USDA Hardiness Zone 8a
Frost Dates for 28453 — Magnolia, North Carolina
NOAA 1991–2020 normals from Warsaw 5 E, NC (110 ft), 9 miles north.
Updated
In Magnolia, the last spring frost (32°F) is around April 7 in half of years and has passed by April 22 in nine years out of ten. The first fall frost comes around October 30, as early as October 16 one year in ten, leaving a typical freeze-free season of 204 days (NOAA, Warsaw 5 E, NC).
- Last spring frost
- April 7
- First fall frost
- October 30
- Growing season
- 204 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
- 38%
- Snow per year
- 2"
median, 1991–2020
median, 1991–2020
8 of 21 observed
NOAA normal
Frost risk by date in Magnolia
Half of springs at Warsaw 5 E, NC see their last 32°F night by April 7; only one in ten is past it by March 23, and one in ten still has one after April 22. Planting tender crops after April 13 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after April 17 20%, and after April 22 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 30 in half of years, as early as October 16 one year in ten, and holds off past November 11 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 8 days later, around November 7; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is April 13, 9 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 204 days in a typical year, shorter than at 68% of the 173 North Carolina stations; it reaches 226 days one year in ten and falls short of 187 one year in ten. On average 64 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 20, and return around October 22. Severe cold of 16°F or below comes in 93% of winters, usually between December 29 and February 4.
| Low | 90% | 80% | 70% | 60% | 50% | 40% | 30% | 20% | 10% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Apr 6 | Apr 11 | Apr 15 | Apr 17 | Apr 20 | Apr 23 | Apr 27 | Apr 30 | May 6 |
| 32°F | Mar 23 | Mar 29 | Apr 1 | Apr 4 | Apr 7 | Apr 10 | Apr 13 | Apr 17 | Apr 22 |
| 28°F | Mar 9 | Mar 17 | Mar 21 | Mar 25 | Mar 29 | Mar 31 | Apr 3 | Apr 7 | Apr 13 |
| 24°F | Feb 21 | Feb 28 | Mar 7 | Mar 12 | Mar 16 | Mar 20 | Mar 24 | Mar 29 | Apr 3 |
| 20°F | Jan 31 | Feb 9 | Feb 16 | Feb 24 | Feb 28 | Mar 4 | Mar 11 | Mar 16 | Mar 22 |
| 16°F93% of yrs | Jan 6 | Jan 17 | Jan 25 | Jan 31 | Feb 4 | Feb 12 | Feb 22 | Mar 1 | Mar 8 |
| Low | 10% | 20% | 30% | 40% | 50% | 60% | 70% | 80% | 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Oct 8 | Oct 13 | Oct 16 | Oct 19 | Oct 22 | Oct 24 | Oct 27 | Oct 30 | Nov 2 |
| 32°F | Oct 16 | Oct 21 | Oct 24 | Oct 27 | Oct 30 | Nov 1 | Nov 3 | Nov 6 | Nov 11 |
| 28°F | Oct 25 | Oct 30 | Nov 2 | Nov 4 | Nov 7 | Nov 11 | Nov 14 | Nov 19 | Nov 25 |
| 24°F | Nov 3 | Nov 7 | Nov 11 | Nov 16 | Nov 20 | Nov 25 | Nov 30 | Dec 4 | Dec 12 |
| 20°F | Nov 12 | Nov 19 | Nov 25 | Dec 1 | Dec 6 | Dec 12 | Dec 19 | Dec 28 | Jan 6 |
| 16°F93% of yrs | Nov 28 | Dec 8 | Dec 15 | Dec 22 | Dec 29 | Jan 2 | Jan 8 | Jan 15 | Jan 26 |
Freeze probabilities 1991–2020 at Warsaw 5 E, 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 28453 →Compare Magnolia with another place →
Weather by month in Magnolia
July is the warmest month at Warsaw 5 E, NC, averaging 88°F by day and 68°F at night; January is the coldest at 52°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 71% of years.
Warmth for growing adds up to 4,498 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), fewer than at 58% of the 173 North Carolina stations. 38% of them (1,693) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 866. Precipitation totals 52.1 inches a year, most in September (7.0") and least in February (3.2"); May to September bring 53% of it.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | 32°F night | Nights ≤ 32°F | GDD 50°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 52 | 30 | 3.6 | 100% | 17 | 31 |
| Feb | 55 | 31 | 3.2 | 100% | 14 | 37 |
| Mar | 62 | 37 | 4.0 | 99% | 8 | 117 |
| Apr | 71 | 46 | 3.3 | 71% | 1 | 276 |
| May | 78 | 55 | 3.9 | 0% | 0 | 511 |
| Jun | 85 | 64 | 5.1 | 0% | 0 | 720 |
| Jul | 88 | 68 | 6.1 | 0% | 0 | 866 |
| Aug | 86 | 66 | 5.6 | 0% | 0 | 809 |
| Sep | 81 | 61 | 7.0 | 0% | 0 | 628 |
| Oct | 72 | 48 | 3.4 | 57% | 1 | 332 |
| Nov | 62 | 38 | 3.5 | 99% | 8 | 120 |
| Dec | 55 | 33 | 3.4 | 99% | 15 | 50 |
Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Warsaw 5 E, NC (110 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, Wallace 1SE, NC, 12 miles south of Magnolia, has a last frost 6 days earlier (April 1), a first frost 8 days later (November 7), a season 16 days longer.
When it snows in Magnolia, North Carolina
Measurable snow is rare here: only 8 of 21 winters from 1991 to 2020 recorded 0.1 inch or more at Warsaw 5 E, NC, 9.1 miles away, so there is no typical first-snow date to plan around.
Planting calendar for 28453
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| January 27 – February 10 | Start peppers and aubergines indoorsThey need eight to ten weeks under lights before they can go out. |
| February 10 – February 24 | Start tomatoes indoorsSix to eight weeks gives a transplant big enough to set fruit early. |
| March 10 – March 24 | Sow peas, spinach, lettuce, radish outdoorsThese tolerate light frost and prefer to germinate in cool soil. |
| April 7 onward | Transplant tomatoes, peppers, basil, squash, cucumbersThe average last freeze has passed — still watch the actual forecast. |
| by August 7 | Sow the autumn crop of carrots, beets and brassicasThey need about twelve weeks to size up before growth stops. |
| by October 16 | Harvest tender crops, or be ready to cover themA first freeze two weeks early is well within normal variation. |
| October 30 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 28453 is 9 miles from Warsaw 5 E, NC, which stands at 110 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. 2 other ZIP codes share the station; its figures are presented in full for 28398 (Warsaw). The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 28453 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.