Frost dates / North Carolina / Wilmington
Frost dates in Wilmington, NC
The station on this page is WILMINGTON INTL AP, NC US (USW00013748), 4.1 miles from the city point. Population in the Census 2024 estimate is 125,284.
Zone 8bUSDA average annual extreme minimum 15°F to 20°F, from ZIP 28403 (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% | February 26 | Earlier date. A last 32°F on or after this day is common. |
| 50% | March 19 | Median. |
| 10% | April 4 | 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% | November 5 | Earlier date. A first 32°F on or before this day is uncommon. |
| 50% | November 20 | Median. |
| 90% | December 6 | 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% | 274 |
| 50% | 247 |
| 90% | 223 |
28°F threshold
| 10% | 50% | 90% | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Last, on or after | March 23 | March 2 | February 4 |
| First, on or before | November 14 | December 3 | January 1 |
| Season at least | 308 days | 278 days | 249 days |
36°F threshold
| 10% | 50% | 90% | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Last, on or after | April 13 | March 30 | March 14 |
| First, on or before | October 27 | November 8 | November 22 |
| Season at least | 248 days | 224 days | 204 days |
Station WILMINGTON INTL AP, NC US (USW00013748). Completeness flag S, 28 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 10.1 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 Wilmington · Zone 8b
Check a crop against this station
Wilmington, NC
Zone 8bAverage annual extreme minimum 15°F to 20°F
Outside the median season Growing seasonTicks: 10%, 50%, and 90%
North Carolina. Nearest qualified station: WILMINGTON INTL AP, NC US (USW00013748), 4.1 miles. Median last 32°F March 19. Median first 32°F November 20. The 50% growing-season length is 247 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 4 | March 19 | February 26 |
| First 32°F on or before | November 5 | November 20 | December 6 |
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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