U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USW00013748 · North Carolina

Frost Dates for Wilmington, NC

NOAA weather station Wilmington International Airport (USW00013748), North Carolina · elevation 33 ft (10 m) · hardiness zone 8b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 4only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMarch 1950% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostNovember 2050% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season247 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone8bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Wilmington, NCSpring: a frost after February 26 in 9 years out of 10, after March 19 in half of the years, after April 4 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before November 5 in 1 year out of 10, before November 20 in half of the years, before December 6 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 247 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Mar 19First frost ~Nov 20Frost season at Wilmington, NCSpring: a frost after February 26 in 9 years out of 10, after March 19 in half of the years, after April 4 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before November 5 in 1 year out of 10, before November 20 in half of the years, before December 6 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 247 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Mar 19First frost ~Nov 20
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 28 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)April 4November 5
50% (typical)March 19November 20
90% (likely)February 26December 6
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
247 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 2
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
December 3

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost March 18 (1 day earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 17 (3 days earlier). Frost-free season 244 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 Wilmington: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 4, 20% March 30, 30% March 26, 40% March 22, 50% March 19, 60% March 16, 70% March 12, 80% March 5, 90% February 26. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 3, 2022 March 14, 2023 March 21, 2024 February 22, 2025 March 4, 2026 March 18.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Mar 1Apr 1Apr 4Mar 19Feb 262021: April 32022: March 142023: March 212024: February 222025: March 42026: March 18Fall at Wilmington: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% November 5, 20% November 10, 30% November 13, 40% November 16, 50% November 20, 60% November 24, 70% November 27, 80% December 1, 90% December 6. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 23, 2022 November 18, 2023 November 29, 2024 November 30, 2025 November 11.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Dec 1Nov 5Nov 20Dec 62021: November 232022: November 182023: November 292024: November 302025: 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 3November 23
2022March 14November 18
2023March 21November 29
2024February 22November 30
2025March 4November 11
2026March 18season not over yet

What these dates mean

The 247 days between the 50% dates in Wilmington frame the window when a light frost is no more likely than not, with the 50% spring date on March 19 and the 50% fall date on November 20 serving as reference points rather than frost thresholds. In spring the cautious date for setting out tender crops is April 4, which carries only a 10 % chance of a frost later; planting on February 26 would involve a 90 % chance and is a gamble. In fall the cautious date to finish harvesting tender crops is November 5, with a 10 % chance of a frost earlier, while waiting until December 6 would mean a 90 % chance of a frost and is risky. A hard frost (28 °F) matters more than a light frost (32 °F) because it can damage plants that survive the milder temperature, and the median hard-frost dates are March 2 in spring and December 3 in fall.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after April 4" 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 November 5" 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 Wilmington, NCNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Longwood, NC — 41 mi; 2 — Lumberton, NC — 69 mi; 3 — near New Bern, NC — 73 mi; 4 — near Fayetteville, NC — 77 mi; 5 — Dunn, NC — 86 mi.NCSC25 mi · 40 km1. Longwood, NC — 41 mi12. Lumberton, NC — 69 mi23. near New Bern, NC — 73 mi34. near Fayetteville, NC — 77 mi45. Dunn, NC — 86 mi5
  1. Longwood, NC 41 mi (66 km)
  2. Lumberton, NC 69 mi (111 km)
  3. near New Bern, NC 73 mi (118 km)
  4. near Fayetteville, NC 77 mi (124 km)
  5. Dunn, NC 86 mi (138 km)

Sources

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

Station coordinates: 34.2675, -77.8997.