U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00317202 · North Carolina

Frost Dates for Reidsville, NC

NOAA weather station Reidsville 2 NW (USC00317202), North Carolina · elevation 890 ft (271 m) · hardiness zone 8a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 21only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 550% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostNovember 250% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season213 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone8acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Reidsville, NCSpring: a frost after March 20 in 9 years out of 10, after April 5 in half of the years, after April 21 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 21 in 1 year out of 10, before November 2 in half of the years, before November 17 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 213 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 5First frost ~Nov 2Frost season at Reidsville, NCSpring: a frost after March 20 in 9 years out of 10, after April 5 in half of the years, after April 21 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 21 in 1 year out of 10, before November 2 in half of the years, before November 17 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 213 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 5First frost ~Nov 2
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 28 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)April 21October 21
50% (typical)April 5November 2
90% (likely)March 20November 17
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
213 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 24
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 13

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 4 (1 day earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 5 (3 days later). Frost-free season 217 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 Reidsville: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 21, 20% April 15, 30% April 10, 40% April 7, 50% April 5, 60% April 2, 70% March 30, 80% March 26, 90% March 20. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 23, 2022 April 21, 2023 March 22, 2024 April 24, 2025 March 7, 2026 April 12.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Mar 1Apr 1May 1Apr 21Apr 5Mar 202021: April 232022: April 212023: March 222024: April 242025: March 72026: April 12Fall at Reidsville: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 21, 20% October 25, 30% October 28, 40% October 31, 50% November 2, 60% November 5, 70% November 7, 80% November 12, 90% November 17. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 5, 2022 October 19, 2023 November 2, 2024 November 22, 2025 November 11.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Dec 1Oct 21Nov 2Nov 172021: November 52022: October 192023: November 22024: 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 5
2022April 21October 19
2023March 22November 2
2024April 24November 22
2025March 7November 11
2026April 12season not over yet

What these dates mean

The cautious fall date to finish harvesting tender crops in Reidsville is October 21, when there is only a 10 % chance a frost has arrived earlier.

For a gardener, the 50 % dates mark the point at which frost risk is evenly balanced: the light-frost median occurs on April 5 in spring and on November 2 in fall, while the hard-frost median falls on March 24 and November 13. At each of these dates the probability of a frost later (spring) or earlier (fall) is 50 %.

A cautious plan therefore uses the April 21 light-frost date—only a 10 % chance of a frost later—to set out tender crops, and relies on the October 21 date to end the harvest. A hard frost at 28 °F is more damaging than a light frost at 32 °F because it can kill plants that survive milder chilling.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after April 21" 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 21" 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 Reidsville, NCNumbered nearest stations: 1 — near Greensboro, NC — 24 mi; 2 — Danbury, NC — 27 mi; 3 — Chatham, VA — 34 mi; 4 — Stuart, VA — 36 mi; 5 — Siler City, NC — 45 mi.VA25 mi · 40 km1. near Greensboro, NC — 24 mi12. Danbury, NC — 27 mi23. Chatham, VA — 34 mi34. Stuart, VA — 36 mi45. Siler City, NC — 45 mi5
  1. near Greensboro, NC 24 mi (39 km)
  2. Danbury, NC 27 mi (44 km)
  3. Chatham, VA 34 mi (55 km)
  4. Stuart, VA 36 mi (58 km)
  5. Siler City, NC 45 mi (72 km)

Sources

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

Station coordinates: 36.3797, -79.6944.