U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00447506 · Virginia

Frost Dates for Saltville, VA

NOAA weather station Saltville 1 N (USC00447506), Virginia · elevation 1733 ft (528 m) · hardiness zone 7a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 10only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 2350% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 2050% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season178 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone7acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Saltville, VASpring: a frost after April 10 in 9 years out of 10, after April 23 in half of the years, after May 10 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 8 in 1 year out of 10, before October 20 in half of the years, before November 1 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 178 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 23First frost ~Oct 20Frost season at Saltville, VASpring: a frost after April 10 in 9 years out of 10, after April 23 in half of the years, after May 10 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 8 in 1 year out of 10, before October 20 in half of the years, before November 1 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 178 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 23First frost ~Oct 20
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 10October 8
50% (typical)April 23October 20
90% (likely)April 10November 1
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
178 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 9
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 29

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 21 (2 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 22 (2 days later). Frost-free season 183 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 Saltville: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 10, 20% May 4, 30% April 30, 40% April 27, 50% April 23, 60% April 21, 70% April 18, 80% April 15, 90% April 10. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 24, 2022 April 21, 2023 April 27, 2024 April 25, 2025 April 18, 2026 May 4.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 10Apr 23Apr 102021: April 242022: April 212023: April 272024: April 252025: April 182026: May 4Fall at Saltville: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 8, 20% October 12, 30% October 15, 40% October 17, 50% October 20, 60% October 23, 70% October 25, 80% October 29, 90% November 1. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 September 28, 2022 October 9, 2023 October 24, 2024 October 11, 2025 October 23.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 8Oct 20Nov 12021: September 282022: October 92023: October 242024: October 112025: October 23
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 24September 28
2022April 21October 9
2023April 27October 24
2024April 25October 11
2025April 18October 23
2026May 4season not over yet

What these dates mean

October 8 marks the cautious fall date for finishing the harvest of tender crops in Saltville, carrying only a 10 % chance that a light frost has arrived earlier. In spring, the cautious date for setting out tender crops is May 10, when the probability of a later light frost is just 10 % and planting earlier on April 10 carries a 90 % gamble.

The 50 % light-frost dates are April 23 in spring and October 20 in fall; at each of these dates the chance of a light frost is evenly split. The 28 °F hard-frost median points are April 9 for spring and October 29 for fall, standing apart from the light-frost dates.

Because a hard frost at 28 °F can damage or kill vegetation that would survive a 32 °F light frost, it represents a substantially greater risk to 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 10" 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 8" 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 Saltville, VANumbered nearest stations: 1 — Richlands, VA — 14 mi; 2 — Lebanon, VA — 15 mi; 3 — Abingdon, VA — 19 mi; 4 — Burkes Garden, VA — 28 mi; 5 — near Mountain City, TN — 29 mi.NCTNKYWV25 mi · 40 km1. Richlands, VA — 14 mi12. Lebanon, VA — 15 mi23. Abingdon, VA — 19 mi34. Burkes Garden, VA — 28 mi45. near Mountain City, TN — 29 mi5
  1. Richlands, VA 14 mi (23 km)
  2. Lebanon, VA 15 mi (24 km)
  3. Abingdon, VA 19 mi (30 km)
  4. Burkes Garden, VA 28 mi (45 km)
  5. near Mountain City, TN 29 mi (46 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: 36.8894, -81.7711.