Frost dates / South Carolina / Charleston

Frost dates in Charleston, SC

The station on this page is CHARLESTON CITY, SC US (USW00013782), 4.1 miles from the city point. Population in the Census 2024 estimate is 157,665.

Zone 9aUSDA average annual extreme minimum 20°F to 25°F, from ZIP 29405 (1.7 miles from the city point used on this page).

Median last 32°F is February 4. Median first 32°F is December 30. The 50% growing-season length is 321 days. The green band runs from the median last frost to the median first frost. Thin ticks mark the 10%, 50%, and 90% dates.

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%	January 5	Earlier date. A last 32°F on or after this day is common.
50%	February 4	Median.
10%	March 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%	December 2	Earlier date. A first 32°F on or before this day is uncommon.
50%	December 30	Median.
90%	January 25	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%	357
50%	321
90%	289

28°F threshold

	10%	50%	90%
Last, on or after	February 20	January 24	December 27
First, on or before	December 15	January 8	February 3
Season at least	365 days	352 days	314 days

36°F threshold

	10%	50%	90%
Last, on or after	March 17	February 25	January 29
First, on or before	November 20	December 10	January 7
Season at least	323 days	290 days	259 days

Station CHARLESTON CITY, SC US (USW00013782). Completeness flag S, 30 years used for the 32°F dates. NCEI’s annual probability of at least one day at or below 32°F is 92.3%. Freeze dates are conditional on that threshold occurring. Elevation 3 m. The same probability language applies to the 28°F and 36°F rows when those dates passed the same quality checks.

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Charleston, SC

Zone 9aAverage annual extreme minimum 20°F to 25°F

Outside the median season Growing seasonTicks: 10%, 50%, and 90%

South Carolina. Nearest qualified station: CHARLESTON CITY, SC US (USW00013782), 4.1 miles. Median last 32°F February 4. Median first 32°F December 30. The 50% growing-season length is 321 days.

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32°F probabilities at this station

	10%	50%	90%
Last 32°F on or after	March 4	February 4	January 5
First 32°F on or before	December 2	December 30	January 25

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.

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Planting calendar

Frost dates for South Carolina are above. Planting windows appear for states with a cited extension guide. The fall and seed tools use the numbers you enter and the station dates.

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