USDA Hardiness Zone 8b
Frost Dates for 28401 — Wilmington, North Carolina
NOAA 1991–2020 normals from Wilmington International Airport, NC (33 ft), 3 miles northeast.
Updated
In Wilmington, the last spring frost (32°F) is around March 19 in half of years and has passed by April 4 in nine years out of ten. The first fall frost comes around November 20, as early as November 5 one year in ten, leaving a typical freeze-free season of 247 days (NOAA, Wilmington International Airport, NC).
- Last spring frost
- March 19
- First fall frost
- November 20
- Growing season
- 247 days
- Hardiness zone
- 8b
50% probability
50% probability
freeze-free, 50%
15 to 20°F (-9.4 to -6.7°C) coldest night
- First snow
- Rare
- Last snow
- Rare
- Winters with snow
- 20%
- Snow per year
- 0.2"
median, 1991–2020
median, 1991–2020
4 of 20 observed
NOAA normal
Frost risk by date in Wilmington
Half of springs at Wilmington International Airport, NC see their last 32°F night by March 19; only one in ten is past it by February 26, and one in ten still has one after April 4. Planting tender crops after March 26 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after March 30 20%, and after April 4 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 20 in half of years, as early as November 5 one year in ten, and holds off past December 6 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 13 days later, around December 3; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is March 23, 12 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 247 days in a typical year, longer than at 96% of the 173 North Carolina stations; it reaches 274 days one year in ten and falls short of 223 one year in ten. On average 37 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 11 days longer, to about March 30, and return around November 8. Nights of 24°F, cold enough to damage hardier plants, come in 97% of winters and 16°F in 35%.
| Low | 90% | 80% | 70% | 60% | 50% | 40% | 30% | 20% | 10% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Mar 14 | Mar 20 | Mar 23 | Mar 27 | Mar 30 | Apr 1 | Apr 4 | Apr 7 | Apr 13 |
| 32°F | Feb 26 | Mar 5 | Mar 12 | Mar 16 | Mar 19 | Mar 22 | Mar 26 | Mar 30 | Apr 4 |
| 28°F | Feb 4 | Feb 13 | Feb 20 | Feb 26 | Mar 2 | Mar 7 | Mar 12 | Mar 16 | Mar 23 |
| 24°F97% of yrs | Jan 12 | Jan 22 | Jan 29 | Feb 4 | Feb 10 | Feb 17 | Feb 24 | Mar 2 | Mar 10 |
| 20°F73% of yrs | Dec 29 | Jan 7 | Jan 13 | Jan 19 | Jan 23 | Jan 29 | Feb 1 | Feb 8 | Feb 23 |
| 16°F35% of yrs | too rare for a date | ||||||||
| Low | 10% | 20% | 30% | 40% | 50% | 60% | 70% | 80% | 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Oct 27 | Nov 1 | Nov 3 | Nov 6 | Nov 8 | Nov 10 | Nov 14 | Nov 17 | Nov 22 |
| 32°F | Nov 5 | Nov 10 | Nov 13 | Nov 16 | Nov 20 | Nov 24 | Nov 27 | Dec 1 | Dec 6 |
| 28°F | Nov 14 | Nov 20 | Nov 26 | Dec 1 | Dec 3 | Dec 8 | Dec 14 | Dec 23 | Jan 1 |
| 24°F97% of yrs | Nov 30 | Dec 5 | Dec 12 | Dec 19 | Dec 26 | Dec 31 | Jan 4 | Jan 10 | Jan 20 |
| 20°F73% of yrs | Dec 13 | Dec 22 | Dec 29 | Jan 1 | Jan 5 | Jan 11 | Jan 15 | Jan 22 | Jan 30 |
| 16°F35% of yrs | too rare for a date | ||||||||
Freeze probabilities 1991–2020 at Wilmington International Airport, 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 28401 →Compare Wilmington with another place →
Weather by month in Wilmington
July is the warmest month at Wilmington International Airport, NC, averaging 90°F by day and 73°F at night; January is the coldest at 57°F and 36°F. A freezing night is all but certain in every month from December to February (a 90% chance or more). From May to October the chance of a 32°F night stays under 10% each month. In spring, March still brings one in 83% of years and April still brings one in 16% of years.
Warmth for growing adds up to 5,793 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 99% of the 173 North Carolina stations. 40% of them (2,301) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 976. Precipitation totals 60.4 inches a year, most in September (8.7") and least in April (3.1"); May to September bring 56% of it.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | 32°F night | Nights ≤ 32°F | GDD 50°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 57 | 36 | 3.8 | 99% | 13 | 81 |
| Feb | 60 | 38 | 3.5 | 97% | 8 | 95 |
| Mar | 67 | 44 | 4.0 | 83% | 4 | 214 |
| Apr | 75 | 53 | 3.1 | 16% | <1 | 412 |
| May | 81 | 61 | 4.5 | 0% | 0 | 654 |
| Jun | 87 | 69 | 5.7 | 0% | 0 | 844 |
| Jul | 90 | 73 | 6.9 | 0% | 0 | 976 |
| Aug | 88 | 72 | 8.2 | 0% | 0 | 930 |
| Sep | 84 | 67 | 8.7 | 0% | 0 | 759 |
| Oct | 76 | 56 | 4.7 | 2% | <1 | 493 |
| Nov | 67 | 45 | 3.6 | 76% | 3 | 220 |
| Dec | 60 | 39 | 3.7 | 97% | 9 | 114 |
Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Wilmington International Airport, NC (33 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, Wilmington 7 N, NC, 6 miles north of Wilmington, has a last frost 10 days later (March 29), a first frost 12 days earlier (November 8), a season 21 days shorter.
When it snows in Wilmington, North Carolina
Measurable snow is rare here: only 4 of 20 winters from 1991 to 2020 recorded 0.1 inch or more at Wilmington 7 N, NC, 6 miles away, so there is no typical first-snow date to plan around.
Planting calendar for 28401
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| January 8 – January 22 | Start peppers and aubergines indoorsThey need eight to ten weeks under lights before they can go out. |
| January 22 – February 5 | Start tomatoes indoorsSix to eight weeks gives a transplant big enough to set fruit early. |
| February 19 – March 5 | Sow peas, spinach, lettuce, radish outdoorsThese tolerate light frost and prefer to germinate in cool soil. |
| March 19 onward | Transplant tomatoes, peppers, basil, squash, cucumbersThe average last freeze has passed — still watch the actual forecast. |
| by August 28 | Sow the autumn crop of carrots, beets and brassicasThey need about twelve weeks to size up before growth stops. |
| by November 6 | Harvest tender crops, or be ready to cover themA first freeze two weeks early is well within normal variation. |
| November 20 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 28401 is 3 miles from Wilmington International Airport, NC, which stands at 33 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 28451 (Leland). The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 28401 in zone 8b, the band where the coldest night of the year averaged 15 to 20°F (-9.4 to -6.7°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.