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USDA Hardiness Zone 8a

Frost Dates for 27834 — Greenville, North Carolina

NOAA 1991–2020 normals from Greenville, NC (32 ft), 1 miles northwest.

Updated

In Greenville, the last spring frost (32°F) is around March 27 in half of years and has passed by April 10 in nine years out of ten. The first fall frost comes around November 8, as early as October 26 one year in ten, leaving a typical freeze-free season of 227 days (NOAA, Greenville, NC).

Last spring frost
March 27

50% probability

First fall frost
November 8

50% probability

Growing season
227 days

freeze-free, 50%

Hardiness zone
8a

10 to 15°F (-12.2 to -9.4°C) coldest night

First snow
January 14

median, 1991–2020

Last snow
January 23

median, 1991–2020

Winters with snow
65%

15 of 23 observed

Snow per year
3.3"

NOAA normal

Frost risk by date in Greenville

Half of springs at Greenville, NC see their last 32°F night by March 27; only one in ten is past it by March 8, and one in ten still has one after April 10. Planting tender crops after April 2 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after April 5 20%, and after April 10 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 November 8 in half of years, as early as October 26 one year in ten, and holds off past November 24 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 14 days later, around November 22; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is March 31, 10 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 227 days in a typical year, longer than at 72% of the 173 North Carolina stations; it reaches 248 days one year in ten and falls short of 206 one year in ten. On average 54 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 8, and return around October 31. Nights of 24°F, cold enough to damage hardier plants, come in 100% of winters and 16°F in 67%.

Spring: the chance of another night this cold after the date
Low90%80%70%60%50%40%30%20%10%
36°FMar 25Mar 31Apr 3Apr 5Apr 8Apr 10Apr 14Apr 17Apr 22
32°FMar 8Mar 15Mar 20Mar 23Mar 27Mar 31Apr 2Apr 5Apr 10
28°FFeb 23Feb 28Mar 5Mar 9Mar 13Mar 17Mar 20Mar 25Mar 31
24°FFeb 1Feb 11Feb 18Feb 23Feb 27Mar 2Mar 6Mar 11Mar 18
20°F95% of yrsJan 9Jan 19Jan 28Feb 1Feb 7Feb 14Feb 20Feb 25Mar 4
16°F67% of yrsDec 30Jan 8Jan 14Jan 19Jan 26Jan 30Feb 2Feb 11Feb 19
Fall: the chance the first night this cold has come by the date
Low10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%
36°FOct 18Oct 22Oct 25Oct 28Oct 31Nov 1Nov 4Nov 7Nov 12
32°FOct 26Oct 31Nov 3Nov 5Nov 8Nov 11Nov 14Nov 19Nov 24
28°FNov 4Nov 9Nov 13Nov 18Nov 22Nov 26Nov 30Dec 4Dec 10
24°FNov 16Nov 23Nov 30Dec 3Dec 7Dec 13Dec 20Dec 29Jan 7
20°F95% of yrsDec 3Dec 10Dec 18Dec 24Dec 31Jan 3Jan 8Jan 16Jan 25
16°F67% of yrsDec 14Dec 27Jan 2Jan 6Jan 10Jan 14Jan 18Jan 25Feb 1

Freeze probabilities 1991–2020 at Greenville, 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 27834 →Compare Greenville with another place →

Weather by month in Greenville

July is the warmest month at Greenville, NC, averaging 90°F by day and 71°F at night; January is the coldest at 53°F and 33°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 36% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 5,265 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 86% of the 173 North Carolina stations. 39% of them (2,066) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 956. Precipitation totals 53.5 inches a year, most in September (7.3") and least in February (3.4"); May to September bring 52% of it.

Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Greenville, NC
MonthHigh °FLow °FPrecip. in32°F nightNights ≤ 32°FGDD 50°F
Jan53333.9100%1649
Feb57353.4100%1262
Mar64414.293%6165
Apr74503.836%<1362
May81594.00%0609
Jun87674.40%0819
Jul90715.90%0956
Aug88706.00%0901
Sep83647.30%0709
Oct74523.621%<1409
Nov64413.493%6154
Dec56353.698%1370

Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Greenville, NC (32 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, Washington Wwtp 4W, NC, 18 miles east of Greenville, has a last frost 5 days earlier (March 22), a first frost 7 days later (November 15), a season 10 days longer.

Frost dates for 27889 (Washington) →

When it snows in Greenville, North Carolina

The first measurable snow (0.1 inch or more) in Greenville usually arrives around January 14, and the last of the season around January 23. Those are the middle dates across the winters of 1991–2020 at Greenville, NC, 1.4 miles away: half of years saw snow earlier, half later. Snow fell in 65% of those winters. The last 32°F night of spring typically comes 63 days after the last snow.

Planting calendar for 27834

What to do and when, from the 50% frost dates for Greenville, North Carolina
WhenWhat to do
January 16 – January 30Start peppers and aubergines indoorsThey need eight to ten weeks under lights before they can go out.
January 30 – February 13Start tomatoes indoorsSix to eight weeks gives a transplant big enough to set fruit early.
February 27 – March 13Sow peas, spinach, lettuce, radish outdoorsThese tolerate light frost and prefer to germinate in cool soil.
March 27 onwardTransplant tomatoes, peppers, basil, squash, cucumbersThe average last freeze has passed — still watch the actual forecast.
by August 16Sow the autumn crop of carrots, beets and brassicasThey need about twelve weeks to size up before growth stops.
by October 25Harvest tender crops, or be ready to cover themA first freeze two weeks early is well within normal variation.
November 8 onwardPlant 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 27834 is 1 mile from Greenville, NC, which stands at 32 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. 3 other ZIP codes share the station; its figures are presented in full for 27858 (Greenville). The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 27834 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.

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.

ZIP codes measured at the same station

Other zone 8a places in North Carolina