Frost dates for Big Stone Gap, VA
At Big Stone Gap, the median last spring frost (32°F) is Apr 20 and the median first fall frost is Oct 23, for a typical growing season of 186 days. For a 90% chance that the last frost has passed, wait until May 5. Nearby ZIP codes are in USDA hardiness zones 6b to 7a.
- Apr 20Last spring frost (median)50% chance of 32°F after this date
- May 5Safer planting date10% chance of 32°F after this date
- Oct 23First fall frost (median)50% chance of 32°F by this date
- 186 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 17 | May 1 | May 17 |
| 32°F | Apr 4 | Apr 20 | May 5 |
| 28°F | Mar 20 | Apr 4 | Apr 20 |
| 24°F | Mar 4 | Mar 24 | Apr 6 |
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 3 | Oct 15 | Oct 28 |
| 32°F | Oct 11 | Oct 23 | Nov 4 |
| 28°F | Oct 18 | Nov 1 | Nov 16 |
| 24°F | Oct 29 | Nov 12 | Nov 30 |
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 | 147 days | 166 days | 183 days |
| 32°F | 166 days | 186 days | 206 days |
| 28°F | 188 days | 210 days | 231 days |
| 24°F | 212 days | 234 days | 260 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24246 | 7a | 0 to 5°F | 5 km |
| 24219 | 7a | 0 to 5°F | 5 km |
| 24216 | 7a | 0 to 5°F | 10 km |
| 40855 | 6b | -5 to 0°F | 11 km |
| 40843 | 6b | -5 to 0°F | 12 km |
| 24244 | 7a | 0 to 5°F | 17 km |
| 24250 | 7a | 0 to 5°F | 22 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 USC00440735, at 36.8567, -82.7997, elevation 447 m (1,466 ft).
- Data quality: Standard (24+ years of data), 28 years of freeze data.
- Average days per year at or below 32°F: 108.
- Frost risk changes over short distances. Valleys and low spots freeze earlier than hillsides and city centers.
Nearby weather stations
- Pennington Gap (22 km)
- Wise 1se (25 km)
- Clintwood 1w (42 km)
- Nora 4 SSE (46 km)
- Breaks Interstate Park (66 km)
- Lebanon (68 km)
- Abingdon 3s (77 km)
- Grundy (79 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.