U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00317615 · North Carolina

Frost Dates for Salisbury, NC

NOAA weather station Salisbury (USC00317615), North Carolina · elevation 700 ft (213 m) · hardiness zone 8a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 27only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 650% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 3050% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season208 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone8acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Salisbury, NCSpring: a frost after March 21 in 9 years out of 10, after April 6 in half of the years, after April 27 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 19 in 1 year out of 10, before October 30 in half of the years, before November 10 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 208 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 6First frost ~Oct 30Frost season at Salisbury, NCSpring: a frost after March 21 in 9 years out of 10, after April 6 in half of the years, after April 27 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 19 in 1 year out of 10, before October 30 in half of the years, before November 10 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 208 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 6First 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 29 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)April 27October 19
50% (typical)April 6October 30
90% (likely)March 21November 10
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
208 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 25
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 8

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 7 (1 day later than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 1 (2 days later). Frost-free season 207 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 Salisbury: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 27, 20% April 18, 30% April 13, 40% April 9, 50% April 6, 60% April 3, 70% March 31, 80% March 27, 90% March 21. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 22, 2022 April 10, 2023 April 11, 2024 April 7, 2025 April 13, 2026 April 9.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1Apr 27Apr 6Mar 212021: April 222022: April 102023: April 112024: April 72025: April 132026: April 9Fall at Salisbury: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 19, 20% October 22, 30% October 25, 40% October 28, 50% October 30, 60% November 1, 70% November 4, 80% November 6, 90% November 10. 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 1Oct 19Oct 30Nov 102021: 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 22November 5
2022April 10October 19
2023April 11November 2
2024April 7November 22
2025April 13November 11
2026April 9season not over yet

What these dates mean

Setting out tender crops on March 21 in Salisbury carries a 90 % chance of a frost later that spring, making it a gamble for a gardener.

The 50 % dates—April 6 for spring and October 30 for fall—mark the point at which a light frost is equally likely to occur before or after, so a gardener can expect about an even chance of frost around those days. The record covers 29 years and the interval between the two 32 ° F 50 % dates is 208 days.

A cautious spring plan would wait until April 27, when only a 10 % chance of a later frost remains, and a cautious fall plan would finish tender crops by October 19, when there is only a 10 % chance that a frost has arrived earlier. Because a hard frost at 28 ° F can damage plants that survive a light frost at 32 ° F, it represents a more severe threat.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after April 27" 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 19" 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 Salisbury, NCNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Salisbury 9 WNW, NC — 8 mi; 2 — Lexington, NC — 17 mi; 3 — Concord, NC — 20 mi; 4 — Statesville, NC — 24 mi; 5 — Asheboro, NC — 36 mi.NC25 mi · 40 km1. Salisbury 9 WNW, NC — 8 mi12. Lexington, NC — 17 mi23. Concord, NC — 20 mi34. Statesville, NC — 24 mi45. Asheboro, NC — 36 mi5
  1. Salisbury 9 WNW, NC 8 mi (13 km)
  2. Lexington, NC 17 mi (27 km)
  3. Concord, NC 20 mi (32 km)
  4. Statesville, NC 24 mi (39 km)
  5. Asheboro, NC 36 mi (58 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: 35.6836, -80.4822.