USDA Hardiness Zone 8a
Frost Dates for 28139 — Rutherfordton, North Carolina
NOAA 1991–2020 normals from Forest City 8 W, NC (849 ft), 3 miles south.
Updated
In Rutherfordton, the last spring frost (32°F) is around April 11 in half of years and has passed by April 28 in nine years out of ten. The first fall frost comes around October 27, as early as October 14 one year in ten, leaving a typical freeze-free season of 198 days (NOAA, Forest City 8 W, NC).
- Last spring frost
- April 11
- First fall frost
- October 27
- Growing season
- 198 days
- Hardiness zone
- 8a
50% probability
50% probability
freeze-free, 50%
10 to 15°F (-12.2 to -9.4°C) coldest night
- First snow
- Rare
- Last snow
- Rare
- Winters with snow
- 32%
- Snow per year
- 1.2"
median, 1991–2020
median, 1991–2020
7 of 22 observed
NOAA normal
Frost risk by date in Rutherfordton
Half of springs at Forest City 8 W, NC see their last 32°F night by April 11; only one in ten is past it by March 27, and one in ten still has one after April 28. Planting tender crops after April 18 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after April 21 20%, and after April 28 10%. The 17 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is wider than at 65% of the 173 North Carolina stations behind this site's ZIP pages.
In fall the first 32°F night comes by October 27 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 5; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is April 12, 16 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 198 days in a typical year, shorter than at 76% of the 173 North Carolina stations; it reaches 219 days one year in ten and falls short of 176 one year in ten. On average 99 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 14 days longer, to about April 25, and return around October 19. Severe cold of 16°F or below comes in 98% of winters, usually between December 23 and February 12.
| Low | 90% | 80% | 70% | 60% | 50% | 40% | 30% | 20% | 10% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Apr 10 | Apr 15 | Apr 19 | Apr 22 | Apr 25 | Apr 28 | May 1 | May 5 | May 11 |
| 32°F | Mar 27 | Apr 1 | Apr 5 | Apr 9 | Apr 11 | Apr 14 | Apr 18 | Apr 21 | Apr 28 |
| 28°F | Mar 11 | Mar 18 | Mar 21 | Mar 25 | Mar 28 | Mar 31 | Apr 3 | Apr 7 | Apr 12 |
| 24°F | Feb 22 | Mar 1 | Mar 7 | Mar 11 | Mar 15 | Mar 18 | Mar 20 | Mar 24 | Mar 28 |
| 20°F | Feb 2 | Feb 12 | Feb 20 | Feb 26 | Mar 3 | Mar 8 | Mar 13 | Mar 17 | Mar 22 |
| 16°F98% of yrs | Jan 15 | Jan 26 | Jan 31 | Feb 5 | Feb 12 | Feb 20 | Feb 28 | Mar 6 | Mar 14 |
| Low | 10% | 20% | 30% | 40% | 50% | 60% | 70% | 80% | 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Oct 8 | Oct 11 | Oct 14 | Oct 16 | Oct 19 | Oct 21 | Oct 24 | Oct 27 | Nov 1 |
| 32°F | Oct 14 | Oct 18 | Oct 21 | Oct 24 | Oct 27 | Oct 30 | Nov 1 | Nov 4 | Nov 8 |
| 28°F | Oct 24 | Oct 28 | Nov 1 | Nov 2 | Nov 5 | Nov 7 | Nov 10 | Nov 14 | Nov 19 |
| 24°F | Nov 2 | Nov 6 | Nov 9 | Nov 13 | Nov 16 | Nov 19 | Nov 24 | Nov 29 | Dec 4 |
| 20°F | Nov 10 | Nov 16 | Nov 21 | Nov 26 | Dec 1 | Dec 4 | Dec 8 | Dec 16 | Dec 28 |
| 16°F98% of yrs | Nov 26 | Dec 1 | Dec 8 | Dec 16 | Dec 23 | Dec 30 | Jan 3 | Jan 10 | Jan 19 |
Freeze probabilities 1991–2020 at Forest City 8 W, 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 28139 →Compare Rutherfordton with another place →
Weather by month in Rutherfordton
July is the warmest month at Forest City 8 W, NC, averaging 89°F by day and 67°F at night; January is the coldest at 52°F and 27°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 79% of years.
Warmth for growing adds up to 4,333 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), fewer than at 66% of the 173 North Carolina stations. 38% of them (1,630) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 860. Precipitation totals 52.1 inches a year, most in June (5.0") and least in October (3.6"); May to September bring 44% of it.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | 32°F night | Nights ≤ 32°F | GDD 50°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 52 | 27 | 4.3 | 100% | 23 | 17 |
| Feb | 55 | 30 | 3.9 | 100% | 19 | 31 |
| Mar | 63 | 35 | 4.4 | 99% | 14 | 104 |
| Apr | 72 | 44 | 4.4 | 79% | 4 | 257 |
| May | 79 | 53 | 3.9 | 8% | <1 | 495 |
| Jun | 86 | 63 | 5.0 | 0% | 0 | 726 |
| Jul | 89 | 67 | 4.9 | 0% | 0 | 860 |
| Aug | 87 | 66 | 4.5 | 0% | 0 | 825 |
| Sep | 82 | 60 | 4.5 | 0% | 0 | 621 |
| Oct | 73 | 46 | 3.6 | 65% | 3 | 298 |
| Nov | 63 | 34 | 3.9 | 100% | 16 | 71 |
| Dec | 55 | 30 | 4.8 | 100% | 20 | 29 |
Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Forest City 8 W, NC (849 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, Lake Lure 2, NC, 12 miles west of Rutherfordton and 191 feet higher, has a last frost 6 days earlier (April 5), a first frost 3 days later (October 30), a season 9 days longer.
When it snows in Rutherfordton, North Carolina
Measurable snow is rare here: only 7 of 22 winters from 1991 to 2020 recorded 0.1 inch or more at Chesnee 7 WSW, SC, 17.3 miles away, so there is no typical first-snow date to plan around.
Planting calendar for 28139
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| January 31 – February 14 | Start peppers and aubergines indoorsThey need eight to ten weeks under lights before they can go out. |
| February 14 – February 28 | Start tomatoes indoorsSix to eight weeks gives a transplant big enough to set fruit early. |
| March 14 – March 28 | Sow peas, spinach, lettuce, radish outdoorsThese tolerate light frost and prefer to germinate in cool soil. |
| April 11 onward | Transplant tomatoes, peppers, basil, squash, cucumbersThe average last freeze has passed — still watch the actual forecast. |
| by August 4 | Sow the autumn crop of carrots, beets and brassicasThey need about twelve weeks to size up before growth stops. |
| by October 13 | Harvest tender crops, or be ready to cover themA first freeze two weeks early is well within normal variation. |
| October 27 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 28139 is 3 miles from Forest City 8 W, NC, which stands at 849 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. 4 other ZIP codes share the station; its figures are presented in full for 28043 (Forest City). The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 28139 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.