Frost dates for Mount Mitchell, NC
At Mount Mitchell, the median last spring frost (32°F) is May 16 and the median first fall frost is Oct 4, for a typical growing season of 140 days. For a 90% chance that the last frost has passed, wait until May 31. Nearby ZIP codes are in USDA hardiness zone 7a.
- May 16Last spring frost (median)50% chance of 32°F after this date
- May 31Safer planting date10% chance of 32°F after this date
- Oct 4First fall frost (median)50% chance of 32°F by this date
- 140 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 | May 12 | May 26 | Jun 10 |
| 32°F | May 3 | May 16 | May 31 |
| 28°F | Apr 24 | May 7 | May 23 |
| 24°F | Apr 15 | Apr 30 | May 15 |
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 | Sep 12 | Sep 27 | Oct 9 |
| 32°F | Sep 20 | Oct 4 | Oct 18 |
| 28°F | Sep 29 | Oct 12 | Oct 25 |
| 24°F | Oct 7 | Oct 20 | Nov 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 | 102 days | 123 days | 142 days |
| 32°F | 120 days | 140 days | 158 days |
| 28°F | 137 days | 157 days | 176 days |
| 24°F | 154 days | 173 days | 192 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28709 | 7a | 0 to 5°F | 10 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 USC00315923, at 35.7586, -82.2711, elevation 1902 m (6,240 ft).
- Data quality: Standard (24+ years of data), 26 years of freeze data.
- Average days per year at or below 32°F: 136.
- Frost risk changes over short distances. Valleys and low spots freeze earlier than hillsides and city centers.
Nearby weather stations
- Celo 2 S (11 km)
- N Fk 2 (13 km)
- Old Fort Ag 3 W (17 km)
- Burnsville Ag (19 km)
- Black Mountain 2 W (19 km)
- Swannanoa 2 SSE (23 km)
- Marion (25 km)
- Spruce Pine 2 NE (31 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