Frost dates for Cape Hatteras Airport, NC
At Cape Hatteras Airport, the median last spring frost (32°F) is Mar 4 and the median first fall frost is Dec 22, for a typical growing season of 290 days. For a 90% chance that the last frost has passed, wait until Mar 25. Nearby ZIP codes are in USDA hardiness zone 9a.
- Mar 4Last spring frost (median)50% chance of 32°F after this date
- Mar 25Safer planting date10% chance of 32°F after this date
- Dec 22First fall frost (median)50% chance of 32°F by this date
- 290 daysGrowing season (median)between 32°F freezes
Last spring frost dates
The chance that the temperature drops to the threshold after each date.
| Temperature | 90% chance later | 50% chance later | 10% chance later |
|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Feb 28 | Mar 19 | Apr 4 |
| 32°F | Feb 4 | Mar 4 | Mar 25 |
| 28°F | Jan 17 | Feb 12 | Mar 11 |
| 24°F | Jan 10 | Jan 31 | Feb 26 |
First fall frost dates
The chance that the temperature has dropped to the threshold by each date.
| Temperature | 10% chance by | 50% chance by | 90% chance by |
|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Nov 17 | Dec 2 | Dec 27 |
| 32°F | Nov 29 | Dec 22 | Jan 16 |
| 28°F | Dec 17 | Jan 8 | Feb 5 |
| 24°F | Jan 1 | Jan 18 | Feb 15 |
Growing season length
Days between the last spring and first fall freeze, as the length reached in 9, 5 and 1 out of 10 years.
| Temperature | 9 in 10 years at least | 5 in 10 years at least | 1 in 10 years at least |
|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | 235 days | 260 days | 286 days |
| 32°F | 262 days | 290 days | 318 days |
| 28°F | 289 days | 320 days | 360 days |
| 24°F | 312 days | 351 days | 365 days |
Chance of a freeze in any year
| Temperature | Chance per year |
|---|---|
| 36°F | 100% |
| 32°F | 100% |
| 28°F | 92% |
| 24°F | 62% |
ZIP codes whose closest station is this one
| ZIP | Hardiness zone | Avg. extreme low | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 27943 | 9a | 20 to 25°F | 9 km |
Not the official USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Zones shown here are the values published in the USDA-ARS / Oregon State University PRISM Group 2023 ZIP code tables, shown unaltered. For the official interactive map, visit planthardiness.ars.usda.gov.
About this station
- NOAA station ID USW00093729, at 35.2325, -75.6219, elevation 3 m (11 ft).
- Data quality: Standard (24+ years of data), 25 years of freeze data.
- Average days per year at or below 32°F: 17.
- Frost risk changes over short distances. Valleys and low spots freeze earlier than hillsides and city centers.
Nearby weather stations
- Frisco 2nne (3 km)
- Ocracoke (36 km)
- Swanquarter Ferry (66 km)
- Cedar Island (68 km)
- Columbia Ag Gum Neck (70 km)
- Fairfield (71 km)
- Manteo Airport (76 km)
- Belhaven 3 NE (95 km)
Sources
- NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, annual/seasonal normals by station (version 1.0.1), file dated June 27, 2023; documentation.
- USDA Agricultural Research Service and PRISM Group, Oregon State University, 2023 Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP code tables (CONUS, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico), files dated November 17, 2023. Data © PRISM Group, Oregon State University, https://prism.oregonstate.edu, accessed November 1, 2026. Official map: planthardiness.ars.usda.gov.
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer ZIP Code Tabulation Areas file, dated August 30, 2024 (ZIP centroids used to find the nearest station).
Freeze dates are 30-year probabilities, not forecasts. Check your local forecast before planting tender plants.
All North Carolina stations · How frost dates are calculated