Frost dates for Norfolk Intl Airport, VA
At Norfolk Intl Airport, the median last spring frost (32°F) is Mar 17 and the median first fall frost is Nov 23, for a typical growing season of 252 days. For a 90% chance that the last frost has passed, wait until Mar 31. Nearby ZIP codes are in USDA hardiness zone 8b.
- Mar 17Last spring frost (median)50% chance of 32°F after this date
- Mar 31Safer planting date10% chance of 32°F after this date
- Nov 23First fall frost (median)50% chance of 32°F by this date
- 252 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 14 | Mar 30 | Apr 12 |
| 32°F | Feb 27 | Mar 17 | Mar 31 |
| 28°F | Feb 10 | Mar 4 | Mar 20 |
| 24°F | Jan 20 | Feb 17 | Mar 7 |
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 31 | Nov 11 | Nov 26 |
| 32°F | Nov 8 | Nov 23 | Dec 10 |
| 28°F | Nov 19 | Dec 8 | Jan 2 |
| 24°F | Dec 3 | Dec 29 | Jan 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 | 207 days | 227 days | 248 days |
| 32°F | 231 days | 252 days | 275 days |
| 28°F | 254 days | 281 days | 309 days |
| 24°F | 282 days | 311 days | 341 days |
Chance of a freeze in any year
| Temperature | Chance per year |
|---|---|
| 36°F | 100% |
| 32°F | 100% |
| 28°F | 100% |
| 24°F | 97% |
ZIP codes whose closest station is this one
| ZIP | Hardiness zone | Avg. extreme low | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23459 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 2 km |
| 23518 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 3 km |
| 23455 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 5 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 USW00013737, at 36.9033, -76.1922, elevation 9 m (30 ft).
- Data quality: Standard (24+ years of data), 30 years of freeze data.
- Average days per year at or below 32°F: 41.
- Frost risk changes over short distances. Valleys and low spots freeze earlier than hillsides and city centers.
Nearby weather stations
- Norfolk S (5 km)
- Norfolk NAS (10 km)
- Oceana NAS (17 km)
- Fentress Naas (24 km)
- Langley AFB (24 km)
- Newport News Intl Airport (37 km)
- Wallaceton-Lake Drummond (41 km)
- Suffolk Lake Kilby (41 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.