Frost dates for Columbia, SC
At Columbia, the median last spring frost (32°F) is Mar 25 and the median first fall frost is Nov 7, for a typical growing season of 229 days. For a 90% chance that the last frost has passed, wait until Apr 10. Nearby ZIP codes are in USDA hardiness zone 8b.
- Mar 25Last spring frost (median)50% chance of 32°F after this date
- Apr 10Safer planting date10% chance of 32°F after this date
- Nov 7First fall frost (median)50% chance of 32°F by this date
- 229 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 20 | Apr 5 | Apr 19 |
| 32°F | Mar 4 | Mar 25 | Apr 10 |
| 28°F | Feb 14 | Mar 10 | Mar 28 |
| 24°F | Jan 23 | Feb 19 | Mar 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 | Oct 17 | Oct 29 | Nov 11 |
| 32°F | Oct 26 | Nov 7 | Nov 24 |
| 28°F | Nov 4 | Nov 22 | Dec 14 |
| 24°F | Nov 18 | Dec 7 | Jan 7 |
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 | 187 days | 207 days | 230 days |
| 32°F | 207 days | 229 days | 256 days |
| 28°F | 231 days | 259 days | 288 days |
| 24°F | 260 days | 292 days | 327 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 29170 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 3 km |
| 29169 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 6 km |
| 29172 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 6 km |
| 29073 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 13 km |
| 29053 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 14 km |
| 29072 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 15 km |
| 29212 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 16 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 USW00013883, at 33.9486, -81.1186, elevation 70 m (231 ft).
- Data quality: Standard (24+ years of data), 30 years of freeze data.
- Average days per year at or below 32°F: 46.
- Frost risk changes over short distances. Valleys and low spots freeze earlier than hillsides and city centers.
Nearby weather stations
- Columbia Univ Of Sc (10 km)
- Columbia Owens Dwtn Airport (12 km)
- Pelion 0.8 NW (24 km)
- Cedar Creek 2e (30 km)
- Sandhill Rsch - Elgin (31 km)
- N 5ne (33 km)
- Little Mountain (39 km)
- Batesburg (39 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