U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00337857 · Ohio

Frost Dates for South Point, OH

NOAA weather station South Point (USC00337857), Ohio · elevation 553 ft (169 m) · hardiness zone 7a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 4only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 1650% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 3050% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season196 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone7acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at South Point, OHSpring: a frost after April 2 in 9 years out of 10, after April 16 in half of the years, after May 4 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 18 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: 196 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 16First frost ~Oct 30Frost season at South Point, OHSpring: a frost after April 2 in 9 years out of 10, after April 16 in half of the years, after May 4 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 18 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: 196 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 16First 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 27 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 4October 18
50% (typical)April 16October 30
90% (likely)April 2November 10
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
196 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 2
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 8

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 15 (1 day earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 1 (2 days later). Frost-free season 200 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 South Point: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 4, 20% April 28, 30% April 22, 40% April 19, 50% April 16, 60% April 13, 70% April 10, 80% April 7, 90% April 2. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 23, 2022 April 20, 2023 April 26, 2024 April 23, 2025 April 13, 2026 May 3.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 4Apr 16Apr 22021: April 232022: April 202023: April 262024: April 232025: April 132026: May 3Fall at South Point: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 18, 20% October 22, 30% October 25, 40% October 27, 50% October 30, 60% November 1, 70% November 3, 80% November 5, 90% November 10. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 3, 2022 October 20, 2023 November 1, 2024 November 22, 2025 October 26.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Oct 18Oct 30Nov 102021: November 32022: October 202023: November 12024: November 222025: October 26
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 3
2022April 20October 20
2023April 26November 1
2024April 23November 22
2025April 13October 26
2026May 3season not over yet

What these dates mean

The cautious fall date in South Point for finishing the harvest is October 18, when there is only a 10% chance a light frost has arrived.

For a gardener, the 50% light-frost dates—April 16 in spring and October 30 in fall—mark the points at which a frost is as likely as not. The 50% hard-frost dates are April 2 and November 8, indicating when a temperature of 28 °F is equally probable.

A cautious plan uses May 4 as the spring light-frost date for setting out tender crops, because only a 10% chance of frost remains after that day, and the same caution applies to October 18 for ending harvest. Hard frosts at 28 °F can damage plants more severely than light frosts at 32 °F, so the hard-frost dates are especially relevant for protecting tender vegetation.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 4" 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 18" 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 South Point, OHNumbered nearest stations: 1 — near Huntington, WV — 5 mi; 2 — near Sciotodale, OH — 28 mi; 3 — Hogsett RC Byrd Dam, WV — 29 mi; 4 — Dunlow, WV — 34 mi; 5 — Gallipolis, OH — 35 mi.WVKYOH25 mi · 40 km1. near Huntington, WV — 5 mi12. near Sciotodale, OH — 28 mi23. Hogsett RC Byrd Dam, WV — 29 mi34. Dunlow, WV — 34 mi45. Gallipolis, OH — 35 mi5
  1. near Huntington, WV 5 mi (7 km)
  2. near Sciotodale, OH 28 mi (45 km)
  3. Hogsett RC Byrd Dam, WV 29 mi (46 km)
  4. Dunlow, WV 34 mi (55 km)
  5. Gallipolis, OH 35 mi (57 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: 38.4239, -82.5931.