U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00448170 · Virginia

Frost Dates for Stuart, VA

NOAA weather station Stuart (USC00448170), Virginia · elevation 1375 ft (419 m) · hardiness zone 7b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 6only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 1950% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 2750% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season190 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone7bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Stuart, VASpring: a frost after April 4 in 9 years out of 10, after April 19 in half of the years, after May 6 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 13 in 1 year out of 10, before October 27 in half of the years, before November 7 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 190 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 19First frost ~Oct 27Frost season at Stuart, VASpring: a frost after April 4 in 9 years out of 10, after April 19 in half of the years, after May 6 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 13 in 1 year out of 10, before October 27 in half of the years, before November 7 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 190 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 19First 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 29 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 6October 13
50% (typical)April 19October 27
90% (likely)April 4November 7
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
190 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 5
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 4

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 16 (3 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 29 (2 days later). Frost-free season 195 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 Stuart: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 6, 20% April 30, 30% April 26, 40% April 22, 50% April 19, 60% April 16, 70% April 14, 80% April 9, 90% April 4. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 24, 2022 April 21, 2023 April 10, 2024 April 7, 2025 April 14, 2026 May 3.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 6Apr 19Apr 42021: April 242022: April 212023: April 102024: April 72025: April 142026: May 3Fall at Stuart: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 13, 20% October 18, 30% October 21, 40% October 24, 50% October 27, 60% October 29, 70% October 31, 80% November 3, 90% November 7. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 5, 2022 October 19, 2023 November 1, 2024 November 17, 2025 November 2.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 13Oct 27Nov 72021: November 52022: October 192023: November 12024: November 172025: November 2
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 24November 5
2022April 21October 19
2023April 10November 1
2024April 7November 17
2025April 14November 2
2026May 3season not over yet

What these dates mean

May 6 is the cautious spring date; it carries a 10 % chance of a light frost later, so a gardener can plan to set out tender crops on that day with relatively low risk. The 50 % date in spring is April 19, meaning there is a 50 % chance of a light frost later than this date. The median hard-frost date in spring is April 5, marking the point at which a 28 °F frost is as likely as not.

In fall, October 13 is the cautious date for finishing tender crops, because only a 10 % chance exists that a light frost has arrived earlier. The 50 % date in fall is October 27, meaning there is a 50 % chance of a light frost earlier than this date, while the median hard-frost date is November 4. A hard frost matters more than a light frost because the lower temperature can damage plant tissue that survives 32 °F conditions.

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 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 Stuart, VANumbered nearest stations: 1 — Danbury, NC — 15 mi; 2 — Christiansburg, VA — 35 mi; 3 — Reidsville, NC — 36 mi; 4 — near Blacksburg, VA — 40 mi; 5 — near Greensboro, NC — 41 mi.VAWV25 mi · 40 km1. Danbury, NC — 15 mi12. Christiansburg, VA — 35 mi23. Reidsville, NC — 36 mi34. near Blacksburg, VA — 40 mi45. near Greensboro, NC — 41 mi5
  1. Danbury, NC 15 mi (24 km)
  2. Christiansburg, VA 35 mi (56 km)
  3. Reidsville, NC 36 mi (58 km)
  4. near Blacksburg, VA 40 mi (65 km)
  5. near Greensboro, NC 41 mi (66 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: 36.6364, -80.2544.