Frost dates for Hickory FAA Airport, NC
At Hickory FAA Airport, the median last spring frost (32°F) is Mar 31 and the median first fall frost is Nov 4, for a typical growing season of 219 days. For a 90% chance that the last frost has passed, wait until Apr 16. Nearby ZIP codes are in USDA hardiness zone 8a.
- Mar 31Last spring frost (median)50% chance of 32°F after this date
- Apr 16Safer planting date10% chance of 32°F after this date
- Nov 4First fall frost (median)50% chance of 32°F by this date
- 219 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 29 | Apr 13 | Apr 29 |
| 32°F | Mar 13 | Mar 31 | Apr 16 |
| 28°F | Feb 26 | Mar 18 | Apr 3 |
| 24°F | Feb 9 | Mar 5 | Mar 24 |
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 13 | Oct 26 | Nov 6 |
| 32°F | Oct 22 | Nov 4 | Nov 18 |
| 28°F | Nov 1 | Nov 15 | Dec 5 |
| 24°F | Nov 12 | Dec 1 | Dec 24 |
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 | 175 days | 196 days | 215 days |
| 32°F | 198 days | 219 days | 241 days |
| 28°F | 221 days | 242 days | 269 days |
| 24°F | 242 days | 271 days | 304 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28637 | 8a | 10 to 15°F | 4 km |
| 28667 | 8a | 10 to 15°F | 5 km |
| 28601 | 8a | 10 to 15°F | 6 km |
| 28602 | 8a | 10 to 15°F | 8 km |
| 28666 | 8a | 10 to 15°F | 8 km |
| 28630 | 8a | 10 to 15°F | 11 km |
| 28671 | 8a | 10 to 15°F | 13 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 USW00003810, at 35.7425, -81.3819, elevation 348 m (1,143 ft).
- Data quality: Standard (24+ years of data), 29 years of freeze data.
- Average days per year at or below 32°F: 69.
- Frost risk changes over short distances. Valleys and low spots freeze earlier than hillsides and city centers.
Nearby weather stations
- Lenoir (24 km)
- Catawba 5 SW (25 km)
- Vale Ag 2 SW (25 km)
- Morganton (26 km)
- Taylorsville (28 km)
- Lincolnton 4 W (32 km)
- W Kerr Scott Resv (45 km)
- Statesville 2 NNE (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