U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00449301 · Virginia

Frost Dates for Wytheville, VA

NOAA weather station Wytheville (USC00449301), Virginia · elevation 2458 ft (749 m) · hardiness zone 7a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 16only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 2550% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 1850% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season174 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone7acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Wytheville, VASpring: a frost after April 10 in 9 years out of 10, after April 25 in half of the years, after May 16 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 5 in 1 year out of 10, before October 18 in half of the years, before November 1 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 174 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 25First frost ~Oct 18Frost season at Wytheville, VASpring: a frost after April 10 in 9 years out of 10, after April 25 in half of the years, after May 16 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 5 in 1 year out of 10, before October 18 in half of the years, before November 1 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 174 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 25First frost ~Oct 18
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)May 16October 5
50% (typical)April 25October 18
90% (likely)April 10November 1
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
174 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 10
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 27

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 22 (3 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 22 (4 days later). Frost-free season 182 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 Wytheville: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 16, 20% May 9, 30% May 4, 40% April 30, 50% April 25, 60% April 22, 70% April 18, 80% April 15, 90% April 10. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2022 April 21, 2023 April 27, 2024 April 24, 2025 April 30, 2026 May 4.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 16Apr 25Apr 102022: April 212023: April 272024: April 242025: April 302026: May 4Fall at Wytheville: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 5, 20% October 9, 30% October 12, 40% October 15, 50% October 18, 60% October 21, 70% October 24, 80% October 27, 90% November 1. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2022 October 9, 2023 October 24, 2024 October 17, 2025 October 17.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 5Oct 18Nov 12022: October 92023: October 242024: October 172025: October 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
2021incomplete recordincomplete record
2022April 21October 9
2023April 27October 24
2024April 24October 17
2025April 30October 17
2026May 4season not over yet

What these dates mean

The 174 days between the 50% dates in Wytheville, April 25 and October 18, mark the span in which a light frost is equally likely to have occurred or not. For a gardener this median point indicates that the risk of a 32 °F frost is balanced, serving as a reference for timing activities.

The cautious spring date for setting out tender crops is May 16, when there is only a 10 % chance of a later light frost; planting on April 10 carries a 90 % chance and is a gamble. The cautious fall date to finish harvesting tender crops is October 5, which has a 10 % chance that a light frost has arrived earlier, while counting on tender crops until November 1 entails a 90 % chance of a prior frost and is a gamble.

The hard-frost 50% dates are April 10 and October 27, and a hard frost at 28 °F can damage plant tissue that 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 May 16" 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 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 Wytheville, VANumbered nearest stations: 1 — Burkes Garden, VA — 16 mi; 2 — Pulaski, VA — 18 mi; 3 — Pearisburg, VA — 31 mi; 4 — Saltville, VA — 38 mi; 5 — Christiansburg, VA — 39 mi.WV25 mi · 40 km1. Burkes Garden, VA — 16 mi12. Pulaski, VA — 18 mi23. Pearisburg, VA — 31 mi34. Saltville, VA — 38 mi45. Christiansburg, VA — 39 mi5
  1. Burkes Garden, VA 16 mi (26 km)
  2. Pulaski, VA 18 mi (29 km)
  3. Pearisburg, VA 31 mi (50 km)
  4. Saltville, VA 38 mi (61 km)
  5. Christiansburg, VA 39 mi (63 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 7a: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 36.9617, -81.0869.