USDA Hardiness Zone 7b
Frost Dates for 27544 — Kittrell, North Carolina
NOAA 1991–2020 normals from Henderson 2 NNW, NC (480 ft), 9 miles north.
Updated
In Kittrell, the last spring frost (32°F) is around April 16 in half of years and has passed by April 30 in nine years out of ten. The first fall frost comes around October 26, as early as October 13 one year in ten, leaving a typical freeze-free season of 193 days (NOAA, Henderson 2 NNW, NC).
- Last spring frost
- April 16
- First fall frost
- October 26
- Growing season
- 193 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
- Rare
- Last snow
- Rare
- Winters with snow
- 25%
- Snow per year
- 1.7"
median, 1991–2020
median, 1991–2020
5 of 20 observed
NOAA normal
Frost risk by date in Kittrell
Half of springs at Henderson 2 NNW, NC see their last 32°F night by April 16; only one in ten is past it by March 31, and one in ten still has one after April 30. Planting tender crops after April 21 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after April 25 20%, and after April 30 10%. The 14 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is narrower than at 79% of the 173 North Carolina stations behind this site's ZIP pages.
In fall the first 32°F night comes by October 26 in half of years, as early as October 13 one year in ten, and holds off past November 7 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 9 days later, around November 4; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is April 17, 13 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 193 days in a typical year, shorter than at 79% of the 173 North Carolina stations; it reaches 214 days one year in ten and falls short of 173 one year in ten. On average 106 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 28, and return around October 18. Severe cold of 16°F or below comes in 99% of winters, usually between December 25 and February 24.
| Low | 90% | 80% | 70% | 60% | 50% | 40% | 30% | 20% | 10% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Apr 13 | Apr 18 | Apr 21 | Apr 24 | Apr 28 | Apr 30 | May 3 | May 7 | May 13 |
| 32°F | Mar 31 | Apr 6 | Apr 10 | Apr 13 | Apr 16 | Apr 19 | Apr 21 | Apr 25 | Apr 30 |
| 28°F | Mar 17 | Mar 23 | Mar 27 | Mar 30 | Apr 1 | Apr 5 | Apr 7 | Apr 12 | Apr 17 |
| 24°F | Mar 2 | Mar 10 | Mar 15 | Mar 18 | Mar 21 | Mar 25 | Mar 29 | Apr 2 | Apr 6 |
| 20°F | Feb 13 | Feb 23 | Feb 28 | Mar 4 | Mar 8 | Mar 12 | Mar 16 | Mar 21 | Mar 28 |
| 16°F99% of yrs | Jan 26 | Feb 2 | Feb 8 | Feb 16 | Feb 24 | Feb 28 | Mar 4 | Mar 9 | Mar 16 |
| Low | 10% | 20% | 30% | 40% | 50% | 60% | 70% | 80% | 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Oct 7 | Oct 10 | Oct 13 | Oct 16 | Oct 18 | Oct 21 | Oct 24 | Oct 26 | Oct 30 |
| 32°F | Oct 13 | Oct 17 | Oct 21 | Oct 24 | Oct 26 | Oct 29 | Nov 1 | Nov 3 | Nov 7 |
| 28°F | Oct 22 | Oct 27 | Oct 30 | Nov 1 | Nov 4 | Nov 7 | Nov 10 | Nov 15 | Nov 20 |
| 24°F | Nov 1 | Nov 5 | Nov 10 | Nov 13 | Nov 16 | Nov 19 | Nov 24 | Dec 1 | Dec 6 |
| 20°F | Nov 12 | Nov 18 | Nov 23 | Nov 28 | Dec 2 | Dec 6 | Dec 11 | Dec 18 | Dec 31 |
| 16°F99% of yrs | Nov 27 | Dec 3 | Dec 10 | Dec 17 | Dec 25 | Jan 1 | Jan 6 | Jan 13 | Jan 21 |
Freeze probabilities 1991–2020 at Henderson 2 NNW, NC, 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 27544 →Compare Kittrell with another place →
Weather by month in Kittrell
July is the warmest month at Henderson 2 NNW, NC, averaging 90°F by day and 67°F at night; January is the coldest at 51°F and 26°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 87% of years.
Warmth for growing adds up to 4,341 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), fewer than at 65% of the 173 North Carolina stations. 38% of them (1,630) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 880. Precipitation totals 48.7 inches a year, most in August (5.1") and least in February (3.1"); May to September bring 47% of it.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | 32°F night | Nights ≤ 32°F | GDD 50°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 51 | 26 | 3.7 | 100% | 24 | 19 |
| Feb | 54 | 27 | 3.1 | 100% | 22 | 25 |
| Mar | 62 | 34 | 4.2 | 99% | 15 | 92 |
| Apr | 73 | 43 | 3.9 | 87% | 5 | 258 |
| May | 79 | 53 | 3.9 | 9% | 0 | 506 |
| Jun | 87 | 62 | 4.5 | 0% | 0 | 730 |
| Jul | 90 | 67 | 4.4 | 0% | 0 | 880 |
| Aug | 88 | 65 | 5.1 | 0% | 0 | 820 |
| Sep | 82 | 58 | 4.8 | 0% | 0 | 609 |
| Oct | 72 | 45 | 3.6 | 69% | 3 | 290 |
| Nov | 62 | 34 | 3.6 | 100% | 16 | 84 |
| Dec | 54 | 29 | 3.9 | 100% | 22 | 27 |
Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Henderson 2 NNW, NC (480 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, Henderson 4 NNE, NC, 11 miles north of Kittrell, has a last frost 19 days earlier (March 28), a first frost 14 days later (November 9), a season 34 days longer.
When it snows in Kittrell, North Carolina
Measurable snow is rare here: only 5 of 20 winters from 1991 to 2020 recorded 0.1 inch or more at Butner Fltr Plt, NC, 19.4 miles away, so there is no typical first-snow date to plan around.
Planting calendar for 27544
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| February 5 – February 19 | Start peppers and aubergines indoorsThey need eight to ten weeks under lights before they can go out. |
| February 19 – March 5 | Start tomatoes indoorsSix to eight weeks gives a transplant big enough to set fruit early. |
| March 19 – April 2 | Sow peas, spinach, lettuce, radish outdoorsThese tolerate light frost and prefer to germinate in cool soil. |
| April 16 onward | Transplant tomatoes, peppers, basil, squash, cucumbersThe average last freeze has passed — still watch the actual forecast. |
| by August 3 | Sow the autumn crop of carrots, beets and brassicasThey need about twelve weeks to size up before growth stops. |
| by October 12 | Harvest tender crops, or be ready to cover themA first freeze two weeks early is well within normal variation. |
| October 26 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 27544 is 9 miles from Henderson 2 NNW, NC, which stands at 480 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. 2 other ZIP codes share the station; its figures are presented in full for 27537 (Henderson). The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 27544 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.
Frost dates across North Carolina →
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.