Frost Dates for 28376 — Raeford, North Carolina

Half of springs at Raeford, NC see their last 32°F night by April 3; only one in ten is past it by March 17, 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 15 20%, and after April 19 10%. The 16 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is narrower than at 35% 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 20 one year in ten, and holds off past November 18 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 214 days in a typical year, shorter than at 55% of the 173 North Carolina stations; it reaches 235 days one year in ten and falls short of 196 one year in ten. On average 82 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 13 days longer, to about April 16, and return around October 26. Nights of 24°F, cold enough to damage hardier plants, come in 100% of winters and 16°F in 89%.

July is the warmest month at Raeford, NC, averaging 90°F by day and 69°F at night; January is the coldest at 53°F and 30°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 60% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 4,813 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 57% of the 173 North Carolina stations. 39% of them (1,862) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 910. Precipitation totals 48.8 inches a year, most in September (5.3") and least in April (3.2"); May to September bring 49% of it.

The nearest other station, Laurinburg Maxton Airport, NC, 16 miles southwest of Raeford, has a last frost 9 days earlier (March 25), a first frost 5 days later (November 8), a season 14 days longer.

The first measurable snow (0.1 inch or more) in Raeford usually arrives around January 19, and the last of the season around January 25. Those are the middle dates across the winters of 1991–2020 at Raeford, NC, 0.7 miles away: half of years saw snow earlier, half later. Snow fell in 73% of those winters. The last 32°F night of spring typically comes 68 days after the last snow.

ZIP 28376 is under a mile from Raeford, NC, which stands at 250 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. 2 other ZIP codes share the station. The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 28376 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.