Frost Dates for 26554 — Fairmont, West Virginia

Half of springs at Fairmont, WV see their last 32°F night by April 18; only one in ten is past it by April 2, and one in ten still has one after May 9. Planting tender crops after April 26 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after May 2 20%, and after May 9 10%. The 21 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is wider than at 89% 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 28 in half of years, as early as October 14 one year in ten, and holds off past November 8 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 9 days later, around November 6; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is April 21, 18 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 192 days in a typical year, longer than at 83% of the 84 West Virginia stations; it reaches 214 days one year in ten and falls short of 166 one year in ten. On average 109 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 30, and return around October 17. Severe cold of 16°F or below comes every winter, usually between December 17 and March 2.

July is the warmest month at Fairmont, WV, averaging 84°F by day and 64°F at night; January is the coldest at 40°F and 24°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 90% of years and May still brings one in 23% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 3,457 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 65% of the 84 West Virginia stations. 36% of them (1,261) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 733. Precipitation totals 47.8 inches a year, most in May (5.1") and least in February (3.2"); May to September bring 47% of it.

The nearest other station, Tygart Dam, WV, 12 miles southeast of Fairmont, has a last frost 8 days later (April 26), a first frost 6 days earlier (October 22), a season 14 days shorter.

The first measurable snow (0.1 inch or more) in Fairmont usually arrives around December 5, and the last of the season around March 22. Those are the middle dates across the winters of 1991–2020 at Fairmont, WV, 0.9 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 27 days after the last snow.

ZIP 26554 is under a mile from Fairmont, WV, which stands at 1,300 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 26554 in zone 6b, the band where the coldest night of the year averaged -5 to 0°F (-20.6 to -17.8°C) over 1991–2020; a zone describes winter lows, not frost dates.