USDA Hardiness Zone 8a
Frost Dates for 28681 — Taylorsville, North Carolina
NOAA 1991–2020 normals from Taylorsville, NC (1,320 ft), 2 miles east.
Updated
In Taylorsville, the last spring frost (32°F) is around April 2 in half of years and has passed by April 19 in nine years out of ten. The first fall frost comes around November 4, as early as October 21 one year in ten, leaving a typical freeze-free season of 217 days (NOAA, Taylorsville, NC).
- Last spring frost
- April 2
- First fall frost
- November 4
- Growing season
- 217 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 7
- Last snow
- February 20
- Winters with snow
- 75%
- Snow per year
- 3.8"
median, 1991–2020
median, 1991–2020
15 of 20 observed
NOAA normal
Frost risk by date in Taylorsville
Half of springs at Taylorsville, NC see their last 32°F night by April 2; 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 9 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after April 13 20%, and after April 19 10%. The 17 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is wider than at 65% of the 173 North Carolina stations behind this site's ZIP pages.
In fall the first 32°F night comes by November 4 in half of years, as early as October 21 one year in ten, and holds off past November 19 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 11 days later, around November 15; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is April 6, 13 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 217 days in a typical year, shorter than at 50% of the 173 North Carolina stations; it reaches 241 days one year in ten and falls short of 197 one year in ten. On average 67 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 14 days longer, to about April 16, and return around October 26. Severe cold of 16°F or below comes in 92% of winters, usually between January 1 and February 2.
| Low | 90% | 80% | 70% | 60% | 50% | 40% | 30% | 20% | 10% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Apr 1 | Apr 5 | Apr 9 | Apr 13 | Apr 16 | Apr 20 | Apr 24 | Apr 30 | May 6 |
| 32°F | Mar 17 | Mar 23 | Mar 27 | Mar 31 | Apr 2 | Apr 5 | Apr 9 | Apr 13 | Apr 19 |
| 28°F | Mar 1 | Mar 8 | Mar 12 | Mar 16 | Mar 20 | Mar 24 | Mar 28 | Apr 1 | Apr 6 |
| 24°F | Feb 12 | Feb 22 | Feb 28 | Mar 2 | Mar 6 | Mar 10 | Mar 14 | Mar 18 | Mar 25 |
| 20°F | Jan 26 | Feb 2 | Feb 8 | Feb 13 | Feb 18 | Feb 25 | Mar 1 | Mar 7 | Mar 15 |
| 16°F92% of yrs | Jan 3 | Jan 13 | Jan 23 | Jan 29 | Feb 2 | Feb 7 | Feb 12 | Feb 22 | Mar 3 |
| Low | 10% | 20% | 30% | 40% | 50% | 60% | 70% | 80% | 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Oct 13 | Oct 17 | Oct 20 | Oct 23 | Oct 26 | Oct 28 | Oct 31 | Nov 3 | Nov 8 |
| 32°F | Oct 21 | Oct 27 | Oct 30 | Nov 1 | Nov 4 | Nov 6 | Nov 10 | Nov 13 | Nov 19 |
| 28°F | Nov 1 | Nov 5 | Nov 8 | Nov 12 | Nov 15 | Nov 19 | Nov 24 | Nov 30 | Dec 5 |
| 24°F | Nov 10 | Nov 15 | Nov 20 | Nov 25 | Nov 30 | Dec 2 | Dec 7 | Dec 13 | Dec 24 |
| 20°F | Nov 23 | Nov 30 | Dec 3 | Dec 9 | Dec 14 | Dec 20 | Dec 27 | Jan 1 | Jan 11 |
| 16°F92% of yrs | Dec 4 | Dec 11 | Dec 18 | Dec 26 | Jan 1 | Jan 5 | Jan 9 | Jan 17 | Jan 27 |
Freeze probabilities 1991–2020 at Taylorsville, 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 28681 →Compare Taylorsville with another place →
Frost risk through the year in Taylorsville
In Taylorsville, the spring curve drops under 10% on April 19 and the fall curve passes 10% on October 21, 185 days later; that gap is shorter than at 56% of the 172 North Carolina stations with frost dates. The spring risk falls from 90% to 10% over 33 days (March 17 to April 19) and the fall risk climbs from 10% to 90% over 29 days (October 21 to November 19): both ends of the season vary about as much. At W Kerr Scott Resv, NC, 15 miles north, the same gap runs from April 22 to October 19, 5 days shorter.
| Planted on | Another 32°F night | 28°F night |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 19 | 87% | 53% |
| Mar 26 | 73% | 35% |
| Apr 250% date | 50% | 18% |
| Apr 9 | 30% | under 10% |
| Apr 16 | 15% | under 10% |
| Apr 23 | under 10% | under 10% |
Weather by month in Taylorsville
July is the warmest month at Taylorsville, NC, averaging 87°F by day and 66°F at night; January is the coldest at 49°F and 29°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 57% of years.
Warmth for growing adds up to 4,221 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), fewer than at 71% of the 173 North Carolina stations. 38% of them (1,602) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 828. Precipitation totals 52.8 inches a year, most in August (5.4") and least in February (3.6"); 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 | 29 | 4.4 | 100% | 19 | 18 |
| Feb | 53 | 32 | 3.6 | 100% | 15 | 24 |
| Mar | 60 | 39 | 4.3 | 97% | 8 | 108 |
| Apr | 70 | 46 | 4.7 | 57% | 1 | 263 |
| May | 77 | 54 | 4.6 | 0% | 0 | 487 |
| Jun | 84 | 63 | 5.1 | 0% | 0 | 702 |
| Jul | 87 | 66 | 4.3 | 0% | 0 | 828 |
| Aug | 86 | 66 | 5.4 | 0% | 0 | 790 |
| Sep | 80 | 59 | 4.5 | 0% | 0 | 587 |
| Oct | 70 | 48 | 3.8 | 35% | <1 | 296 |
| Nov | 60 | 38 | 3.8 | 96% | 8 | 91 |
| Dec | 51 | 32 | 4.3 | 100% | 16 | 27 |
Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Taylorsville, NC (1,320 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, W Kerr Scott Resv, NC, 15 miles north of Taylorsville and 250 feet lower, has a last frost 5 days later (April 7), a first frost 3 days earlier (November 1), a season 9 days shorter.
When it snows in Taylorsville, North Carolina
The first measurable snow (0.1 inch or more) in Taylorsville usually arrives around January 7, and the last of the season around February 20. Those are the middle dates across the winters of 1991–2020 at Taylorsville, NC, 2.1 miles away: half of years saw snow earlier, half later. Snow fell in 75% of those winters. The last 32°F night of spring typically comes 41 days after the last snow.
Planting calendar for 28681
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| January 22 – February 5 | Start peppers and aubergines indoorsThey need eight to ten weeks under lights before they can go out. |
| February 5 – February 19 | Start tomatoes indoorsSix to eight weeks gives a transplant big enough to set fruit early. |
| March 5 – March 19 | Sow peas, spinach, lettuce, radish outdoorsThese tolerate light frost and prefer to germinate in cool soil. |
| April 2 onward | Transplant tomatoes, peppers, basil, squash, cucumbersThe average last freeze has passed — still watch the actual forecast. |
| by August 12 | Sow the autumn crop of carrots, beets and brassicasThey need about twelve weeks to size up before growth stops. |
| by October 21 | Harvest tender crops, or be ready to cover themA first freeze two weeks early is well within normal variation. |
| November 4 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 28681 is 2 miles from Taylorsville, NC, which stands at 1,320 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 28681 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.