USDA Hardiness Zone 7b
Frost Dates for 24055 — Bassett, Virginia
NOAA 1991–2020 normals from Philpott Dam 2, VA (1,123 ft), 2 miles northwest.
Updated
In Bassett, the last spring frost (32°F) is around April 14 in half of years and has passed by May 2 in nine years out of ten. The first fall frost comes around October 31, as early as October 18 one year in ten, leaving a typical freeze-free season of 199 days (NOAA, Philpott Dam 2, VA).
- Last spring frost
- April 14
- First fall frost
- October 31
- Growing season
- 199 days
- Hardiness zone
- 7b
50% probability
50% probability
freeze-free, 50%
5 to 10°F (-15.0 to -12.2°C) coldest night
- First snow
- December 30
- Last snow
- February 25
- Winters with snow
- 96%
- Snow per year
- 12.6"
median, 1991–2020
median, 1991–2020
26 of 27 observed
NOAA normal
Frost risk by date in Bassett
Half of springs at Philpott Dam 2, VA see their last 32°F night by April 14; only one in ten is past it by March 30, and one in ten still has one after May 2. Planting tender crops after April 20 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after April 24 20%, and after May 2 10%. The 18 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is wider than at 52% of the 128 Virginia stations behind this site's ZIP pages.
In fall the first 32°F night comes by October 31 in half of years, as early as October 18 one year in ten, and holds off past November 11 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 8 days later, around November 8; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is April 14, 18 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 199 days in a typical year, longer than at 53% of the 128 Virginia stations; it reaches 219 days one year in ten and falls short of 179 one year in ten. On average 95 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 26, and return around October 22. Severe cold of 16°F or below comes in 97% of winters, usually between December 30 and February 12.
| Low | 90% | 80% | 70% | 60% | 50% | 40% | 30% | 20% | 10% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Apr 12 | Apr 17 | Apr 20 | Apr 23 | Apr 26 | Apr 30 | May 2 | May 5 | May 10 |
| 32°F | Mar 30 | Apr 4 | Apr 7 | Apr 10 | Apr 14 | Apr 17 | Apr 20 | Apr 24 | May 2 |
| 28°F | Mar 13 | Mar 18 | Mar 23 | Mar 27 | Mar 31 | Apr 2 | Apr 5 | Apr 9 | Apr 14 |
| 24°F | Feb 27 | Mar 5 | Mar 10 | Mar 14 | Mar 18 | Mar 20 | Mar 25 | Mar 29 | Apr 2 |
| 20°F | Feb 8 | Feb 15 | Feb 23 | Feb 28 | Mar 3 | Mar 7 | Mar 12 | Mar 16 | Mar 23 |
| 16°F97% of yrs | Jan 16 | Jan 27 | Feb 1 | Feb 6 | Feb 12 | Feb 19 | Feb 28 | Mar 4 | Mar 12 |
| Low | 10% | 20% | 30% | 40% | 50% | 60% | 70% | 80% | 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Oct 10 | Oct 13 | Oct 16 | Oct 19 | Oct 22 | Oct 24 | Oct 26 | Oct 29 | Nov 1 |
| 32°F | Oct 18 | Oct 22 | Oct 25 | Oct 28 | Oct 31 | Nov 1 | Nov 4 | Nov 6 | Nov 11 |
| 28°F | Oct 27 | Oct 31 | Nov 3 | Nov 5 | Nov 8 | Nov 11 | Nov 14 | Nov 18 | Nov 26 |
| 24°F | Nov 6 | Nov 10 | Nov 14 | Nov 17 | Nov 21 | Nov 26 | Dec 1 | Dec 5 | Dec 13 |
| 20°F | Nov 17 | Nov 25 | Dec 1 | Dec 4 | Dec 9 | Dec 14 | Dec 21 | Dec 28 | Jan 4 |
| 16°F97% of yrs | Dec 6 | Dec 13 | Dec 19 | Dec 24 | Dec 30 | Jan 4 | Jan 9 | Jan 16 | Jan 24 |
Freeze probabilities 1991–2020 at Philpott Dam 2, VA, from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals. Where a temperature is reached in fewer than 99.5% of years, the dates describe only the years that reach it. Not a forecast.
Frost risk on any date in 24055 →Compare Bassett with another place →
Frost risk through the year in Bassett
In Bassett, the spring curve drops under 10% on May 2 and the fall curve passes 10% on October 18, 169 days later; that gap is longer than at 54% of the 128 Virginia stations with frost dates. The spring risk falls from 90% to 10% over 33 days (March 30 to May 2) and the fall risk climbs from 10% to 90% over 24 days (October 18 to November 11): the last frost moves more from year to year than the first. At Martinsville Fltr Plt, VA, 8 miles southeast, the same gap runs from May 11 to October 9, 18 days shorter.
| Planted on | Another 32°F night | 28°F night |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 31 | 88% | 50% |
| Apr 7 | 70% | 25% |
| Apr 1450% date | 50% | under 10% |
| Apr 21 | 28% | under 10% |
| Apr 28 | 15% | under 10% |
| May 5 | under 10% | under 10% |
Weather by month in Bassett
July is the warmest month at Philpott Dam 2, VA, averaging 87°F by day and 66°F at night; January is the coldest at 48°F and 26°F. A freezing night is all but certain in every month from November to March (a 90% chance or more). From June to September the chance of a 32°F night stays under 10% each month. In spring, April still brings one in 86% of years and May still brings one in 12% of years.
Warmth for growing adds up to 4,012 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 59% of the 128 Virginia stations. 37% of them (1,465) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 825. Precipitation totals 47.5 inches a year, most in July (5.0") and least in October (2.9"); May to September bring 49% of it.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | 32°F night | Nights ≤ 32°F | GDD 50°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 48 | 26 | 3.7 | 100% | 24 | 9 |
| Feb | 52 | 28 | 3.1 | 100% | 21 | 11 |
| Mar | 59 | 34 | 3.9 | 100% | 14 | 70 |
| Apr | 70 | 43 | 3.5 | 86% | 2 | 229 |
| May | 77 | 53 | 4.3 | 12% | <1 | 461 |
| Jun | 85 | 61 | 4.7 | 0% | 0 | 687 |
| Jul | 87 | 66 | 5.0 | 0% | 0 | 825 |
| Aug | 86 | 64 | 4.5 | 0% | 0 | 784 |
| Sep | 81 | 57 | 4.9 | 0% | 0 | 567 |
| Oct | 71 | 46 | 2.9 | 55% | 1 | 276 |
| Nov | 61 | 35 | 3.1 | 100% | 11 | 78 |
| Dec | 51 | 30 | 3.9 | 100% | 22 | 17 |
Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Philpott Dam 2, VA (1,123 ft), NOAA NCEI. "32°F night": chance of at least one in the month. GDD: growing degree days, base 50°F.
Compared with the next station
The nearest other station, Martinsville Fltr Plt, VA, 8 miles southeast of Bassett and 343 feet lower, has a last frost 10 days later (April 24), a first frost 10 days earlier (October 21), a season 20 days shorter.
When it snows in Bassett, Virginia
The first measurable snow (0.1 inch or more) in Bassett usually arrives around December 30, and the last of the season around February 25. Those are the middle dates across the winters of 1991–2020 at Rocky Mt, VA, 16.2 miles away: half of years saw snow earlier, half later. Snow fell in 96% of those winters. The last 32°F night of spring typically comes 48 days after the last snow.
Planting calendar for 24055
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| February 3 – February 17 | Start peppers and aubergines indoorsThey need eight to ten weeks under lights before they can go out. |
| February 17 – March 3 | Start tomatoes indoorsSix to eight weeks gives a transplant big enough to set fruit early. |
| March 17 – March 31 | Sow peas, spinach, lettuce, radish outdoorsThese tolerate light frost and prefer to germinate in cool soil. |
| April 14 onward | Transplant tomatoes, peppers, basil, squash, cucumbersThe average last freeze has passed — still watch the actual forecast. |
| by August 8 | Sow the autumn crop of carrots, beets and brassicasThey need about twelve weeks to size up before growth stops. |
| by October 17 | Harvest tender crops, or be ready to cover themA first freeze two weeks early is well within normal variation. |
| October 31 onward | Plant garlic, mulch beds, lift tender bulbsGarlic wants a cold spell; bare soil loses structure over winter. |
The weeks before and after the 50% dates are general rules of thumb, not NOAA figures; a seed packet gives the timing for each variety.
Where these figures come from
ZIP 24055 is 2 miles from Philpott Dam 2, VA, which stands at 1,123 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. 1 other ZIP code shares the station. The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 24055 in zone 7b, the band where the coldest night of the year averaged 5 to 10°F (-15.0 to -12.2°C) over 1991–2020; a zone describes winter lows, not frost dates.
Hardiness zone and temperature range: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023 (USDA-ARS, Oregon State University), ZIP-code listing, unchanged. °C converted from °F by this site.
Thirty-year averages, not a forecast: check the forecast before planting out. How stations are matched and which pages are offered to search engines: methodology.