Frost dates for Pennington Gap, VA
At Pennington Gap, the median last spring frost (32°F) is Apr 22 and the median first fall frost is Oct 20, for a typical growing season of 179 days. For a 90% chance that the last frost has passed, wait until May 10. Nearby ZIP codes are in USDA hardiness zone 7a.
- Apr 22Last spring frost (median)50% chance of 32°F after this date
- May 10Safer planting date10% chance of 32°F after this date
- Oct 20First fall frost (median)50% chance of 32°F by this date
- 179 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 20 | May 3 | May 20 |
| 32°F | Apr 9 | Apr 22 | May 10 |
| 28°F | Mar 25 | Apr 10 | Apr 26 |
| 24°F | Mar 10 | Mar 28 | Apr 12 |
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 1 | Oct 11 | Oct 23 |
| 32°F | Oct 8 | Oct 20 | Nov 1 |
| 28°F | Oct 15 | Oct 29 | Nov 11 |
| 24°F | Oct 25 | Nov 8 | Nov 25 |
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 | 140 days | 159 days | 177 days |
| 32°F | 158 days | 179 days | 197 days |
| 28°F | 180 days | 201 days | 223 days |
| 24°F | 205 days | 226 days | 251 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24277 | 7a | 0 to 5°F | 1 km |
| 24282 | 7a | 0 to 5°F | 8 km |
| 24243 | 7a | 0 to 5°F | 9 km |
| 24265 | 7a | 0 to 5°F | 10 km |
| 40820 | 7a | 0 to 5°F | 14 km |
| 24221 | 7a | 0 to 5°F | 15 km |
| 40927 | 7a | 0 to 5°F | 16 km |
| 24263 | 7a | 0 to 5°F | 17 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 USC00446626, at 36.7586, -83.0106, elevation 414 m (1,360 ft).
- Data quality: Representative (10+ years), 12 years of freeze data.
- Average days per year at or below 32°F: 120.
- Frost risk changes over short distances. Valleys and low spots freeze earlier than hillsides and city centers.
Nearby weather stations
- Big Stone Gap (22 km)
- Wise 1se (47 km)
- Clintwood 1w (63 km)
- Nora 4 SSE (68 km)
- Breaks Interstate Park (87 km)
- Lebanon (88 km)
- Abingdon 3s (94 km)
- Grundy (100 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.