U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USW00093739 · Virginia

Frost Dates for Wallops Island Flight Fac, VA

NOAA weather station Wallops Island Flight Fac (USW00093739), Virginia · elevation 38 ft (12 m) · hardiness zone 8a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 13only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMarch 3150% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostNovember 1150% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season225 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone8acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Wallops Island Flight Fac, VASpring: a frost after March 17 in 9 years out of 10, after March 31 in half of the years, after April 13 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 31 in 1 year out of 10, before November 11 in half of the years, before November 26 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 225 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Mar 31First frost ~Nov 11Frost season at Wallops Island Flight Fac, VASpring: a frost after March 17 in 9 years out of 10, after March 31 in half of the years, after April 13 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 31 in 1 year out of 10, before November 11 in half of the years, before November 26 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 225 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Mar 31First frost ~Nov 11
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 13October 31
50% (typical)March 31November 11
90% (likely)March 17November 26
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
225 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 20
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 24

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 1 (1 day later than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 12 (1 day later). Frost-free season 225 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 Wallops Island Flight Fac: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 13, 20% April 9, 30% April 6, 40% April 3, 50% March 31, 60% March 29, 70% March 26, 80% March 22, 90% March 17. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 3, 2022 March 30, 2023 April 10, 2024 March 24, 2025 April 9, 2026 March 29.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1Apr 13Mar 31Mar 172021: April 32022: March 302023: April 102024: March 242025: April 92026: March 29Fall at Wallops Island Flight Fac: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 31, 20% November 2, 30% November 5, 40% November 8, 50% November 11, 60% November 13, 70% November 17, 80% November 20, 90% November 26. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 14, 2022 November 17, 2023 November 2, 2024 November 30, 2025 November 17.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Dec 1Oct 31Nov 11Nov 262021: November 142022: November 172023: November 22024: November 302025: November 17
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 3November 14
2022March 30November 17
2023April 10November 2
2024March 24November 30
2025April 9November 17
2026March 29season not over yet

What these dates mean

April 13 is the cautious spring light-frost date, giving a gardener only a ten percent chance that a frost will occur later; planting tender vegetables after that date is therefore a low-risk choice.

The median light-frost date of March 31 signals a fifty-percent chance of a frost occurring later, while the median hard-frost date of March 20 marks the point at which a 28 °F frost is as likely as not. October 31 is the cautious fall light-frost date, with only a ten percent chance that a frost has already arrived, so completing tender-crop harvests before then keeps risk low. The median light-frost date of November 11 and the median hard-frost date of November 24 each represent equal odds of a frost occurring earlier in the season. A hard frost at 28 °F can damage plant tissue that usually survives a light frost at 32 °F.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after April 13" 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 31" 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 Wallops Island Flight Fac, VANumbered nearest stations: 1 — Snow Hill, MD — 21 mi; 2 — near Salisbury, MD — 28 mi; 3 — Painter, VA — 31 mi; 4 — near Lexington Park, MD — 57 mi; 5 — Royal Oak, MD — 66 mi.VAMDDE25 mi · 40 km1. Snow Hill, MD — 21 mi12. near Salisbury, MD — 28 mi23. Painter, VA — 31 mi34. near Lexington Park, MD — 57 mi45. Royal Oak, MD — 66 mi5
  1. Snow Hill, MD 21 mi (33 km)
  2. near Salisbury, MD 28 mi (45 km)
  3. Painter, VA 31 mi (51 km)
  4. near Lexington Park, MD 57 mi (92 km)
  5. Royal Oak, MD 66 mi (107 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: 37.9406, -75.4631.