Frost dates for Charleston Intl Airport, SC
At Charleston Intl Airport, the median last spring frost (32°F) is Mar 7 and the median first fall frost is Nov 27, for a typical growing season of 266 days. For a 90% chance that the last frost has passed, wait until Mar 27. Nearby ZIP codes are in USDA hardiness zones 8b to 9a.
- Mar 7Last spring frost (median)50% chance of 32°F after this date
- Mar 27Safer planting date10% chance of 32°F after this date
- Nov 27First fall frost (median)50% chance of 32°F by this date
- 266 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 21 | Apr 6 |
| 32°F | Feb 12 | Mar 7 | Mar 27 |
| 28°F | Jan 21 | Feb 20 | Mar 14 |
| 24°F | Jan 2 | Jan 31 | Mar 3 |
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 1 | Nov 13 | Dec 1 |
| 32°F | Nov 8 | Nov 27 | Dec 21 |
| 28°F | Nov 21 | Dec 15 | Jan 13 |
| 24°F | Dec 4 | Jan 1 | Jan 29 |
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 | 217 days | 239 days | 266 days |
| 32°F | 238 days | 266 days | 298 days |
| 28°F | 267 days | 301 days | 334 days |
| 24°F | 296 days | 332 days | 365 days |
Chance of a freeze in any year
| Temperature | Chance per year |
|---|---|
| 36°F | 100% |
| 32°F | 100% |
| 28°F | 99% |
| 24°F | 87% |
ZIP codes whose closest station is this one
| ZIP | Hardiness zone | Avg. extreme low | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 29404 | 9a | 20 to 25°F | 1 km |
| 29406 | 9a | 20 to 25°F | 4 km |
| 29410 | 9a | 20 to 25°F | 5 km |
| 29418 | 9a | 20 to 25°F | 5 km |
| 29420 | 9a | 20 to 25°F | 7 km |
| 29405 | 9a | 20 to 25°F | 8 km |
| 29414 | 9a | 20 to 25°F | 9 km |
| 29456 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 12 km |
| 29445 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 13 km |
| 29492 | 9a | 20 to 25°F | 15 km |
| 29470 | 9a | 20 to 25°F | 18 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 USW00013880, at 32.8986, -80.0403, elevation 12 m (40 ft).
- Data quality: Standard (24+ years of data), 30 years of freeze data.
- Average days per year at or below 32°F: 22.
- Frost risk changes over short distances. Valleys and low spots freeze earlier than hillsides and city centers.
Nearby weather stations
- Charleston City (17 km)
- Sullivans Island (23 km)
- Summerville 4w (24 km)
- Moncks Corner 4 N (39 km)
- Edisto Island Middleton Plantation (42 km)
- Edisto Beach State Park (50 km)
- Jamestown (54 km)
- McClellanville (57 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 South Carolina stations · How frost dates are calculated