost dates are especially important for protecting crops.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 16" 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 3" 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 Pearisburg, VANumbered nearest stations: 1 — near Blacksburg, VA — 16 mi; 2 — Pulaski, VA — 16 mi; 3 — Christiansburg, VA — 19 mi; 4 — Wytheville, VA — 31 mi; 5 — Burkes Garden, VA — 38 mi.WV25 mi · 40 km1. near Blacksburg, VA — 16 mi12. Pulaski, VA — 16 mi23. Christiansburg, VA — 19 mi34. Wytheville, VA — 31 mi45. Burkes Garden, VA — 38 mi5
  1. near Blacksburg, VA 16 mi (26 km)
  2. Pulaski, VA 16 mi (26 km)
  3. Christiansburg, VA 19 mi (30 km)
  4. Wytheville, VA 31 mi (50 km)
  5. Burkes Garden, VA 38 mi (61 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: 37.2786, -80.6889.