U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00449151 · Virginia

Frost Dates for Williamsburg, VA

NOAA weather station Williamsburg 2 N (USC00449151), Virginia · elevation 70 ft (21 m) · hardiness zone 8a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 14only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMarch 3150% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostNovember 1050% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season225 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone8acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Williamsburg, VASpring: a frost after March 15 in 9 years out of 10, after March 31 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 10 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 10Frost season at Williamsburg, VASpring: a frost after March 15 in 9 years out of 10, after March 31 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 10 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 10
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)April 14October 29
50% (typical)March 31November 10
90% (likely)March 15November 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 23

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost March 31 (same as the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 12 (2 days later). Frost-free season 229 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 Williamsburg: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 14, 20% April 9, 30% April 5, 40% April 2, 50% March 31, 60% March 28, 70% March 26, 80% March 21, 90% March 15. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 3, 2022 March 29, 2023 March 21, 2024 March 19, 2025 March 9, 2026 March 29.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Mar 1Apr 1Apr 14Mar 31Mar 152021: April 32022: March 292023: March 212024: March 192025: March 92026: March 29Fall at Williamsburg: 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 7, 50% November 10, 60% November 13, 70% November 16, 80% November 20, 90% November 26. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 14, 2022 November 17, 2023 November 3, 2024 November 29, 2025 November 18.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Dec 1Oct 29Nov 10Nov 262021: November 142022: November 172023: November 32024: November 292025: November 18
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 29November 17
2023March 21November 3
2024March 19November 29
2025March 9November 18
2026March 29season not over yet

What these dates mean

Setting out tender crops on March 15 is a gamble, as there is a 90% chance of a frost later than this date in Williamsburg.

The 50% date for light frost in spring is March 31, a 50% chance of a frost later than this date, and the 50% date in fall is November 10, a 50% chance of a frost earlier than this date. Gardeners who prefer a lower risk follow the cautious spring date of April 14 for planting tender crops and the cautious fall date of October 29 for finishing their harvest. The period between the two 32 °F 50% dates spans 225 days over the 29-year record.

Hard frosts at 28 °F matter more than light frosts at 32 °F because they penetrate plant tissue more deeply, causing greater damage.

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 Williamsburg, VANumbered nearest stations: 1 — West Point, VA — 19 mi; 2 — Wakefield, VA — 28 mi; 3 — Hopewell, VA — 32 mi; 4 — Walkerton, VA — 36 mi; 5 — Richmond, VA — 37 mi.MD25 mi · 40 km1. West Point, VA — 19 mi12. Wakefield, VA — 28 mi23. Hopewell, VA — 32 mi34. Walkerton, VA — 36 mi45. Richmond, VA — 37 mi5
  1. West Point, VA 19 mi (31 km)
  2. Wakefield, VA 28 mi (44 km)
  3. Hopewell, VA 32 mi (51 km)
  4. Walkerton, VA 36 mi (57 km)
  5. Richmond, VA 37 mi (59 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: 37.3017, -76.7039.