Frost Dates for 23061 — Gloucester, Virginia

Half of springs at N, VA see their last 32°F night by April 1; only one in ten is past it by March 20, and one in ten still has one after April 15. Planting tender crops after April 7 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after April 10 20%, and after April 15 10%. The 14 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is narrower than at 80% of the 128 Virginia stations behind this site's ZIP pages.

In fall the first 32°F night comes by November 10 in half of years, as early as October 31 one year in ten, and holds off past November 26 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 13 days later, around November 23; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is April 3, 12 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 223 days in a typical year, longer than at 90% of the 128 Virginia stations; it reaches 242 days one year in ten and falls short of 205 one year in ten. On average 77 nights a year drop to 32°F or below. Nights of 36°F, when frost can still settle on leaves in low, open spots, continue 14 days longer, to about April 15, and return around November 1. Nights of 24°F, cold enough to damage hardier plants, come in 100% of winters and 16°F in 90%.

July is the warmest month at N, VA, averaging 85°F by day and 70°F at night; January is the coldest at 47°F and 29°F. A freezing night is all but certain in every month from November to March (a 90% chance or more). From May to September the chance of a 32°F night stays under 10% each month. In spring, April still brings one in 52% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 4,148 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 65% of the 128 Virginia stations. 35% of them (1,459) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 849. Precipitation totals 51.9 inches a year, most in July (5.8") and least in February (2.9"); May to September bring 49% of it.

The nearest other station, Williamsburg 2 N, VA, 12 miles southwest of Gloucester, has a last frost 1 day earlier (March 31), the same first-frost date, a season 2 days longer.

The first measurable snow (0.1 inch or more) in Gloucester usually arrives around January 9, and the last of the season around February 16. Those are the middle dates across the winters of 1991–2020 at N, VA, 5 miles away: half of years saw snow earlier, half later. Every one of those winters saw snow. The last 32°F night of spring typically comes 44 days after the last snow.

ZIP 23061 is 5 miles from N, VA, which stands at 4 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. 4 other ZIP codes share the station. The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 23061 in zone 8a, the band where the coldest night of the year averaged 10 to 15°F (-12.2 to -9.4°C) over 1991–2020; a zone describes winter lows, not frost dates.