Frost dates / North Carolina / Raleigh
Frost dates in Raleigh, NC
The station on this page is RALEIGH STATE UNIV, NC US (USC00317079), 4.3 miles from the city point. Population in the Census 2024 estimate is 499,825.
Zone 8aUSDA average annual extreme minimum 10°F to 15°F, from ZIP 27609 (0.9 miles from the city point used on this page).
Outside the median season Growing seasonTicks: 10%, 50%, and 90%
Last 32°F in spring
NCEI’s probability is the chance the last spring minimum of 32°F or lower occurs on or after the date.
| Probability | Date | How to read it |
|---|---|---|
| 90% | March 8 | Earlier date. A last 32°F on or after this day is common. |
| 50% | March 28 | Median. |
| 10% | April 12 | Later date. A last 32°F on or after this day is uncommon. |
First 32°F in fall
NCEI’s probability is the chance the first autumn minimum of 32°F or lower occurs on or before the date.
| Probability | Date | How to read it |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | October 28 | Earlier date. A first 32°F on or before this day is uncommon. |
| 50% | November 8 | Median. |
| 90% | November 27 | Later date. A first 32°F on or before this day is common. |
32°F growing-season length
Days between the last spring 32°F and the first autumn 32°F. The figure is a length the season meets or exceeds at that probability, from NCEI, not a subtraction done on this site.
| Probability the season is at least this long | Days |
|---|---|
| 10% | 255 |
| 50% | 229 |
| 90% | 208 |
28°F threshold
| 10% | 50% | 90% | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Last, on or after | March 31 | March 14 | February 22 |
| First, on or before | November 6 | November 23 | December 15 |
| Season at least | 284 days | 254 days | 230 days |
36°F threshold
| 10% | 50% | 90% | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Last, on or after | April 21 | April 7 | March 25 |
| First, on or before | October 18 | October 31 | November 14 |
| Season at least | 227 days | 207 days | 187 days |
Station RALEIGH STATE UNIV, NC US (USC00317079). Completeness flag S, 27 years used for the 32°F dates. NCEI’s annual probability of at least one day at or below 32°F is 100%. Freeze dates are conditional on that threshold occurring. Elevation 121.9 m. The same probability language applies to the 28°F and 36°F rows when those dates passed the same quality checks.
Planting calendar for Raleigh · Zone 8a
Check a crop against this station
Raleigh, NC
Zone 8aAverage annual extreme minimum 10°F to 15°F
Outside the median season Growing seasonTicks: 10%, 50%, and 90%
North Carolina. Nearest qualified station: RALEIGH STATE UNIV, NC US (USC00317079), 4.3 miles. Median last 32°F March 28. Median first 32°F November 8. The 50% growing-season length is 229 days.
Open the ZIP page · Crop guides for North Carolina
32°F probabilities at this station
| 10% | 50% | 90% | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Last 32°F on or after | April 12 | March 28 | March 8 |
| First 32°F on or before | October 28 | November 8 | November 27 |
Column order matches the NCEI file: for the last freeze, 10% is the later date and 90% is the earlier date. How to read the probabilities.
Planting calendar
Windows below are from NC State Extension, Eastern North Carolina Planting Calendar for Annual Vegetables, Fruits, and Herbs, retrieved 2026-10-10. Eastern, central, and western North Carolina are separate calendars. The publications do not define those regions by county. The eastern calendar says gardeners at the coast can plant up to two weeks earlier in the spring and two weeks later in the fall. That sentence is not turned into new dates. Half-month cells that carry the same mark are read as one run. A mark at both the start and the end of the year is one window that crosses New Year’s. Each region links to its own publication.
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