Frost dates for Charlottesville Airport, VA
At Charlottesville Airport, the median last spring frost (32°F) is Apr 3 and the median first fall frost is Nov 1, for a typical growing season of 211 days. For a 90% chance that the last frost has passed, wait until Apr 23. Nearby ZIP codes are in USDA hardiness zone 7b.
- Apr 3Last spring frost (median)50% chance of 32°F after this date
- Apr 23Safer planting date10% chance of 32°F after this date
- Nov 1First fall frost (median)50% chance of 32°F by this date
- 211 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 2 | Apr 19 | May 9 |
| 32°F | Mar 19 | Apr 3 | Apr 23 |
| 28°F | Mar 3 | Mar 21 | Apr 5 |
| 24°F | Feb 16 | Mar 9 | Mar 24 |
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 10 | Oct 23 | Nov 4 |
| 32°F | Oct 19 | Nov 1 | Nov 16 |
| 28°F | Oct 29 | Nov 13 | Dec 2 |
| 24°F | Nov 10 | Nov 30 | Dec 21 |
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 | 163 days | 185 days | 206 days |
| 32°F | 189 days | 211 days | 233 days |
| 28°F | 215 days | 238 days | 263 days |
| 24°F | 240 days | 267 days | 295 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22936 | 7b | 5 to 10°F | 5 km |
| 22911 | 7b | 5 to 10°F | 6 km |
| 22935 | 7b | 5 to 10°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 USW00093736, at 38.1386, -78.4530, elevation 195 m (641 ft).
- Data quality: Representative (10+ years), 22 years of freeze data.
- Average days per year at or below 32°F: 88.
- Frost risk changes over short distances. Valleys and low spots freeze earlier than hillsides and city centers.
Nearby weather stations
- Free Union (13 km)
- Charlottesville 2w (13 km)
- Monticello (14 km)
- Charlottesville 2 SSE (16 km)
- Somerset (20 km)
- Piedmont Rsch Station (31 km)
- Waynesboro Water Plant (37 km)
- Palmyra 3s (40 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.