Frost Dates for 27217 — Burlington, North Carolina

Half of springs at Haw Rvr 1E, NC see their last 32°F night by April 4; only one in ten is past it by March 15, and one in ten still has one after April 19. Planting tender crops after April 10 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after April 13 20%, and after April 19 10%. The 15 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is narrower than at 57% of the 173 North Carolina stations behind this site's ZIP pages.

In fall the first 32°F night comes by November 3 in half of years, as early as October 24 one year in ten, and holds off past November 17 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 10 days later, around November 13; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is April 8, 11 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 215 days in a typical year, shorter than at 54% of the 173 North Carolina stations; it reaches 237 days one year in ten and falls short of 195 one year in ten. On average 80 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 April 15, and return around October 27. Nights of 24°F, cold enough to damage hardier plants, come in 100% of winters and 16°F in 83%.

July is the warmest month at Haw Rvr 1E, NC, averaging 90°F by day and 69°F at night; January is the coldest at 50°F and 29°F. A freezing night is all but certain in every month from November to March (a 90% chance or more). From May to September the chance of a 32°F night stays under 10% each month. In spring, April still brings one in 57% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 4,653 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 51% of the 173 North Carolina stations. 39% of them (1,808) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 914.

The nearest other station, Burlington Fire Stn #5, NC, 5 miles south of Burlington, has a last frost 6 days earlier (March 29), a first frost 6 days later (November 9), a season 11 days longer.

The first measurable snow (0.1 inch or more) in Burlington usually arrives around January 1, and the last of the season around February 22. Those are the middle dates across the winters of 1991–2020 at Yanceyville 4 SE, NC, 19 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 41 days after the last snow.

ZIP 27217 is 5 miles from Haw Rvr 1E, NC, which stands at 636 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. 3 other ZIP codes share the station. The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 27217 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.