U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00316853 · North Carolina

Frost Dates for Plymouth, NC

NOAA weather station Plymouth 5 E (USC00316853), North Carolina · elevation 20 ft (6 m) · hardiness zone 8b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 15only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMarch 3150% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostNovember 750% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season221 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone8bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Plymouth, NCSpring: a frost after March 14 in 9 years out of 10, after March 31 in half of the years, after April 15 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 25 in 1 year out of 10, before November 7 in half of the years, before November 23 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 221 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Mar 31First frost ~Nov 7Frost season at Plymouth, NCSpring: a frost after March 14 in 9 years out of 10, after March 31 in half of the years, after April 15 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 25 in 1 year out of 10, before November 7 in half of the years, before November 23 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 221 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Mar 31First frost ~Nov 7
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)April 15October 25
50% (typical)March 31November 7
90% (likely)March 14November 23
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
221 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 17
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 21

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 1 (1 day later than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 7. Frost-free season 222 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 Plymouth: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 15, 20% April 9, 30% April 6, 40% April 3, 50% March 31, 60% March 28, 70% March 24, 80% March 20, 90% March 14. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 4, 2022 March 29, 2023 April 11, 2024 March 1, 2025 March 28, 2026 March 29.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Mar 1Apr 1Apr 15Mar 31Mar 142021: April 42022: March 292023: April 112024: March 12025: March 282026: March 29Fall at Plymouth: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 25, 20% October 30, 30% November 2, 40% November 5, 50% November 7, 60% November 10, 70% November 13, 80% November 17, 90% November 23. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 16, 2022 November 18, 2023 November 2, 2024 November 30, 2025 November 11.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Dec 1Oct 25Nov 7Nov 232021: November 162022: November 182023: November 22024: November 302025: 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 4November 16
2022March 29November 18
2023April 11November 2
2024March 1November 30
2025March 28November 11
2026March 29season not over yet

What these dates mean

Planting tender crops on March 14 in Plymouth carries a 90% chance of a frost later in spring, so it is a gamble.

The 50% date is March 31 for light frost, meaning an even chance of a frost later than this date; the 50% date is November 7 for fall, indicating an even chance of a frost earlier than this date. Hard-frost median dates are March 17 and November 21; a hard frost at 28 °F can cause more injury to tender crops than a light frost at 32 °F.

A cautious spring plan uses April 15, when only a 10% chance of a later frost remains, and a cautious fall plan uses October 25, when only a 10% chance of an earlier frost exists.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after April 15" 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 25" 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 Plymouth, NCNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Edenton, NC — 12 mi; 2 — Williamston, NC — 21 mi; 3 — Greenville, NC — 44 mi; 4 — Tarboro, NC — 49 mi; 5 — Bayboro, NC — 52 mi.25 mi · 40 km1. Edenton, NC — 12 mi12. Williamston, NC — 21 mi23. Greenville, NC — 44 mi34. Tarboro, NC — 49 mi45. Bayboro, NC — 52 mi5
  1. Edenton, NC 12 mi (19 km)
  2. Williamston, NC 21 mi (34 km)
  3. Greenville, NC 44 mi (72 km)
  4. Tarboro, NC 49 mi (79 km)
  5. Bayboro, NC 52 mi (84 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: 35.8722, -76.6592.