Frost dates / South Carolina / Columbia

Frost dates in Columbia, SC

The station on this page is SANDHILL RSCH - ELGIN, SC US (USC00387666), 6.6 miles from the city point. Population in the Census 2024 estimate is 144,788.

Zone 8bUSDA average annual extreme minimum 15°F to 20°F, from ZIP 29206 (3.2 miles from the city point used on this page).

Median last 32°F is March 22. Median first 32°F is November 15. The 50% growing-season length is 239 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%	March 2	Earlier date. A last 32°F on or after this day is common.
50%	March 22	Median.
10%	April 10	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 1	Earlier date. A first 32°F on or before this day is uncommon.
50%	November 15	Median.
90%	December 4	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%	265
50%	239
90%	214

28°F threshold

	10%	50%	90%
Last, on or after	March 28	March 8	February 14
First, on or before	November 12	November 30	December 28
Season at least	299 days	267 days	235 days

36°F threshold

	10%	50%	90%
Last, on or after	April 19	April 3	March 16
First, on or before	October 21	November 4	November 19
Season at least	238 days	214 days	195 days

Station SANDHILL RSCH - ELGIN, SC US (USC00387666). Completeness flag R, 23 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 134.1 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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Columbia, SC

Zone 8bAverage annual extreme minimum 15°F to 20°F

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

South Carolina. Nearest qualified station: SANDHILL RSCH - ELGIN, SC US (USC00387666), 6.6 miles. Median last 32°F March 22. Median first 32°F November 15. The 50% growing-season length is 239 days.

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32°F probabilities at this station

	10%	50%	90%
Last 32°F on or after	April 10	March 22	March 2
First 32°F on or before	November 1	November 15	December 4

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.

Date checks use your device’s calendar and appear after the page loads.