Frost dates for Forest City 8 W, NC
At Forest City 8 W, the median last spring frost (32°F) is Apr 11 and the median first fall frost is Oct 27, for a typical growing season of 198 days. For a 90% chance that the last frost has passed, wait until Apr 28. Nearby ZIP codes are in USDA hardiness zones 7b to 8a.
- Apr 11Last spring frost (median)50% chance of 32°F after this date
- Apr 28Safer planting date10% chance of 32°F after this date
- Oct 27First fall frost (median)50% chance of 32°F by this date
- 198 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 | Apr 10 | Apr 25 | May 11 |
| 32°F | Mar 27 | Apr 11 | Apr 28 |
| 28°F | Mar 11 | Mar 28 | Apr 12 |
| 24°F | Feb 22 | Mar 15 | Mar 28 |
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 8 | Oct 19 | Nov 1 |
| 32°F | Oct 14 | Oct 27 | Nov 8 |
| 28°F | Oct 24 | Nov 5 | Nov 19 |
| 24°F | Nov 2 | Nov 16 | Dec 4 |
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 | 157 days | 176 days | 196 days |
| 32°F | 176 days | 198 days | 219 days |
| 28°F | 202 days | 222 days | 245 days |
| 24°F | 227 days | 249 days | 275 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28139 | 8a | 10 to 15°F | 4 km |
| 28160 | 8a | 10 to 15°F | 8 km |
| 28043 | 8a | 10 to 15°F | 11 km |
| 28074 | 8a | 10 to 15°F | 13 km |
| 28722 | 8a | 10 to 15°F | 13 km |
| 28019 | 8a | 10 to 15°F | 18 km |
| 28018 | 7b | 5 to 10°F | 26 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 USC00313152, at 35.3125, -81.9892, elevation 259 m (849 ft).
- Data quality: Representative (10+ years), 14 years of freeze data.
- Average days per year at or below 32°F: 99.
- Frost risk changes over short distances. Valleys and low spots freeze earlier than hillsides and city centers.
Nearby weather stations
- Lake Lure 2 (22 km)
- Tryon (27 km)
- Shelby 2 NW (38 km)
- Old Fort Ag 3 W (41 km)
- Marion (41 km)
- Hendersonville 1 NE (42 km)
- Swannanoa 2 SSE (46 km)
- Black Mountain 2 W (47 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