USDA Hardiness Zone 8b
Frost Dates for 28412 — Wilmington, North Carolina
NOAA 1991–2020 normals from Wilmington 7 SE, NC (30 ft), 2 miles east.
Updated
In Wilmington, the last spring frost (32°F) is around March 20 in half of years and has passed by April 8 in nine years out of ten. The first fall frost comes around November 15, as early as November 2 one year in ten, leaving a typical freeze-free season of 241 days (NOAA, Wilmington 7 SE, NC).
- Last spring frost
- March 20
- First fall frost
- November 15
- Growing season
- 241 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 7 SE, NC see their last 32°F night by March 20; only one in ten is past it by February 28, and one in ten still has one after April 8. Planting tender crops after March 29 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after April 2 20%, and after April 8 10%. The 19 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is wider than at 90% of the 173 North Carolina stations behind this site's ZIP pages.
In fall the first 32°F night comes by November 15 in half of years, as early as November 2 one year in ten, and holds off past December 1 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 13 days later, around November 28; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is March 25, 14 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 241 days in a typical year, longer than at 94% of the 173 North Carolina stations; it reaches 267 days one year in ten and falls short of 218 one year in ten. On average 41 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 2, and return around November 5. Nights of 24°F, cold enough to damage hardier plants, come in 99% of winters and 16°F in 45%.
| Low | 90% | 80% | 70% | 60% | 50% | 40% | 30% | 20% | 10% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Mar 17 | Mar 23 | Mar 27 | Mar 31 | Apr 2 | Apr 6 | Apr 9 | Apr 13 | Apr 17 |
| 32°F | Feb 28 | Mar 7 | Mar 12 | Mar 16 | Mar 20 | Mar 24 | Mar 29 | Apr 2 | Apr 8 |
| 28°F | Feb 8 | Feb 19 | Feb 24 | Feb 28 | Mar 3 | Mar 7 | Mar 13 | Mar 18 | Mar 25 |
| 24°F99% of yrs | Jan 18 | Jan 30 | Feb 3 | Feb 11 | Feb 17 | Feb 22 | Feb 28 | Mar 4 | Mar 11 |
| 20°F82% of yrs | Jan 1 | Jan 11 | Jan 16 | Jan 23 | Jan 30 | Feb 1 | Feb 7 | Feb 16 | Feb 27 |
| 16°F45% of yrs | too rare for a date | ||||||||
| Low | 10% | 20% | 30% | 40% | 50% | 60% | 70% | 80% | 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Oct 27 | Oct 31 | Nov 1 | Nov 3 | Nov 5 | Nov 7 | Nov 10 | Nov 14 | Nov 19 |
| 32°F | Nov 2 | Nov 6 | Nov 8 | Nov 11 | Nov 15 | Nov 17 | Nov 21 | Nov 25 | Dec 1 |
| 28°F | Nov 11 | Nov 15 | Nov 20 | Nov 25 | Nov 28 | Dec 1 | Dec 6 | Dec 14 | Dec 28 |
| 24°F99% of yrs | Nov 23 | Dec 1 | Dec 5 | Dec 11 | Dec 18 | Dec 25 | Jan 1 | Jan 7 | Jan 18 |
| 20°F82% of yrs | Dec 8 | Dec 16 | Dec 24 | Dec 31 | Jan 4 | Jan 10 | Jan 15 | Jan 20 | Feb 1 |
| 16°F45% of yrs | too rare for a date | ||||||||
Freeze probabilities 1991–2020 at Wilmington 7 SE, 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 28412 →Compare Wilmington with another place →
Weather by month in Wilmington
July is the warmest month at Wilmington 7 SE, NC, averaging 90°F by day and 74°F at night; January is the coldest at 56°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 85% of years and April still brings one in 23% of years.
Warmth for growing adds up to 5,755 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 98% of the 173 North Carolina stations. 39% of them (2,265) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 987. Precipitation totals 65.2 inches a year, most in September (9.2") and least in February (3.6"); May to September bring 56% of it.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | 32°F night | Nights ≤ 32°F | GDD 50°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 56 | 36 | 4.0 | 100% | 14 | 83 |
| Feb | 59 | 38 | 3.6 | 99% | 10 | 96 |
| Mar | 66 | 44 | 3.9 | 85% | 4 | 200 |
| Apr | 74 | 52 | 3.7 | 23% | 0 | 387 |
| May | 81 | 62 | 4.5 | 0% | 0 | 656 |
| Jun | 87 | 69 | 5.4 | 0% | 0 | 843 |
| Jul | 90 | 74 | 8.8 | 0% | 0 | 987 |
| Aug | 89 | 72 | 8.5 | 0% | 0 | 938 |
| Sep | 85 | 67 | 9.2 | 0% | 0 | 771 |
| Oct | 76 | 56 | 5.5 | 3% | 0 | 487 |
| Nov | 66 | 44 | 4.0 | 87% | 4 | 198 |
| Dec | 60 | 39 | 4.1 | 97% | 9 | 110 |
Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Wilmington 7 SE, NC (30 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 International Airport, NC, 8 miles north of Wilmington, has a last frost 1 day earlier (March 19), a first frost 5 days later (November 20), a season 6 days longer.
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, 11.7 miles away, so there is no typical first-snow date to plan around.
Planting calendar for 28412
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| January 9 – January 23 | Start peppers and aubergines indoorsThey need eight to ten weeks under lights before they can go out. |
| January 23 – February 6 | Start tomatoes indoorsSix to eight weeks gives a transplant big enough to set fruit early. |
| February 20 – March 6 | Sow peas, spinach, lettuce, radish outdoorsThese tolerate light frost and prefer to germinate in cool soil. |
| March 20 onward | Transplant tomatoes, peppers, basil, squash, cucumbersThe average last freeze has passed — still watch the actual forecast. |
| by August 23 | Sow the autumn crop of carrots, beets and brassicasThey need about twelve weeks to size up before growth stops. |
| by November 1 | Harvest tender crops, or be ready to cover themA first freeze two weeks early is well within normal variation. |
| November 15 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 28412 is 2 miles from Wilmington 7 SE, NC, which stands at 30 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 28412 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.