U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00318292 · North Carolina

Frost Dates for Statesville, NC

NOAA weather station Statesville 2 NNE (USC00318292), North Carolina · elevation 803 ft (245 m) · hardiness zone 7b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 1only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 1650% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 2550% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season191 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone7bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Statesville, NCSpring: a frost after April 2 in 9 years out of 10, after April 16 in half of the years, after May 1 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 13 in 1 year out of 10, before October 25 in half of the years, before November 5 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 191 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 16First frost ~Oct 25Frost season at Statesville, NCSpring: a frost after April 2 in 9 years out of 10, after April 16 in half of the years, after May 1 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 13 in 1 year out of 10, before October 25 in half of the years, before November 5 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 191 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 16First frost ~Oct 25
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 26 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 1October 13
50% (typical)April 16October 25
90% (likely)April 2November 5
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
191 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 3
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 3

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 13 (3 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 29 (4 days later). Frost-free season 199 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 Statesville: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 1, 20% April 25, 30% April 21, 40% April 18, 50% April 16, 60% April 13, 70% April 10, 80% April 6, 90% April 2. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 23, 2022 April 20, 2023 April 11, 2024 April 8, 2025 April 13, 2026 April 10.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 1Apr 16Apr 22021: April 232022: April 202023: April 112024: April 82025: April 132026: April 10Fall at Statesville: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 13, 20% October 17, 30% October 21, 40% October 23, 50% October 25, 60% October 28, 70% October 31, 80% November 2, 90% November 5. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 5, 2022 October 19, 2023 November 2, 2024 October 17, 2025 November 1.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 13Oct 25Nov 52021: November 52022: October 192023: November 22024: October 172025: November 1
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 20October 19
2023April 11November 2
2024April 8October 17
2025April 13November 1
2026April 10season not over yet

What these dates mean

October 13 marks the cautious fall date for finishing the harvest of tender crops in Statesville; only a 10 % chance of a light frost exists before that day. In spring the cautious date for setting out tender crops is May 1, when the chance of a light frost later in the season drops to 10 %; planting earlier on April 2 carries a 90 % chance of frost and is a gamble.

Gardners can use the 50 % light-frost dates as a reference point: the median date in spring is April 16 and the median date in fall is October 25, each representing an even odds of frost occurring after (spring) or before (fall). The 50 % hard-frost dates are April 3 and November 3; a hard frost of 28 °F can damage plants that survive a light frost of 32 °F, so it matters more for tender 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 1" 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 13" 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 Statesville, NCNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Salisbury 9 WNW, NC — 16 mi; 2 — Salisbury, NC — 24 mi; 3 — near Hickory, NC — 28 mi; 4 — North Wilkesboro, NC — 29 mi; 5 — West Kerr Scott Resv, NC — 29 mi.NCTN25 mi · 40 km1. Salisbury 9 WNW, NC — 16 mi12. Salisbury, NC — 24 mi23. near Hickory, NC — 28 mi34. North Wilkesboro, NC — 29 mi45. West Kerr Scott Resv, NC — 29 mi5
  1. Salisbury 9 WNW, NC 16 mi (26 km)
  2. Salisbury, NC 24 mi (39 km)
  3. near Hickory, NC 28 mi (46 km)
  4. North Wilkesboro, NC 29 mi (46 km)
  5. West Kerr Scott Resv, NC 29 mi (47 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 7b: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 35.81, -80.8808.