Frost dates for Elizabeth City, NC
At Elizabeth City, the median last spring frost (32°F) is Mar 27 and the median first fall frost is Nov 17, for a typical growing season of 238 days. For a 90% chance that the last frost has passed, wait until Apr 18. Nearby ZIP codes are in USDA hardiness zones 8a to 8b.
- Mar 27Last spring frost (median)50% chance of 32°F after this date
- Apr 18Safer planting date10% chance of 32°F after this date
- Nov 17First fall frost (median)50% chance of 32°F by this date
- 238 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 22 | Apr 7 | May 2 |
| 32°F | Mar 7 | Mar 27 | Apr 18 |
| 28°F | Feb 20 | Mar 12 | Apr 4 |
| 24°F | Jan 28 | Feb 25 | Mar 21 |
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 25 | Nov 6 | Nov 21 |
| 32°F | Nov 3 | Nov 17 | Dec 5 |
| 28°F | Nov 14 | Dec 2 | Dec 30 |
| 24°F | Nov 28 | Dec 23 | Jan 18 |
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 | 189 days | 213 days | 234 days |
| 32°F | 211 days | 238 days | 263 days |
| 28°F | 236 days | 266 days | 298 days |
| 24°F | 265 days | 299 days | 331 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 27921 | 8a | 10 to 15°F | 6 km |
| 27909 | 8a | 10 to 15°F | 6 km |
| 27973 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 15 km |
| 27956 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 21 km |
| 27958 | 8a | 10 to 15°F | 21 km |
| 27929 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 22 km |
| 27919 | 8a | 10 to 15°F | 27 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 USC00312719, at 36.3097, -76.2050, elevation 2 m (8 ft).
- Data quality: Representative (10+ years), 26 years of freeze data.
- Average days per year at or below 32°F: 58.
- Frost risk changes over short distances. Valleys and low spots freeze earlier than hillsides and city centers.
Nearby weather stations
- Elizabeth City Cgas (6 km)
- Edenton (45 km)
- Manteo Airport (63 km)
- Plymouth 5 E (63 km)
- Columbia Ag Gum Neck (67 km)
- Murfreesboro (80 km)
- Fairfield (87 km)
- Belhaven 3 NE (89 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