Frost dates for Elizabethtown, NC
At Elizabethtown, the median last spring frost (32°F) is Mar 29 and the median first fall frost is Nov 8, for a typical growing season of 226 days. For a 90% chance that the last frost has passed, wait until Apr 13. Nearby ZIP codes are in USDA hardiness zone 8b.
- Mar 29Last spring frost (median)50% chance of 32°F after this date
- Apr 13Safer planting date10% chance of 32°F after this date
- Nov 8First fall frost (median)50% chance of 32°F by this date
- 226 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 24 | Apr 7 | Apr 21 |
| 32°F | Mar 8 | Mar 29 | Apr 13 |
| 28°F | Feb 24 | Mar 14 | Apr 2 |
| 24°F | Feb 6 | Feb 28 | 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 20 | Oct 31 | Nov 13 |
| 32°F | Oct 29 | Nov 8 | Nov 27 |
| 28°F | Nov 5 | Nov 19 | Dec 9 |
| 24°F | Nov 14 | Dec 3 | Jan 2 |
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 | 208 days | 226 days |
| 32°F | 206 days | 226 days | 250 days |
| 28°F | 226 days | 250 days | 279 days |
| 24°F | 249 days | 278 days | 311 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28337 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 5 km |
| 28332 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 9 km |
| 28433 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 15 km |
| 28399 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 19 km |
| 28392 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 21 km |
| 28434 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 21 km |
| 28441 | 8b | 15 to 20°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 USC00312732, at 34.6272, -78.6114, elevation 37 m (120 ft).
- Data quality: Representative (10+ years), 17 years of freeze data.
- Average days per year at or below 32°F: 62.
- Frost risk changes over short distances. Valleys and low spots freeze earlier than hillsides and city centers.
Nearby weather stations
- Whiteville 7 NW (29 km)
- Lumberton (38 km)
- Lumberton Muni Airport (41 km)
- Lumber River State Park (44 km)
- Fayetteville Regional Airport (47 km)
- Moores Creek Nb (50 km)
- Willard 4 SW (52 km)
- Fayetteville (pwc) (53 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