U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00448062 · Virginia

Frost Dates for Staunton, VA

NOAA weather station Staunton WTP (USC00448062), Virginia · elevation 169 ft (52 m) · hardiness zone 7a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 6only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 1550% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 2750% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season191 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone7acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Staunton, VASpring: a frost after April 1 in 9 years out of 10, after April 15 in half of the years, after May 6 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 11 in 1 year out of 10, before October 27 in half of the years, before November 9 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 191 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 15First frost ~Oct 27Frost season at Staunton, VASpring: a frost after April 1 in 9 years out of 10, after April 15 in half of the years, after May 6 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 11 in 1 year out of 10, before October 27 in half of the years, before November 9 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 191 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 15First frost ~Oct 27
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 30 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 6October 11
50% (typical)April 15October 27
90% (likely)April 1November 9
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 5

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 13 (2 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 30 (3 days later). Frost-free season 198 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 Staunton: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 6, 20% April 30, 30% April 23, 40% April 19, 50% April 15, 60% April 11, 70% April 8, 80% April 5, 90% April 1. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 25, 2022 April 2, 2023 March 21, 2024 March 26, 2025 April 9.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 6Apr 15Apr 12021: April 252022: April 22023: March 212024: March 262025: April 9Fall at Staunton: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 11, 20% October 16, 30% October 21, 40% October 24, 50% October 27, 60% October 30, 70% November 1, 80% November 4, 90% November 9. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 3, 2022 November 14, 2023 November 1, 2024 November 13.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 11Oct 27Nov 92021: November 32022: November 142023: November 12024: November 13
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 25November 3
2022April 2November 14
2023March 21November 1
2024March 26November 13
2025April 9incomplete record
2026incomplete recordseason not over yet

What these dates mean

October 11 marks the cautious fall date for finishing the harvest of tender crops in Staunton, because only a 10 % chance exists that a light frost has arrived earlier. The 50 % date of October 27 marks the point where a light frost is equally likely to have occurred or not. In spring, April 15 is the 50 % date, indicating the same even odds for a light frost. Gardeners seeking low risk will wait until the cautious spring date of May 6, which carries a 10 % chance of a later frost, while planting on April 1 would be a gamble with a 90 % chance of a later frost. Hard-frost thresholds are more severe: the 50 % hard-frost dates are April 3 and November 5, and a temperature of 28 °F can damage plants that would survive a 32 °F light frost.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 6" 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 11" 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 Staunton, VANumbered nearest stations: 1 — Dale Enterprise, VA — 21 mi; 2 — Charlottesville, VA — 32 mi; 3 — Lexington, VA — 33 mi; 4 — Bartow, WV — 45 mi; 5 — Gathright Dam, VA — 50 mi.WV25 mi · 40 km1. Dale Enterprise, VA — 21 mi12. Charlottesville, VA — 32 mi23. Lexington, VA — 33 mi34. Bartow, WV — 45 mi45. Gathright Dam, VA — 50 mi5
  1. Dale Enterprise, VA 21 mi (34 km)
  2. Charlottesville, VA 32 mi (51 km)
  3. Lexington, VA 33 mi (54 km)
  4. Bartow, WV 45 mi (72 km)
  5. Gathright Dam, VA 50 mi (80 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: 38.1692, -79.0844.