Revised 12/96 -- Author Reviewed 12/98 HIL-708
Frost forms on solid objects when the water vapor in the atmosphere changes from its vapor phase to small ice crystals. Frost is not frozen dew. If you see frost than you know that the temperature of the object it is on reached 32 0F or lower. However, the air temperature, measured at five feet above ground in the vicinity of this object, is likely several degrees higher. Conversely, not every air temperature recorded at or below 32 0F means frost formed on solid objects in the area. In spite of this, the average date of the last spring air temperature of 32 0F has traditionally been called the last frost date. The dates presented in this leaflet are the average date of the last recorded air temperature at 32 0F or lower for the period 1951 - 1980. The standard deviation is an important statistic to consider along with the average date. The standard deviation tells the amount of dispersion around the average. The average date minus one standard deviation gives the date before which there is only a 16% chance of frost. A frost will occur before this date about twice in every 10 year period. For example, in Albemarle a frost will occur before October 13 (the average date of Ocotber 25 minus one standard deviation of 12 days) about twice in every 10 year period. The average date minus two standard deviations gives the date before which there is only a 2% chance of frost. A frost will occur before this date about twice in every 100 year period. For example, in Albemarle a frost will occur before October 1 (the average date of October 25 minus two standard deviations of 12 days) about twice in every 100 year period.
For information on how to protect plants from frost and freeze damage see Horticulture Information Leaflet No. 705 A, Frost/Freeze Protection for Horticultural Crops and consult the references listed below.
Below the first fall frost data are listed by Station Name (Table 1) and by County (Table 2).
There are several published references for North Carolina climate data. These references are available from the North Carolina State University Department of Communication Services, Publications, Box 7603, Raleigh, NC 27695-7603; (919) 515-2861.
Station County Average Standard Albemarle 4 N Stanly October 25 12 Andrews 2 E Cherokee October 10 10 Asheboro 2 W Randolph October 31 12 Asheville Buncombe October 23 11 Banner Elk Avery October 2 11 Bent Creek Buncombe October 9 11 Black Mountain Buncombe October 17 10 Blowing Rock Watauga October 11 9 Brevard Transylvania October 8 9 Burlington Alamance November 1 11 Canton 1 SW Haywood October 10 9 Celo 2 S Yancey September 27 18 Chapel Hill 2 W Orange October 23 10 Charlotte WSO AP Mecklenburg November 5 13 Clinton Sampson October 29 11 Concord Cabarrus November 2 12 Coweeta Exp Station Macon October 7 8 Cullowhee Jackson October 11 9 Durham Durham October 24 10 Edenton Chowan November 11 12 Elizabeth City FAA AP Pasquotank November 7 12 Enka Buncombe October 20 10 Fayetteville Cumberland October 31 9 Franklin 1 SSW Macon October 12 8 Gastonia Gaston November 1 14 Goldsboro 1 SSW Wayne October 30 9 Greensboro Pump Station Guilford October 28 10 Greensboro WSO AP Guilford October 27 10 Greenville Pitt October 30 10 Hamlet Richmond October 24 8 Hatteras Dare December 11 15 Henderson 2 NNW Vance October 23 9 Hendersonville 1 NE Henderson October 12 9 Hickory Burke October 30 11 Highlands 2 S Macon October 22 12 High Point Guilford October 30 12 Hot Springs 2 Madison October 21 10 Jackson Northampton October 26 8 Kinston 5 E Lenoir October 29 13 Laurinburg Scotland November 1 11 Lenoir Caldwell October 21 11 Lexington Davidson October 31 12 Lumberton 6 NW Robeson October 28 12 Marion McDowell October 31 13 Marshall Madison October 15 10 Maysville 6 W Jones October 24 13 Monroe 4 SE Union October 25 10 Morehead City 2 WNW Carteret November 19 13 Morganton Burke October 18 9 Mount Airy Surry October 15 9 Nashville Nash October 30 11 New Bern FAA AP Craven November 9 13 New Holland Hyde November 11 11 Oxford 2 SW Granville October 28 12 Pisgah Forest 1 N Transvylvania October 10 7 Plymouth 5 E Washington October 25 11 Raleigh-Durham WSO AP Wake October 27 9 Raleigh 4 SW Wake November 1 14 Raleigh NCSU Wake Noember 5 13 Reidsville 2 NW Rockingham October 27 11 Rocky Mount 8 ESE Edgecombe October 25 10 Rowan Research Station Rowan October 20 8 Salisbury Rowan October 26 10 Sanford 8 NE Lee October 22 10 Shelby 2 NNE Cleveland October 25 9 Siler City 2 NW Chatham October 15 10 Smithfield Johnston October 25 10 Southport 5 N Brunswick November 12 14 Statesville 2 NNE Iredell October 19 12 Tarboro 1 S Edgecombe October 28 11 Transou Ashe October 1 10 Tryon Polk October 29 11 Wadesboro Anson November 4 12 Waterville 2 Haywood October 26 12 Waynesville 1 E Haywood October 8 10 Whiteville 7 NW Columbus October 31 11 Willard 4 SW Pender November 1 12 Williamston 1 ENE Martin November 3 12 Wilmington 7 N New Hanover November 3 12 Wilmington WSO AP New Hanover November 14 13 Wilson 3 SW Wilson October 29 10 . . . .
Name
Date
Deviation
(days)
County Station Average Standard Alamance Burlington November 1 11 Anson Wadesboro November 4 12 Ashe Transou October 1 10 Avery Banner Elk October 2 11 Brunswick Southport 5 N November 12 14 Buncombe Asheville October 23 11 . Black Mountain October 17 10 . Bent Creek October 9 11 . Enka October 20 10 Burke Morganton October 18 9 . Hickory October 30 11 Cabarrus Concord November 2 12 Caldwell Lenoir October 21 11 Carteret Morehead City 2 WNW November 19 13 Chatham Siler City 2 NW October 15 10 Cherokee Andrews 2 E October 10 10 Chowan Edenton November 11 12 Cleveland Shelby 2 NNE October 25 9 Columbus Whiteville 7 NW October 31 11 Craven New Bern FAA AP November 9 13 Cumberland Fayetteville October 31 9 Dare Hatteras December 11 15 Davidson Lexington October 31 12 Durham Durham October 24 10 Edgecombe Rocky Mount 8 ESE October 25 10 . Tarboro 1 S October 28 11 Gaston Gastonia November 1 14 Granville Oxford 2 SW October 28 12 Guilford High Point October 30 12 . Greensboro Pump Station October 28 10 . Greensboro WSO AP October 27 10 Haywood Canton 1 SW October 10 9 . Waynesville 1 E October 8 10 . Waterville 2 October 26 12 Henderson Hendersonville 1 NE October 12 9 Hyde New Holland November 11 11 Iredell Statesville 2 NNE October 19 12 Jackson Cullowhee October 11 9 Johnston Smithfield October 25 10 Jones Maysville 6 W October 24 13 Lee Sanford 8 NE October 22 10 Lenoir Kinston 5 E October 29 13 Macon Coweeta Exp Station October 7 8 . Highlands 2 S October 22 12 . Franklin 1 SSW October 12 8 Madison Marshall October 15 10 . Hot Springs 2 October 21 10 Martin Williamston 1 ENE November 3 12 McDowell Marion October 31 13 Mecklenburg Charlotte WSO AP November 5 13 Nash Nashville October 30 11 New Hanover Wilmington WSO AP November 14 13 . Wilmington 7 N November 3 12 Northampton Jackson October 26 8 Orange Chapel Hill 2 W October 23 10 Pasquotank Elizabeth City FAA AP November 7 12 Pender Willard 4 SW November 1 12 Pitt Greenville October 30 10 Polk Tryon October 29 11 Randolph Asheboro 2 W October 31 12 Richmond Hamlet October 24 8 Robeson Lumberton 6 NW October 28 12 Rockingham Reidsville 2 NW October 27 11 Rowan Salisbury October 26 10 . Rowan Research Station October 20 8 Sampson Clinton October 29 11 Scotland Laurinburg November 1 11 Stanly Albemarle 4 N October 25 12 Surry Mount Airy October 15 9 Transvylvania Pisgah Forest 1 N October 10 7 . Brevard October 8 9 Union Monroe 4 SE October 25 10 Vance Henderson 2 NNW October 23 9 Wake Raleigh NCSU Noember 5 13 . Raleigh 4 SW November 1 14 . Raleigh-Durham WSO AP October 27 9 Washington Plymouth 5 E October 25 11 Watauga Blowing Rock October 11 9 Wayne Goldsboro 1 SSW October 30 9 Wilson Wilson 3 SW October 29 10 Yancey Celo 2 S September 27 18 . . . .
Name
Date
Deviation
(days)
North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service
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