Frost dates for Durham, NC
At Durham, the median last spring frost (32°F) is Apr 2 and the median first fall frost is Nov 4, for a typical growing season of 217 days. For a 90% chance that the last frost has passed, wait until Apr 18. Nearby ZIP codes are in USDA hardiness zone 8a.
- Apr 2Last spring frost (median)50% chance of 32°F after this date
- Apr 18Safer planting date10% chance of 32°F after this date
- Nov 4First fall frost (median)50% chance of 32°F by this date
- 217 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 | Mar 30 | Apr 14 | May 1 |
| 32°F | Mar 15 | Apr 2 | Apr 18 |
| 28°F | Feb 28 | Mar 19 | Apr 6 |
| 24°F | Feb 11 | Mar 4 | Mar 24 |
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 | Oct 13 | Oct 27 | Nov 6 |
| 32°F | Oct 24 | Nov 4 | Nov 19 |
| 28°F | Nov 2 | Nov 16 | Dec 7 |
| 24°F | Nov 12 | Dec 1 | Jan 1 |
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 | 172 days | 194 days | 214 days |
| 32°F | 197 days | 217 days | 239 days |
| 28°F | 219 days | 242 days | 269 days |
| 24°F | 245 days | 272 days | 302 days |
Chance of a freeze in any year
| Temperature | Chance per year |
|---|---|
| 36°F | 100% |
| 32°F | 100% |
| 28°F | 100% |
| 24°F | 100% |
ZIP codes whose closest station is this one
| ZIP | Hardiness zone | Avg. extreme low | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 27705 | 8a | 10 to 15°F | 3 km |
| 27708 | 8a | 10 to 15°F | 5 km |
| 27701 | 8a | 10 to 15°F | 8 km |
| 27712 | 8a | 10 to 15°F | 8 km |
| 27707 | 8a | 10 to 15°F | 10 km |
| 27704 | 8a | 10 to 15°F | 12 km |
| 27278 | 8a | 10 to 15°F | 12 km |
| 27503 | 8a | 10 to 15°F | 14 km |
| 27509 | 8a | 10 to 15°F | 20 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 USC00312515, at 36.0425, -78.9625, elevation 122 m (400 ft).
- Data quality: Representative (10+ years), 16 years of freeze data.
- Average days per year at or below 32°F: 84.
- Frost risk changes over short distances. Valleys and low spots freeze earlier than hillsides and city centers.
Nearby weather stations
- Durham 11 W (14 km)
- Chapel Hill Williams Airport (15 km)
- Chapel Hill 2 W (18 km)
- Raleigh Durham Intl Airport (23 km)
- Cane Creek Rsvr (27 km)
- Falls Lake (29 km)
- Roxboro 7 ESE (34 km)
- Chatham Water Plant (35 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