Frost Dates for 26836 — Moorefield, West Virginia

Half of springs at Moorefield 1 SSE, WV see their last 32°F night by April 29; only one in ten is past it by April 16, and one in ten still has one after May 17. Planting tender crops after May 5 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after May 10 20%, and after May 17 10%. The 18 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is narrower than at 40% of the 84 West Virginia stations behind this site's ZIP pages.

In fall the first 32°F night comes by October 15 in half of years, as early as September 30 one year in ten, and holds off past October 27 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 11 days later, around October 26; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is May 5, 12 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 167 days in a typical year, shorter than at 77% of the 84 West Virginia stations; it reaches 188 days one year in ten and falls short of 147 one year in ten. On average 131 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 11 days longer, to about May 10, and return around October 6. Severe cold of 16°F or below comes every winter, usually between November 26 and March 12.

July is the warmest month at Moorefield 1 SSE, WV, averaging 87°F by day and 61°F at night; January is the coldest at 42°F and 20°F. A freezing night is all but certain in every month from October to April (a 90% chance or more). From June to August the chance of a 32°F night stays under 10% each month. In spring, May still brings one in 43% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 3,353 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 58% of the 84 West Virginia stations. 35% of them (1,188) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 749. Precipitation totals 35.4 inches a year, most in July (4.4") and least in February (1.7"); May to September bring 53% of it.

The nearest other station, Petersburg, WV, 9 miles west of Moorefield, has a last frost 6 days earlier (April 23), a first frost 5 days later (October 20), a season 12 days longer.

The first measurable snow (0.1 inch or more) in Moorefield usually arrives around December 18, and the last of the season around March 5. Those are the middle dates across the winters of 1991–2020 at Moorefield 1 SSE, WV, 0.6 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 55 days after the last snow.

ZIP 26836 is under a mile from Moorefield 1 SSE, WV, which stands at 890 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 26836 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.