Frost Dates for 25951 — Hinton, West Virginia

Half of springs at Bluestone Lake, WV see their last 32°F night by April 10; only one in ten is past it by March 28, and one in ten still has one after May 3. Planting tender crops after April 18 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after April 23 20%, and after May 3 10%. The 23 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is the widest of the 84 West Virginia stations behind this site's ZIP pages, so a fixed calendar date is a gamble here.

In fall the first 32°F night comes by October 30 in half of years, as early as October 17 one year in ten, and holds off past November 10 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 9 days later, around November 8; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is April 10, 23 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 200 days in a typical year, longer than at 94% of the 84 West Virginia stations; it reaches 219 days one year in ten and falls short of 178 one year in ten. On average 104 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 17 days longer, to about April 27, and return around October 21. Severe cold of 16°F or below comes in 99% of winters, usually between December 19 and February 23.

July is the warmest month at Bluestone Lake, WV, averaging 85°F by day and 64°F at night; January is the coldest at 42°F and 25°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 79% of years and May still brings one in 14% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 3,664 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 80% of the 84 West Virginia stations. 36% of them (1,322) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 770. Precipitation totals 41.2 inches a year, most in May (4.6") and least in November (2.4"); May to September bring 47% of it.

The nearest other station, Alderson, WV, 12 miles east of Hinton and 162 feet higher, has a last frost 16 days later (April 26), a first frost 13 days earlier (October 17), a season 27 days shorter.

The first measurable snow (0.1 inch or more) in Hinton usually arrives around December 13, and the last of the season around March 7. Those are the middle dates across the winters of 1991–2020 at Bluestone Lake, WV, 2.2 miles away: half of years saw snow earlier, half later. Snow fell in 97% of those winters. The last 32°F night of spring typically comes 34 days after the last snow.

ZIP 25951 is 2 miles from Bluestone Lake, WV, which stands at 1,390 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 25951 in zone 7a, the band where the coldest night of the year averaged 0 to 5°F (-17.8 to -15.0°C) over 1991–2020; a zone describes winter lows, not frost dates.