USDA Hardiness Zone 8b
Frost Dates for 29918 — Estill, South Carolina
NOAA 1991–2020 normals from Hampton 1S, SC (95 ft), 10 miles northeast.
Updated
In Estill, the last spring frost (32°F) is around March 6 in half of years and has passed by March 26 in nine years out of ten. The first fall frost comes around November 26, as early as November 6 one year in ten, leaving a typical freeze-free season of 267 days (NOAA, Hampton 1S, SC).
- Last spring frost
- March 6
- First fall frost
- November 26
- Growing season
- 267 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
- 11%
- Snow per year
- —
median, 1991–2020
median, 1991–2020
2 of 19 observed
NOAA normal
Frost risk by date in Estill
Half of springs at Hampton 1S, SC see their last 32°F night by March 6; only one in ten is past it by February 8, and one in ten still has one after March 26. Planting tender crops after March 14 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after March 19 20%, and after March 26 10%. The 20 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is wider than at 91% of the 105 South Carolina stations behind this site's ZIP pages.
In fall the first 32°F night comes by November 26 in half of years, as early as November 6 one year in ten, and holds off past December 22 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 19 days later, around December 15; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is March 13, 13 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 267 days in a typical year, longer than at 93% of the 105 South Carolina stations; it reaches 300 days one year in ten and falls short of 238 one year in ten. On average 27 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 15 days longer, to about March 21, and return around November 12. Nights of 24°F, cold enough to damage hardier plants, come in 81% of winters and 16°F in 7%.
| Low | 90% | 80% | 70% | 60% | 50% | 40% | 30% | 20% | 10% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Feb 28 | Mar 8 | Mar 13 | Mar 17 | Mar 21 | Mar 25 | Mar 28 | Mar 31 | Apr 6 |
| 32°F | Feb 8 | Feb 19 | Feb 25 | Mar 1 | Mar 6 | Mar 10 | Mar 14 | Mar 19 | Mar 26 |
| 28°F99% of yrs | Jan 16 | Jan 29 | Feb 3 | Feb 8 | Feb 14 | Feb 21 | Feb 27 | Mar 5 | Mar 13 |
| 24°F81% of yrs | Dec 31 | Jan 10 | Jan 19 | Jan 27 | Jan 31 | Feb 4 | Feb 11 | Feb 22 | Mar 3 |
| 20°F38% of yrs | too rare for a date | ||||||||
| 16°F7% of yrs | too rare for a date | ||||||||
| Low | 10% | 20% | 30% | 40% | 50% | 60% | 70% | 80% | 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Oct 28 | Nov 2 | Nov 6 | Nov 8 | Nov 12 | Nov 15 | Nov 19 | Nov 25 | Dec 2 |
| 32°F | Nov 6 | Nov 13 | Nov 18 | Nov 22 | Nov 26 | Dec 1 | Dec 4 | Dec 10 | Dec 22 |
| 28°F99% of yrs | Nov 21 | Nov 29 | Dec 4 | Dec 9 | Dec 15 | Dec 23 | Jan 1 | Jan 6 | Jan 16 |
| 24°F81% of yrs | Dec 6 | Dec 14 | Dec 22 | Dec 31 | Jan 3 | Jan 9 | Jan 15 | Jan 24 | Feb 4 |
| 20°F38% of yrs | too rare for a date | ||||||||
| 16°F7% of yrs | too rare for a date | ||||||||
Freeze probabilities 1991–2020 at Hampton 1S, 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 29918 →Compare Estill with another place →
Weather by month in Estill
July is the warmest month at Hampton 1S, SC, averaging 92°F by day and 72°F at night; January is the coldest at 62°F and 39°F. A freezing night is all but certain in January (a 90% chance or more). From April to October the chance of a 32°F night stays under 10% each month. In spring, February still brings one in 88% of years and March still brings one in 59% of years.
Warmth for growing adds up to 6,461 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 95% of the 105 South Carolina stations. 42% of them (2,717) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 1,000. Precipitation totals 45.5 inches a year, most in August (5.9") and least in May (2.5"); May to September bring 50% of it.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | 32°F night | Nights ≤ 32°F | GDD 50°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 62 | 39 | 3.8 | 97% | 10 | 119 |
| Feb | 66 | 42 | 3.1 | 88% | 5 | 151 |
| Mar | 72 | 47 | 3.8 | 59% | 2 | 323 |
| Apr | 79 | 54 | 3.3 | 4% | 0 | 500 |
| May | 86 | 62 | 2.5 | 0% | 0 | 736 |
| Jun | 90 | 69 | 5.3 | 0% | 0 | 888 |
| Jul | 92 | 72 | 4.8 | 0% | 0 | 1000 |
| Aug | 91 | 72 | 5.9 | 0% | 0 | 964 |
| Sep | 87 | 67 | 4.2 | 0% | 0 | 801 |
| Oct | 79 | 56 | 3.0 | 3% | <1 | 547 |
| Nov | 70 | 47 | 3.1 | 58% | 2 | 282 |
| Dec | 64 | 41 | 2.7 | 89% | 8 | 152 |
Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Hampton 1S, SC (95 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, Allendale 2 NW, SC, 19 miles north of Estill, has a last frost 22 days later (March 28), a first frost 19 days earlier (November 7), a season 43 days shorter.
When it snows in Estill, South Carolina
Measurable snow is rare here: only 2 of 19 winters from 1991 to 2020 recorded 0.1 inch or more at Allendale 2 NW, SC, 19.2 miles away, so there is no typical first-snow date to plan around.
Planting calendar for 29918
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| December 26 – January 9 | Start peppers and aubergines indoorsThey need eight to ten weeks under lights before they can go out. |
| January 9 – January 23 | Start tomatoes indoorsSix to eight weeks gives a transplant big enough to set fruit early. |
| February 6 – February 20 | Sow peas, spinach, lettuce, radish outdoorsThese tolerate light frost and prefer to germinate in cool soil. |
| March 6 onward | Transplant tomatoes, peppers, basil, squash, cucumbersThe average last freeze has passed — still watch the actual forecast. |
| by September 3 | Sow the autumn crop of carrots, beets and brassicasThey need about twelve weeks to size up before growth stops. |
| by November 12 | Harvest tender crops, or be ready to cover themA first freeze two weeks early is well within normal variation. |
| November 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 29918 is 10 miles from Hampton 1S, SC, which stands at 95 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 29918 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 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.