North Carolina Frost Dates

North Carolina has 187 NOAA weather stations with freeze records in the 1991–2020 climate normals. The typical last spring frost ranges from March 1 at Frisco 2nne to May 16 at Mt Mitchell; at half the stations it has come by April 1. The first fall frost typically arrives between October 4 at Mt Mitchell and December 22 at Cape Hatteras Ap, with a median of November 4.

The growing season between the typical frosts runs from 140 days at Mt Mitchell to 293 days at Ocracoke; 217 days at the median station.

Every station in North Carolina

Typical dates have a 50% chance of a frost after them in spring, and before them in fall; safer dates, 10%. A garden can differ from its nearest station, especially in a valley or on a hillside: see why your garden may differ.

North Carolina: freeze (32 °F) dates by NOAA station, 1991–2020 normals
Station	Elevation	Last frost	Safer	First frost	Safer	Season (days)
Albemarle	610 ft	Mar 29	Apr 14	Nov 4	Oct 24	220
Andrews	1,749 ft	Apr 17	May 3	Oct 23	Oct 10	189
Apex	450 ft	Mar 27	Apr 10	Nov 8	Oct 26	227
Arcola	330 ft	Apr 3	Apr 19	Nov 5	Oct 16	217
Asheboro 2 W	870 ft	Apr 5	Apr 21	Oct 31	Oct 18	207
Asheville 13 S	2,103 ft	Apr 17	May 4	Oct 23	Oct 10	187
Asheville 8 Ssw	2,151 ft	Apr 24	May 11	Oct 18	Oct 5	175
Asheville Rgnl Ap	2,117 ft	Apr 9	Apr 27	Oct 28	Oct 14	201
Asheville	2,238 ft	Apr 6	Apr 24	Oct 31	Oct 17	205
Atlantic Beach Wtp	4 ft	Mar 3	Mar 21	Dec 13	Nov 25	286
Aurora 6 N	20 ft	Mar 8	Mar 28	Dec 5	Nov 16	272
Banner Elk	3,770 ft	Apr 30	May 17	Oct 14	Oct 1	167
Bayboro 3 Sw	5 ft	Mar 30	Apr 15	Nov 8	Oct 26	224
Beaufort Michael J Smith Fld	11 ft	Mar 10	Mar 26	Dec 1	Nov 10	265
Beech Mtn	5,053 ft	May 6	May 23	Oct 14	Sep 29	159
Belhaven 3 Ne	0 ft	Mar 25	Apr 8	Nov 11	Oct 30	233
Bent Creek	2,110 ft	Apr 26	May 12	Oct 18	Oct 5	175
Black Mtn 2 W	2,290 ft	Apr 19	May 7	Oct 23	Oct 8	184
Blowing Rock 1nw	3,850 ft	Apr 25	May 12	Oct 21	Oct 6	178
Boone 1 Se	3,100 ft	May 2	May 19	Oct 13	Sep 30	163
Brevard	2,175 ft	Apr 21	May 7	Oct 23	Oct 11	185
Bryson City 4	1,985 ft	Apr 16	May 2	Oct 24	Oct 11	189
Burlington Alamance Ap	617 ft	Apr 1	Apr 17	Nov 2	Oct 21	215
Burlington Fire Stn #5	660 ft	Mar 29	Apr 15	Nov 9	Oct 26	226
Burnsville Ag	2,825 ft	Apr 24	May 13	Oct 19	Oct 7	180
Candler 1 W	2,240 ft	Apr 19	May 7	Oct 22	Oct 10	185
Cane Creek Rsvr	525 ft	Apr 6	Apr 22	Nov 1	Oct 19	210
Cape Hatteras Ap	11 ft	Mar 4	Mar 25	Dec 22	Nov 29	290
Carthage Wtp	440 ft	Apr 1	Apr 19	Nov 5	Oct 24	219
Cary	390 ft	Mar 31	Apr 12	Nov 10	Oct 30	226
Cataloochee	2,650 ft	Apr 30	May 15	Oct 12	Oct 3	164
Catawba 5 Sw	1,015 ft	Mar 24	Apr 9	Nov 8	Oct 27	230
Cedar Is	8 ft	Mar 11	Mar 30	Nov 30	Nov 11	261
Celo 2 S	2,700 ft	Apr 26	May 13	Oct 15	Oct 1	171
Chapel Hill 2 W	500 ft	Mar 31	Apr 14	Nov 3	Oct 23	218
Chapel Hill Williams Ap	512 ft	Mar 29	Apr 12	Nov 5	Oct 23	222
Charlotte Douglas Ap	728 ft	Mar 30	Apr 14	Nov 3	Oct 22	221
Chatham Wtp	308 ft	Apr 1	Apr 23	Nov 7	Oct 29	221
Cherokee	1,965 ft	Apr 17	May 6	Oct 21	Oct 7	186
Cherry Point Mcas	29 ft	Mar 19	Apr 4	Nov 22	Nov 5	249
Clayton 3e	332 ft	Mar 28	Apr 11	Nov 8	Oct 27	225
Clayton Wtp	300 ft	Apr 7	Apr 20	Nov 3	Oct 22	211
Clinton 2 Ne	158 ft	Mar 26	Apr 8	Nov 7	Oct 26	226
Columbia Ag Gum Neck	10 ft	Mar 29	Apr 10	Nov 13	Oct 31	231
Concord	700 ft	Apr 1	Apr 16	Nov 2	Oct 21	215
Coweeta Exp Stn	2,247 ft	Apr 23	May 11	Oct 17	Oct 4	175
Cullowhee	2,192 ft	Apr 19	May 7	Oct 22	Oct 9	184
Danbury	1,019 ft	Apr 11	Apr 29	Oct 30	Oct 18	202
Dunn 4 Nw	200 ft	Mar 28	Apr 11	Nov 7	Oct 26	226
Durham 11 W	562 ft	Mar 31	Apr 19	Nov 4	Oct 22	217
Durham	400 ft	Apr 2	Apr 18	Nov 4	Oct 24	217
Eden	678 ft	Apr 11	Apr 27	Oct 29	Oct 16	201
Edenton	10 ft	Mar 24	Apr 8	Nov 14	Nov 1	238
Elizabeth City Cgas	13 ft	Mar 28	Apr 11	Nov 12	Oct 29	230
Elizabeth City	8 ft	Mar 27	Apr 18	Nov 17	Nov 3	238
Elizabethtown	120 ft	Mar 29	Apr 13	Nov 8	Oct 29	226
Elkin	910 ft	Apr 15	May 3	Oct 26	Oct 14	194
Enka	2,050 ft	Apr 12	Apr 27	Oct 23	Oct 12	195
Fairfield	5 ft	Apr 7	Apr 21	Nov 4	Oct 22	211
Falls Lake	280 ft	Apr 4	Apr 19	Nov 4	Oct 22	213
Fayetteville (Pwc)	96 ft	Mar 30	Apr 16	Nov 10	Oct 28	227
Fayetteville Rgnl Ap	186 ft	Mar 22	Apr 8	Nov 13	Nov 1	236
Flat Springs 1e	3,330 ft	Apr 18	May 7	Oct 24	Oct 11	188
Fletcher 3 W	2,070 ft	Apr 18	May 4	Oct 21	Oct 8	186
Forest City 8 W	849 ft	Apr 11	Apr 28	Oct 27	Oct 14	198
Franklin	2,125 ft	Apr 17	May 4	Oct 23	Oct 11	187
Frisco 2nne	0 ft	Mar 1	Mar 21	Dec 20	Nov 28	292
Garner	330 ft	Apr 1	Apr 15	Nov 1	Oct 19	213
Gastonia Muni Ap	797 ft	Mar 24	Apr 10	Nov 9	Oct 27	230
Gastonia	700 ft	Mar 27	Apr 9	Nov 9	Oct 28	228
Goldsboro 4 Se	109 ft	Mar 15	Apr 1	Nov 18	Nov 2	250
Goldsboro Ag 1 N	109 ft	Mar 28	Apr 11	Nov 12	Nov 1	231
Grandfather Mtn	5,280 ft	May 5	May 20	Oct 13	Sep 27	160
Greensboro Wtp	765 ft	Apr 1	Apr 14	Nov 4	Oct 23	217
Greenville	32 ft	Mar 27	Apr 10	Nov 8	Oct 26	227
Hamlet	350 ft	Mar 30	Apr 15	Nov 4	Oct 22	220
Haw Rvr 1e	636 ft	Apr 4	Apr 19	Nov 3	Oct 24	215
Hayesville 1 Ne	1,792 ft	Apr 21	May 5	Oct 21	Oct 9	182
Henderson 2 Nnw	480 ft	Apr 16	Apr 30	Oct 26	Oct 13	193
Henderson 4 Nne	500 ft	Mar 28	Apr 11	Nov 9	Oct 26	227
Hendersonville 1 Ne	2,160 ft	Apr 14	May 1	Oct 25	Oct 12	192
Hickory Faa Ap	1,143 ft	Mar 31	Apr 16	Nov 4	Oct 22	219
High Pt	900 ft	Mar 30	Apr 15	Nov 5	Oct 21	220
Highlands	3,850 ft	Apr 30	May 17	Oct 15	Oct 3	167
Hofmann Forest	47 ft	Apr 6	Apr 23	Nov 1	Oct 17	204
Hot Springs	1,345 ft	Apr 11	Apr 27	Oct 29	Oct 16	201
Jackson Springs 5 Wnw	730 ft	Mar 25	Apr 10	Nov 14	Oct 30	235
Jackson	123 ft	Apr 5	Apr 18	Nov 1	Oct 20	211
Jacksonville Eoc	17 ft	Mar 31	Apr 15	Nov 8	Oct 27	224
Jefferson 2 E	2,759 ft	May 7	May 24	Oct 8	Sep 25	154
Kinston 7 Se	24 ft	Apr 1	Apr 15	Nov 4	Oct 22	217
Kinston Ag Rsch	60 ft	Mar 25	Apr 7	Nov 11	Oct 29	232
Lake Lure 2	1,040 ft	Apr 5	Apr 20	Oct 30	Oct 18	207
Lake Toxaway 2 Sw	3,200 ft	Apr 15	May 1	Oct 26	Oct 14	193
Laurinburg Maxton Ap	220 ft	Mar 25	Apr 11	Nov 8	Oct 26	228
Laurinburg	210 ft	Mar 21	Apr 10	Nov 14	Nov 1	239
Lenoir	1,155 ft	Apr 7	Apr 28	Oct 31	Oct 18	207
Lewiston	50 ft	Mar 29	Apr 12	Nov 7	Oct 27	223
Lexington	760 ft	Apr 11	Apr 26	Oct 28	Oct 14	199
Lillington	150 ft	Mar 30	Apr 15	Nov 6	Oct 26	223
Lincolnton 4 W	887 ft	Apr 9	Apr 27	Oct 28	Oct 15	201
Longwood	40 ft	Mar 26	Apr 11	Nov 11	Oct 29	231
Louisburg	260 ft	Apr 11	Apr 28	Oct 29	Oct 15	201
Lumber Rvr Sp	96 ft	Apr 1	Apr 16	Nov 5	Oct 24	219
Lumberton Muni Ap	121 ft	Mar 24	Apr 9	Nov 10	Oct 27	233
Lumberton	112 ft	Mar 24	Apr 8	Nov 11	Oct 29	234
Manteo Ap	13 ft	Mar 15	Mar 30	Dec 6	Nov 19	266
Marion	1,410 ft	Apr 5	Apr 21	Nov 1	Oct 18	209
Marshall	1,920 ft	Apr 28	May 13	Oct 18	Oct 6	173
Mocksville 5se	680 ft	Apr 15	May 2	Oct 25	Oct 12	192
Monroe 2 Se	550 ft	Apr 3	Apr 18	Nov 1	Oct 21	213
Monroe Ap	679 ft	Mar 31	Apr 16	Nov 5	Oct 23	220
Moores Creek Nb	22 ft	Mar 27	Apr 12	Nov 8	Oct 24	227
Morehead City 2 Wnw	10 ft	Mar 18	Apr 5	Nov 21	Nov 5	249
Morganton	1,180 ft	Apr 7	Apr 26	Oct 28	Oct 14	202
Mt Airy 2 W	1,080 ft	Apr 19	May 8	Oct 23	Oct 11	186
Mt Mitchell	6,240 ft	May 16	May 31	Oct 4	Sep 20	140
Mt Olive 6se	162 ft	Mar 28	Apr 10	Nov 7	Oct 27	226
Murfreesboro	100 ft	Apr 6	Apr 23	Nov 1	Oct 20	208
Murphy 4ese	1,600 ft	Apr 22	May 7	Oct 20	Oct 8	180
N Fk 2	2,480 ft	Apr 5	Apr 22	Oct 31	Oct 16	206
N Wilkesboro	1,120 ft	Apr 10	Apr 26	Oct 29	Oct 16	201
New Bern Craven Co Ap	19 ft	Mar 23	Apr 7	Nov 15	Nov 1	237
New Hill	320 ft	Apr 6	Apr 21	Nov 3	Oct 23	209
New River Mcaf	26 ft	Mar 23	Apr 7	Nov 16	Nov 1	240
Newport/Morehead City Wfo	30 ft	Mar 26	Apr 9	Nov 16	Nov 2	236
Ocracoke	4 ft	Mar 1	Mar 21	Dec 20	Nov 29	293
Old Ft Ag 3 W	1,425 ft	Apr 21	May 9	Oct 23	Oct 9	183
Oxford Ag	500 ft	Mar 30	Apr 14	Nov 6	Oct 25	222
Perrytown	28 ft	Mar 20	Apr 5	Nov 20	Nov 5	246
Pfafftown	950 ft	Apr 9	Apr 23	Oct 31	Oct 20	204
Piedmont Triad Intl Ap	890 ft	Mar 30	Apr 14	Nov 5	Oct 25	220
Pisgah Forest 3 Ne	2,190 ft	Apr 19	May 8	Oct 23	Oct 9	186
Plymouth 5 E	20 ft	Mar 31	Apr 15	Nov 7	Oct 25	221
Raeford	250 ft	Apr 3	Apr 19	Nov 3	Oct 20	214
Raleigh 4 Sw	420 ft	Mar 28	Apr 12	Nov 9	Oct 27	227
Raleigh Durham Intl Ap	416 ft	Mar 31	Apr 16	Nov 4	Oct 23	219
Raleigh State Univ	400 ft	Mar 28	Apr 12	Nov 8	Oct 28	229
Randleman	810 ft	Mar 29	Apr 13	Nov 6	Oct 25	224
Reelsboro	45 ft	Mar 21	Apr 5	Nov 17	Nov 1	242
Reidsville 2 Nw	890 ft	Apr 5	Apr 21	Nov 2	Oct 21	213
Richlands	20 ft	Apr 5	Apr 20	Nov 4	Oct 24	214
Roanoke Rapids Ap	256 ft	Mar 27	Apr 8	Nov 12	Oct 31	230
Roanoke Rapids	210 ft	Mar 31	Apr 16	Nov 9	Oct 28	222
Robbinsville Ag 5 Ne	2,330 ft	Apr 13	May 2	Oct 26	Oct 12	194
Rocky Mt 8 Ese	110 ft	Mar 31	Apr 13	Nov 7	Oct 26	223
Rocky Mt Wilson Ap	160 ft	Apr 1	Apr 16	Nov 5	Oct 25	219
Roxboro 7 Ese	710 ft	Apr 15	Apr 30	Oct 26	Oct 12	194
Rural Hall	960 ft	Apr 6	Apr 21	Oct 31	Oct 17	209
Salisbury 9 Wnw	725 ft	Apr 9	Apr 24	Oct 28	Oct 15	203
Salisbury	700 ft	Apr 6	Apr 27	Oct 30	Oct 19	208
Sanford 8 Ne	262 ft	Apr 10	Apr 25	Oct 30	Oct 15	203
Shallotte Ag	20 ft	Mar 20	Apr 4	Nov 17	Nov 3	243
Shelby 2 Nw	820 ft	Apr 12	Apr 28	Oct 25	Oct 12	195
Siler City 2 N	610 ft	Mar 31	Apr 13	Nov 4	Oct 23	220
Smithfield	150 ft	Mar 29	Apr 14	Nov 5	Oct 22	220
Snow Hill Waste Water Treament	41 ft	Mar 26	Apr 8	Nov 12	Nov 1	232
Southport 5 N	20 ft	Mar 24	Apr 10	Nov 17	Oct 31	239
Sparta 3.5 Ssw	3,011 ft	Apr 22	May 11	Oct 22	Oct 8	180
Spruce Pine 2 Ne	2,850 ft	Apr 26	May 13	Oct 20	Oct 6	177
Statesville 2 Nne	803 ft	Apr 16	May 1	Oct 25	Oct 13	191
Surf City	24 ft	Mar 26	Apr 9	Nov 13	Oct 30	233
Swannanoa 2 Sse	4,320 ft	Apr 22	May 11	Oct 24	Oct 11	184
Swanquarter Ferry	3 ft	Mar 18	Mar 31	Nov 25	Nov 8	253
Tapoco	1,110 ft	Apr 17	May 4	Oct 27	Oct 13	193
Tarboro 1 S	35 ft	Mar 30	Apr 10	Nov 9	Oct 29	226
Taylorsville	1,320 ft	Apr 2	Apr 19	Nov 4	Oct 21	217
Transou	2,834 ft	May 4	May 22	Oct 10	Sep 27	158
Tryon	1,320 ft	Mar 27	Apr 14	Nov 12	Oct 29	231
Vale Ag 2 Sw	985 ft	Apr 12	Apr 26	Oct 28	Oct 16	198
W Kerr Scott Resv	1,070 ft	Apr 7	Apr 22	Nov 1	Oct 19	208
Wadesboro	480 ft	Mar 24	Apr 9	Nov 9	Oct 27	231
Wallace 1se	35 ft	Apr 1	Apr 16	Nov 7	Oct 26	220
Warsaw 5 E	110 ft	Apr 7	Apr 22	Oct 30	Oct 16	204
Washington Wwtp 4w	10 ft	Mar 22	Apr 7	Nov 15	Nov 3	237
Waterville 2	1,430 ft	Apr 6	Apr 23	Nov 1	Oct 20	210
Waynesville 1 E	2,658 ft	Apr 30	May 15	Oct 14	Oct 4	167
Whiteville 7 Nw	90 ft	Mar 29	Apr 12	Nov 6	Oct 25	224
Willard 4 Sw	55 ft	Apr 2	Apr 16	Nov 5	Oct 24	217
Williamston 1 E	20 ft	Mar 20	Apr 5	Nov 12	Oct 31	239
Wilmington 7 N	40 ft	Mar 29	Apr 11	Nov 8	Oct 27	226
Wilmington 7 Se	30 ft	Mar 20	Apr 8	Nov 15	Nov 2	241
Wilmington Intl Ap	33 ft	Mar 19	Apr 4	Nov 20	Nov 5	247
Wilson 3 Sw	110 ft	Mar 22	Apr 8	Nov 12	Nov 1	236
Winston Salem Rynlds Ap	970 ft	Mar 26	Apr 11	Nov 9	Oct 28	228
Yadkinville 6 E	875 ft	Apr 16	May 3	Oct 25	Oct 11	191
Yanceyville 4 Se	635 ft	Mar 31	Apr 14	Nov 4	Oct 22	218

Plan your garden with these dates

Enter your ZIP code in the planner: it picks the nearest of these stations and dates every crop in your beds from its frosts. Free, in your browser.

Open the garden planner Planting calendar

Questions

When is the last frost in North Carolina?

It depends on where you are. The typical last spring frost at North Carolina's NOAA stations ranges from March 1 to May 16, and half of them have had it by April 1. Enter your ZIP code above for the station nearest you.

When is the first frost in North Carolina?

Typically between October 4 and December 22, depending on the station; the median is November 4. Plan fall crops back from your own station's date.

What do "typical" and "safer" mean?

With the typical (50%) last-frost date, half of years still have a frost after it. With the safer (10%) date, only one year in ten does. In fall it's the other way around: the safer date is the earlier one.

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (annual/seasonal, by station: freeze dates at 32 °F)

North Carolina Frost Dates

Every station in North Carolina

Plan your garden with these dates

Questions

Other states

Sources