Frost dates for Ocracoke, NC
At Ocracoke, the median last spring frost (32°F) is Mar 1 and the median first fall frost is Dec 20, for a typical growing season of 293 days. For a 90% chance that the last frost has passed, wait until Mar 21. Nearby ZIP codes are in USDA hardiness zone 9a.
- Mar 1Last spring frost (median)50% chance of 32°F after this date
- Mar 21Safer planting date10% chance of 32°F after this date
- Dec 20First fall frost (median)50% chance of 32°F by this date
- 293 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 26 | Mar 16 | Apr 2 |
| 32°F | Feb 6 | Mar 1 | Mar 21 |
| 28°F | Jan 15 | Feb 8 | Mar 5 |
| 24°F | Jan 6 | Jan 28 | Feb 20 |
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 14 | Dec 2 | Dec 26 |
| 32°F | Nov 29 | Dec 20 | Jan 14 |
| 28°F | Dec 11 | Jan 5 | Jan 30 |
| 24°F | Dec 22 | Jan 15 | Feb 5 |
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 | 238 days | 262 days | 290 days |
| 32°F | 265 days | 293 days | 320 days |
| 28°F | 296 days | 322 days | 353 days |
| 24°F | 317 days | 348 days | 365 days |
Chance of a freeze in any year
| Temperature | Chance per year |
|---|---|
| 36°F | 100% |
| 32°F | 100% |
| 28°F | 94% |
| 24°F | 67% |
ZIP codes whose closest station is this one
| ZIP | Hardiness zone | Avg. extreme low | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 27960 | 9a | 20 to 25°F | 4 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 USC00316349, at 35.1075, -75.9872, elevation 1 m (4 ft).
- Data quality: Representative (10+ years), 18 years of freeze data.
- Average days per year at or below 32°F: 18.
- Frost risk changes over short distances. Valleys and low spots freeze earlier than hillsides and city centers.
Nearby weather stations
- Cedar Island (32 km)
- Cape Hatteras Airport (36 km)
- Frisco 2nne (38 km)
- Swanquarter Ferry (44 km)
- Fairfield (56 km)
- Columbia Ag Gum Neck (68 km)
- Beaufort Michael J Smith Field (74 km)
- Belhaven 3 NE (75 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