U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00318744 · North Carolina

Frost Dates for Tryon, NC

NOAA weather station Tryon (USC00318744), North Carolina · elevation 1320 ft (402 m) · hardiness zone 8a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 14only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMarch 2750% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostNovember 1250% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season231 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone8acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Tryon, NCSpring: a frost after March 9 in 9 years out of 10, after March 27 in half of the years, after April 14 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 29 in 1 year out of 10, before November 12 in half of the years, before December 1 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 231 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Mar 27First frost ~Nov 12Frost season at Tryon, NCSpring: a frost after March 9 in 9 years out of 10, after March 27 in half of the years, after April 14 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 29 in 1 year out of 10, before November 12 in half of the years, before December 1 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 231 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Mar 27First frost ~Nov 12
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)April 14October 29
50% (typical)March 27November 12
90% (likely)March 9December 1
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
231 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 14
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 27

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost March 22 (5 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 16 (4 days later). Frost-free season 242 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 Tryon: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 14, 20% April 6, 30% April 1, 40% March 30, 50% March 27, 60% March 24, 70% March 20, 80% March 16, 90% March 9. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 4, 2022 March 14, 2023 March 21, 2024 March 20, 2025 March 3, 2026 March 19.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Mar 1Apr 1Apr 14Mar 27Mar 92021: April 42022: March 142023: March 212024: March 202025: March 32026: March 19Fall at Tryon: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 29, 20% November 1, 30% November 5, 40% November 8, 50% November 12, 60% November 15, 70% November 19, 80% November 24, 90% December 1. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 20, 2022 November 14, 2023 November 2, 2024 November 29, 2025 November 11.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Dec 1Oct 29Nov 12Dec 12021: November 202022: November 142023: November 22024: November 292025: November 11
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 4November 20
2022March 14November 14
2023March 21November 2
2024March 20November 29
2025March 3November 11
2026March 19season not over yet

What these dates mean

Setting out tender crops on March 9 carries a 90 % chance of a frost later that season, making it a high-risk gamble for Tryon gardeners. The cautious spring date is April 14, when only a 10 % chance of a frost later remains.

The 50 % dates represent an even-odds point: the median light-frost dates are March 27 in spring and November 12 in fall, and the median hard-frost dates are March 14 and November 27. A cautious fall plan would finish harvesting tender crops by October 29, the date with a 10 % chance of a frost earlier.

Hard frost at 28 °F can cause far more damage to tender crops than a light frost at 32 °F, so those hard-frost dates are especially important to watch.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after April 14" 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 29" 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 Tryon, NCNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Caesars Head, SC — 22 mi; 2 — Greer, SC — 22 mi; 3 — Asheville (Airport), NC — 22 mi; 4 — Brevard, NC — 27 mi; 5 — Spartanburg, SC — 28 mi.NCGATN25 mi · 40 km1. Caesars Head, SC — 22 mi12. Greer, SC — 22 mi23. Asheville (Airport), NC — 22 mi34. Brevard, NC — 27 mi45. Spartanburg, SC — 28 mi5
  1. Caesars Head, SC 22 mi (36 km)
  2. Greer, SC 22 mi (36 km)
  3. Asheville (Airport), NC 22 mi (36 km)
  4. Brevard, NC 27 mi (44 km)
  5. Spartanburg, SC 28 mi (45 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 8a: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 35.2058, -82.2517.