Frost dates for Chatham Water Plant, NC
At Chatham Water Plant, the median last spring frost (32°F) is Apr 1 and the median first fall frost is Nov 7, for a typical growing season of 221 days. For a 90% chance that the last frost has passed, wait until Apr 23. Nearby ZIP codes are in USDA hardiness zone 8a.
- Apr 1Last spring frost (median)50% chance of 32°F after this date
- Apr 23Safer planting date10% chance of 32°F after this date
- Nov 7First fall frost (median)50% chance of 32°F by this date
- 221 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 27 | Apr 12 | May 1 |
| 32°F | Mar 14 | Apr 1 | Apr 23 |
| 28°F | Mar 2 | Mar 21 | Apr 10 |
| 24°F | Feb 18 | Mar 9 | Mar 31 |
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 20 | Oct 30 | Nov 10 |
| 32°F | Oct 29 | Nov 7 | Nov 21 |
| 28°F | Nov 5 | Nov 18 | Dec 5 |
| 24°F | Nov 12 | Dec 1 | Dec 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 | 180 days | 201 days | 222 days |
| 32°F | 197 days | 221 days | 244 days |
| 28°F | 219 days | 242 days | 270 days |
| 24°F | 240 days | 269 days | 300 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 27523 | 8a | 10 to 15°F | 6 km |
| 27312 | 8a | 10 to 15°F | 18 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 USC00311700, at 35.7336, -79.0033, elevation 94 m (308 ft).
- Data quality: Estimated from nearby stations (2+ years), 11 years of freeze data.
- Average days per year at or below 32°F: 74.
- Frost risk changes over short distances. Valleys and low spots freeze earlier than hillsides and city centers.
Nearby weather stations
- New Hill (10 km)
- Apex (15 km)
- Cary (20 km)
- Chapel Hill 2 W (21 km)
- Sanford 8 NE (22 km)
- Chapel Hill Williams Airport (23 km)
- Raleigh Durham Intl Airport (27 km)
- Durham 11 W (28 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