USDA Hardiness Zone 7b
Frost Dates for 28805 — Asheville, North Carolina
NOAA 1991–2020 normals from Asheville, NC (2,238 ft), 3 miles west.
Updated
In Asheville, the last spring frost (32°F) is around April 6 in half of years and has passed by April 24 in nine years out of ten. The first fall frost comes around October 31, as early as October 17 one year in ten, leaving a typical freeze-free season of 205 days (NOAA, Asheville, NC).
- Last spring frost
- April 6
- First fall frost
- October 31
- Growing season
- 205 days
- Hardiness zone
- 7b
50% probability
50% probability
freeze-free, 50%
5 to 10°F (-15.0 to -12.2°C) coldest night
- First snow
- December 1
- Last snow
- March 18
- Winters with snow
- 100%
- Snow per year
- 11.5"
median, 1991–2020
median, 1991–2020
30 of 30 observed
NOAA normal
Frost risk by date in Asheville
Half of springs at Asheville, NC see their last 32°F night by April 6; only one in ten is past it by March 20, and one in ten still has one after April 24. Planting tender crops after April 13 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after April 17 20%, and after April 24 10%. The 18 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is wider than at 80% of the 173 North Carolina stations behind this site's ZIP pages.
In fall the first 32°F night comes by October 31 in half of years, as early as October 17 one year in ten, and holds off past November 13 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 10 days later, around November 10; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is April 10, 14 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 205 days in a typical year, shorter than at 66% of the 173 North Carolina stations; it reaches 226 days one year in ten and falls short of 185 one year in ten. On average 77 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 20, and return around October 21. Severe cold of 16°F or below comes in 98% of winters, usually between December 28 and February 8.
| Low | 90% | 80% | 70% | 60% | 50% | 40% | 30% | 20% | 10% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Apr 5 | Apr 10 | Apr 13 | Apr 16 | Apr 20 | Apr 24 | Apr 29 | May 3 | May 9 |
| 32°F | Mar 20 | Mar 27 | Mar 31 | Apr 2 | Apr 6 | Apr 10 | Apr 13 | Apr 17 | Apr 24 |
| 28°F | Mar 7 | Mar 13 | Mar 18 | Mar 22 | Mar 26 | Mar 30 | Apr 2 | Apr 5 | Apr 10 |
| 24°F | Feb 19 | Feb 28 | Mar 5 | Mar 9 | Mar 12 | Mar 16 | Mar 20 | Mar 24 | Mar 31 |
| 20°F | Jan 30 | Feb 7 | Feb 14 | Feb 21 | Feb 27 | Mar 3 | Mar 8 | Mar 14 | Mar 20 |
| 16°F98% of yrs | Jan 11 | Jan 22 | Jan 30 | Feb 3 | Feb 8 | Feb 16 | Feb 24 | Mar 2 | Mar 10 |
| Low | 10% | 20% | 30% | 40% | 50% | 60% | 70% | 80% | 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Oct 9 | Oct 13 | Oct 16 | Oct 19 | Oct 21 | Oct 24 | Oct 26 | Oct 29 | Nov 2 |
| 32°F | Oct 17 | Oct 23 | Oct 26 | Oct 28 | Oct 31 | Nov 2 | Nov 4 | Nov 7 | Nov 13 |
| 28°F | Oct 28 | Nov 1 | Nov 4 | Nov 6 | Nov 10 | Nov 13 | Nov 16 | Nov 21 | Nov 28 |
| 24°F | Nov 6 | Nov 12 | Nov 15 | Nov 19 | Nov 23 | Nov 27 | Dec 1 | Dec 6 | Dec 15 |
| 20°F | Nov 17 | Nov 24 | Nov 29 | Dec 3 | Dec 7 | Dec 14 | Dec 20 | Dec 27 | Jan 3 |
| 16°F98% of yrs | Dec 1 | Dec 9 | Dec 17 | Dec 23 | Dec 28 | Jan 2 | Jan 7 | Jan 13 | Jan 24 |
Freeze probabilities 1991–2020 at Asheville, 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 28805 →Compare Asheville with another place →
Frost risk through the year in Asheville
In Asheville, the spring curve drops under 10% on April 24 and the fall curve passes 10% on October 17, 176 days later; that gap is shorter than at 67% of the 172 North Carolina stations with frost dates. The spring risk falls from 90% to 10% over 35 days (March 20 to April 24) and the fall risk climbs from 10% to 90% over 27 days (October 17 to November 13): the last frost moves more from year to year than the first. At Swannanoa 2 SSE, NC, 7 miles east, the same gap runs from May 11 to October 11, 23 days shorter.
| Planted on | Another 32°F night | 28°F night |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 23 | 86% | 58% |
| Mar 30 | 73% | 40% |
| Apr 650% date | 50% | 18% |
| Apr 13 | 30% | under 10% |
| Apr 20 | 16% | under 10% |
| Apr 27 | under 10% | under 10% |
Weather by month in Asheville
July is the warmest month at Asheville, NC, averaging 86°F by day and 65°F at night; January is the coldest at 48°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 66% of years.
Warmth for growing adds up to 3,977 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), fewer than at 79% of the 173 North Carolina stations. 38% of them (1,519) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 784. Precipitation totals 40.7 inches a year, most in July (4.1") and least in October (2.6"); May to September bring 45% of it.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | 32°F night | Nights ≤ 32°F | GDD 50°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 48 | 29 | 3.3 | 100% | 20 | 16 |
| Feb | 52 | 32 | 2.9 | 100% | 16 | 24 |
| Mar | 59 | 38 | 3.5 | 99% | 10 | 97 |
| Apr | 69 | 46 | 3.7 | 66% | 2 | 252 |
| May | 76 | 54 | 3.5 | 3% | <1 | 472 |
| Jun | 83 | 61 | 3.4 | 0% | 0 | 658 |
| Jul | 86 | 65 | 4.1 | 0% | 0 | 784 |
| Aug | 85 | 64 | 3.6 | 0% | 0 | 750 |
| Sep | 79 | 58 | 3.7 | 0% | 0 | 551 |
| Oct | 69 | 47 | 2.6 | 51% | 2 | 270 |
| Nov | 59 | 37 | 3.1 | 99% | 10 | 76 |
| Dec | 51 | 32 | 3.3 | 100% | 18 | 28 |
Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Asheville, NC (2,238 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, Swannanoa 2 SSE, NC, 7 miles east of Asheville and 2,082 feet higher, has a last frost 16 days later (April 22), a first frost 7 days earlier (October 24), a season 21 days shorter.
When it snows in Asheville, North Carolina
The first measurable snow (0.1 inch or more) in Asheville usually arrives around December 1, and the last of the season around March 18. Those are the middle dates across the winters of 1991–2020 at Asheville, NC, 3.2 miles away: half of years saw snow earlier, half later. Every one of those winters saw snow. The last 32°F night of spring typically comes 19 days after the last snow.
Planting calendar for 28805
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| January 26 – February 9 | Start peppers and aubergines indoorsThey need eight to ten weeks under lights before they can go out. |
| February 9 – February 23 | Start tomatoes indoorsSix to eight weeks gives a transplant big enough to set fruit early. |
| March 9 – March 23 | Sow peas, spinach, lettuce, radish outdoorsThese tolerate light frost and prefer to germinate in cool soil. |
| April 6 onward | Transplant tomatoes, peppers, basil, squash, cucumbersThe average last freeze has passed — still watch the actual forecast. |
| by August 8 | Sow the autumn crop of carrots, beets and brassicasThey need about twelve weeks to size up before growth stops. |
| by October 17 | Harvest tender crops, or be ready to cover themA first freeze two weeks early is well within normal variation. |
| October 31 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 28805 is 3 miles from Asheville, NC, which stands at 2,238 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 28806 (Asheville). The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 28805 in zone 7b, the band where the coldest night of the year averaged 5 to 10°F (-15.0 to -12.2°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.