Frost dates for Beech Mountain, NC
At Beech Mountain, the median last spring frost (32°F) is May 6 and the median first fall frost is Oct 14, for a typical growing season of 159 days. For a 90% chance that the last frost has passed, wait until May 23. Nearby ZIP codes are in USDA hardiness zone 6b.
- May 6Last spring frost (median)50% chance of 32°F after this date
- May 23Safer planting date10% chance of 32°F after this date
- Oct 14First fall frost (median)50% chance of 32°F by this date
- 159 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 30 | May 14 | May 30 |
| 32°F | Apr 22 | May 6 | May 23 |
| 28°F | Apr 11 | Apr 29 | May 14 |
| 24°F | Mar 31 | Apr 17 | May 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 | Sep 19 | Oct 3 | Oct 17 |
| 32°F | Sep 29 | Oct 14 | Oct 25 |
| 28°F | Oct 10 | Oct 22 | Nov 2 |
| 24°F | Oct 18 | Oct 30 | Nov 14 |
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 | 122 days | 142 days | 162 days |
| 32°F | 138 days | 159 days | 179 days |
| 28°F | 155 days | 177 days | 196 days |
| 24°F | 173 days | 196 days | 218 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28604 | 6b | -5 to 0°F | 2 km |
| 28622 | 6b | -5 to 0°F | 7 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 USC00310645, at 36.1875, -81.8742, elevation 1540 m (5,053 ft).
- Data quality: Standard (24+ years of data), 27 years of freeze data.
- Average days per year at or below 32°F: 125.
- Frost risk changes over short distances. Valleys and low spots freeze earlier than hillsides and city centers.
Nearby weather stations
- Banner Elk (3 km)
- Flat Springs 1e (8 km)
- Grandfather Mountain (11 km)
- Blowing Rock 1nw (16 km)
- Boone 1 SE (21 km)
- Spruce Pine 2 NE (31 km)
- Lenoir (43 km)
- Burnsville Ag (46 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.
All North Carolina stations · How frost dates are calculated