USDA Hardiness Zone 8a
Frost Dates for 29323 — Chesnee, South Carolina
NOAA 1991–2020 normals from Chesnee 7 WSW, SC (748 ft), 5 miles west.
Updated
In Chesnee, the last spring frost (32°F) is around April 13 in half of years and has passed by April 27 in nine years out of ten. The first fall frost comes around October 26, as early as October 15 one year in ten, leaving a typical freeze-free season of 195 days (NOAA, Chesnee 7 WSW, SC).
- Last spring frost
- April 13
- First fall frost
- October 26
- Growing season
- 195 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
- 32%
- Snow per year
- 1.2"
median, 1991–2020
median, 1991–2020
7 of 22 observed
NOAA normal
Frost risk by date in Chesnee
Half of springs at Chesnee 7 WSW, SC see their last 32°F night by April 13; only one in ten is past it by March 29, and one in ten still has one after April 27. Planting tender crops after April 19 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after April 22 20%, and after April 27 10%. The 14 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is narrower than at 84% of the 105 South Carolina stations behind this site's ZIP pages.
In fall the first 32°F night comes by October 26 in half of years, as early as October 15 one year in ten, and holds off past November 7 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 9 days later, around November 4; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is April 16, 11 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 195 days in a typical year, shorter than at 98% of the 105 South Carolina stations; it reaches 217 days one year in ten and falls short of 178 one year in ten. On average 93 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 12 days longer, to about April 25, and return around October 17. Severe cold of 16°F or below comes in 98% of winters, usually between December 21 and February 12.
| Low | 90% | 80% | 70% | 60% | 50% | 40% | 30% | 20% | 10% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Apr 11 | Apr 15 | Apr 18 | Apr 21 | Apr 25 | Apr 27 | Apr 30 | May 3 | May 7 |
| 32°F | Mar 29 | Apr 3 | Apr 6 | Apr 10 | Apr 13 | Apr 16 | Apr 19 | Apr 22 | Apr 27 |
| 28°F | Mar 14 | Mar 21 | Mar 26 | Mar 30 | Apr 1 | Apr 4 | Apr 7 | Apr 11 | Apr 16 |
| 24°F | Feb 26 | Mar 4 | Mar 11 | Mar 16 | Mar 20 | Mar 25 | Mar 28 | Mar 31 | Apr 3 |
| 20°F | Feb 5 | Feb 14 | Feb 23 | Feb 28 | Mar 3 | Mar 9 | Mar 14 | Mar 20 | Mar 27 |
| 16°F98% of yrs | Jan 15 | Jan 26 | Jan 31 | Feb 6 | Feb 12 | Feb 20 | Feb 28 | Mar 4 | Mar 14 |
| Low | 10% | 20% | 30% | 40% | 50% | 60% | 70% | 80% | 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Oct 7 | Oct 11 | Oct 13 | Oct 15 | Oct 17 | Oct 20 | Oct 23 | Oct 26 | Oct 31 |
| 32°F | Oct 15 | Oct 18 | Oct 21 | Oct 24 | Oct 26 | Oct 29 | Nov 1 | Nov 2 | Nov 7 |
| 28°F | Oct 23 | Oct 27 | Oct 30 | Nov 1 | Nov 4 | Nov 7 | Nov 11 | Nov 16 | Nov 23 |
| 24°F | Nov 2 | Nov 7 | Nov 10 | Nov 14 | Nov 18 | Nov 22 | Nov 26 | Dec 1 | Dec 6 |
| 20°F | Nov 14 | Nov 21 | Nov 26 | Nov 30 | Dec 3 | Dec 6 | Dec 14 | Dec 24 | Jan 2 |
| 16°F98% of yrs | Nov 28 | Dec 3 | Dec 8 | Dec 14 | Dec 21 | Dec 28 | Jan 2 | Jan 8 | Jan 17 |
Freeze probabilities 1991–2020 at Chesnee 7 WSW, SC, 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 29323 →Compare Chesnee with another place →
Weather by month in Chesnee
July is the warmest month at Chesnee 7 WSW, SC, averaging 89°F by day and 67°F at night; January is the coldest at 51°F and 27°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 85% of years.
Warmth for growing adds up to 4,343 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), fewer than at 96% of the 105 South Carolina stations. 38% of them (1,634) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 871. Precipitation totals 51.6 inches a year, most in June (4.7") and least in February (3.8"); May to September bring 43% of it.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | 32°F night | Nights ≤ 32°F | GDD 50°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 51 | 27 | 4.3 | 100% | 22 | 17 |
| Feb | 55 | 30 | 3.8 | 100% | 18 | 24 |
| Mar | 62 | 36 | 4.6 | 99% | 12 | 95 |
| Apr | 72 | 44 | 4.4 | 85% | 3 | 257 |
| May | 79 | 54 | 3.9 | 6% | 0 | 514 |
| Jun | 86 | 63 | 4.7 | 0% | 0 | 727 |
| Jul | 89 | 67 | 4.7 | 0% | 0 | 871 |
| Aug | 87 | 66 | 4.6 | 0% | 0 | 823 |
| Sep | 82 | 59 | 4.3 | 0% | 0 | 615 |
| Oct | 72 | 46 | 3.8 | 68% | 3 | 298 |
| Nov | 62 | 35 | 4.0 | 100% | 15 | 77 |
| Dec | 54 | 30 | 4.5 | 100% | 20 | 25 |
Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Chesnee 7 WSW, SC (748 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, Forest City 8 W, NC, 14 miles northwest of Chesnee, has a last frost 2 days earlier (April 11), a first frost 1 day later (October 27), a season 3 days longer.
When it snows in Chesnee, South Carolina
Measurable snow is rare here: only 7 of 22 winters from 1991 to 2020 recorded 0.1 inch or more at Chesnee 7 WSW, SC, 4.9 miles away, so there is no typical first-snow date to plan around.
Planting calendar for 29323
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| February 2 – February 16 | Start peppers and aubergines indoorsThey need eight to ten weeks under lights before they can go out. |
| February 16 – March 2 | Start tomatoes indoorsSix to eight weeks gives a transplant big enough to set fruit early. |
| March 16 – March 30 | Sow peas, spinach, lettuce, radish outdoorsThese tolerate light frost and prefer to germinate in cool soil. |
| April 13 onward | Transplant tomatoes, peppers, basil, squash, cucumbersThe average last freeze has passed — still watch the actual forecast. |
| by August 3 | Sow the autumn crop of carrots, beets and brassicasThey need about twelve weeks to size up before growth stops. |
| by October 12 | Harvest tender crops, or be ready to cover themA first freeze two weeks early is well within normal variation. |
| October 26 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 29323 is 5 miles from Chesnee 7 WSW, SC, which stands at 748 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. 3 other ZIP codes share the station; its figures are presented in full for 29349 (Inman). The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 29323 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 South 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.