Frost Dates for 23310 — Cape Charles, Virginia

Half of springs at Cape Charles 5 ENE, VA see their last 32°F night by March 28; only one in ten is past it by March 10, and one in ten still has one after April 10. Planting tender crops after April 2 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after April 5 20%, and after April 10 10%. The 13 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is narrower than at 91% of the 128 Virginia stations behind this site's ZIP pages.

In fall the first 32°F night comes by November 17 in half of years, as early as November 4 one year in ten, and holds off past December 4 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 15 days later, around December 2; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is March 31, 10 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 234 days in a typical year, longer than at 95% of the 128 Virginia stations; it reaches 259 days one year in ten and falls short of 215 one year in ten. On average 52 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 12 days longer, to about April 9, and return around November 5. Nights of 24°F, cold enough to damage hardier plants, come in 100% of winters and 16°F in 66%.

July is the warmest month at Cape Charles 5 ENE, VA, averaging 85°F by day and 71°F at night; January is the coldest at 47°F and 32°F. A freezing night is all but certain in every month from December to March (a 90% chance or more). From May to October the chance of a 32°F night stays under 10% each month. In spring, April still brings one in 37% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 4,312 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 73% of the 128 Virginia stations. 35% of them (1,504) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 877. Precipitation totals 44.5 inches a year, most in July (4.7") and least in February (2.9"); May to September bring 46% of it.

The nearest other station, Painter 2 W, VA, 24 miles north of Cape Charles, has a last frost 7 days later (April 4), a first frost 10 days earlier (November 7), a season 18 days shorter.

The first measurable snow (0.1 inch or more) in Cape Charles 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, 28.4 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 40 days after the last snow.

ZIP 23310 is 3 miles from Cape Charles 5 ENE, VA, which stands at 29 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 23310 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.