USDA Hardiness Zone 8a
Frost Dates for 28166 — Troutman, North Carolina
NOAA 1991–2020 normals from Statesville 2 NNE, NC (803 ft), 9 miles north.
Updated
In Troutman, the last spring frost (32°F) is around April 16 in half of years and has passed by May 1 in nine years out of ten. The first fall frost comes around October 25, as early as October 13 one year in ten, leaving a typical freeze-free season of 191 days (NOAA, Statesville 2 NNE, NC).
- Last spring frost
- April 16
- First fall frost
- October 25
- Growing season
- 191 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
- January 9
- Last snow
- February 8
- Winters with snow
- 83%
- Snow per year
- 4.9"
median, 1991–2020
median, 1991–2020
20 of 24 observed
NOAA normal
Frost risk by date in Troutman
Half of springs at Statesville 2 NNE, NC see their last 32°F night by April 16; only one in ten is past it by April 2, and one in ten still has one after May 1. Planting tender crops after April 21 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after April 25 20%, and after May 1 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 October 25 in half of years, as early as October 13 one year in ten, and holds off past November 5 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 9 days later, around November 3; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is April 17, 14 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 191 days in a typical year, shorter than at 82% of the 173 North Carolina stations; it reaches 211 days one year in ten and falls short of 173 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 12 days longer, to about April 28, and return around October 17. Severe cold of 16°F or below comes in 99% of winters, usually between December 17 and February 20.
| Low | 90% | 80% | 70% | 60% | 50% | 40% | 30% | 20% | 10% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Apr 12 | Apr 18 | Apr 21 | Apr 24 | Apr 28 | Apr 30 | May 3 | May 7 | May 12 |
| 32°F | Apr 2 | Apr 6 | Apr 10 | Apr 13 | Apr 16 | Apr 18 | Apr 21 | Apr 25 | May 1 |
| 28°F | Mar 17 | Mar 23 | Mar 28 | Apr 1 | Apr 3 | Apr 6 | Apr 9 | Apr 12 | Apr 17 |
| 24°F | Feb 28 | Mar 8 | Mar 13 | Mar 17 | Mar 21 | Mar 25 | Mar 28 | Apr 1 | Apr 5 |
| 20°F | Feb 12 | Feb 22 | Feb 27 | Mar 3 | Mar 7 | Mar 11 | Mar 16 | Mar 21 | Mar 26 |
| 16°F99% of yrs | Jan 23 | Jan 31 | Feb 7 | Feb 14 | Feb 20 | Feb 27 | Mar 3 | Mar 8 | Mar 15 |
| Low | 10% | 20% | 30% | 40% | 50% | 60% | 70% | 80% | 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Oct 4 | Oct 8 | Oct 11 | Oct 14 | Oct 17 | Oct 19 | Oct 22 | Oct 24 | Oct 29 |
| 32°F | Oct 13 | Oct 17 | Oct 21 | Oct 23 | Oct 25 | Oct 28 | Oct 31 | Nov 2 | Nov 5 |
| 28°F | Oct 23 | Oct 27 | Oct 30 | Nov 1 | Nov 3 | Nov 5 | Nov 8 | Nov 12 | Nov 18 |
| 24°F | Nov 1 | Nov 4 | Nov 7 | Nov 11 | Nov 14 | Nov 17 | Nov 20 | Nov 25 | Dec 1 |
| 20°F | Nov 10 | Nov 15 | Nov 20 | Nov 24 | Nov 29 | Dec 1 | Dec 5 | Dec 12 | Dec 23 |
| 16°F99% of yrs | Nov 23 | Dec 1 | Dec 5 | Dec 11 | Dec 17 | Dec 24 | Dec 30 | Jan 4 | Jan 13 |
Freeze probabilities 1991–2020 at Statesville 2 NNE, 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 28166 →Compare Troutman with another place →
Weather by month in Troutman
July is the warmest month at Statesville 2 NNE, NC, averaging 87°F by day and 67°F at night; January is the coldest at 49°F and 26°F. A freezing night is all but certain in every month from November to April (a 90% chance or more). From June to September the chance of a 32°F night stays under 10% each month. In spring, May still brings one in 12% of years.
Warmth for growing adds up to 4,103 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), fewer than at 76% of the 173 North Carolina stations. 37% of them (1,535) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 839. Precipitation totals 46.7 inches a year, most in August (4.9") and least in February (3.2"); May to September bring 45% of it.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | 32°F night | Nights ≤ 32°F | GDD 50°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 49 | 26 | 3.7 | 100% | 22 | 13 |
| Feb | 53 | 28 | 3.2 | 100% | 19 | 20 |
| Mar | 61 | 35 | 4.0 | 100% | 13 | 82 |
| Apr | 70 | 44 | 4.1 | 91% | 4 | 240 |
| May | 77 | 54 | 3.7 | 12% | <1 | 482 |
| Jun | 84 | 63 | 4.3 | 0% | 0 | 699 |
| Jul | 87 | 67 | 4.4 | 0% | 0 | 839 |
| Aug | 86 | 65 | 4.9 | 0% | 0 | 786 |
| Sep | 80 | 59 | 3.9 | 0% | 0 | 578 |
| Oct | 71 | 46 | 3.2 | 72% | 3 | 276 |
| Nov | 60 | 34 | 3.4 | 100% | 16 | 68 |
| Dec | 52 | 29 | 3.9 | 100% | 22 | 22 |
Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Statesville 2 NNE, NC (803 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, Catawba 5 SW, NC, 14 miles west of Troutman and 212 feet higher, has a last frost 23 days earlier (March 24), a first frost 14 days later (November 8), a season 39 days longer.
When it snows in Troutman, North Carolina
The first measurable snow (0.1 inch or more) in Troutman usually arrives around January 9, and the last of the season around February 8. Those are the middle dates across the winters of 1991–2020 at Statesville 2 NNE, NC, 8.5 miles away: half of years saw snow earlier, half later. Snow fell in 83% of those winters. The last 32°F night of spring typically comes 67 days after the last snow.
Planting calendar for 28166
| 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 2 | Sow the autumn crop of carrots, beets and brassicasThey need about twelve weeks to size up before growth stops. |
| by October 11 | Harvest tender crops, or be ready to cover themA first freeze two weeks early is well within normal variation. |
| October 25 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 28166 is 9 miles from Statesville 2 NNE, NC, which stands at 803 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 28625 (Statesville). The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 28166 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.