Frost dates for Charleston City, SC
At Charleston City, the median last spring frost (32°F) is Feb 4 and the median first fall frost is Dec 30, for a typical growing season of 321 days. For a 90% chance that the last frost has passed, wait until Mar 4. Nearby ZIP codes are in USDA hardiness zone 9a.
- Feb 4Last spring frost (median)50% chance of 32°F after this date
- Mar 4Safer planting date10% chance of 32°F after this date
- Dec 30First fall frost (median)50% chance of 32°F by this date
- 321 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 | Jan 29 | Feb 25 | Mar 17 |
| 32°F | Jan 5 | Feb 4 | Mar 4 |
| 28°F | Dec 27 | Jan 24 | Feb 20 |
| 24°F | Dec 30 | Jan 18 | Feb 10 |
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 | Nov 20 | Dec 10 | Jan 7 |
| 32°F | Dec 2 | Dec 30 | Jan 25 |
| 28°F | Dec 15 | Jan 8 | Feb 3 |
| 24°F | Dec 22 | Jan 15 | Feb 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 | 259 days | 290 days | 323 days |
| 32°F | 289 days | 321 days | 357 days |
| 28°F | 314 days | 352 days | 365 days |
| 24°F | 338 days | 365 days | 365 days |
Chance of a freeze in any year
| Temperature | Chance per year |
|---|---|
| 36°F | 100% |
| 32°F | 92% |
| 28°F | 63% |
| 24°F | 25% |
ZIP codes whose closest station is this one
| ZIP | Hardiness zone | Avg. extreme low | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 29401 | 9a | 20 to 25°F | 0 km |
| 29403 | 9a | 20 to 25°F | 3 km |
| 29407 | 9a | 20 to 25°F | 7 km |
| 29412 | 9a | 20 to 25°F | 8 km |
| 29439 | 9a | 20 to 25°F | 15 km |
| 29455 | 9a | 20 to 25°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 USW00013782, at 32.7800, -79.9319, elevation 3 m (10 ft).
- Data quality: Standard (24+ years of data), 30 years of freeze data.
- Average days per year at or below 32°F: 6.
- Frost risk changes over short distances. Valleys and low spots freeze earlier than hillsides and city centers.
Nearby weather stations
- Sullivans Island (7 km)
- Charleston Intl Airport (17 km)
- Summerville 4w (40 km)
- Edisto Island Middleton Plantation (42 km)
- Edisto Beach State Park (46 km)
- Moncks Corner 4 N (52 km)
- McClellanville (54 km)
- Jamestown (60 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 South Carolina stations · How frost dates are calculated