Frost dates for Norfolk S, VA
At Norfolk S, the median last spring frost (32°F) is Mar 23 and the median first fall frost is Nov 16, for a typical growing season of 239 days. For a 90% chance that the last frost has passed, wait until Apr 6. Nearby ZIP codes are in USDA hardiness zones 8a to 8b.
- Mar 23Last spring frost (median)50% chance of 32°F after this date
- Apr 6Safer planting date10% chance of 32°F after this date
- Nov 16First fall frost (median)50% chance of 32°F by this date
- 239 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 5 | Apr 18 |
| 32°F | Mar 7 | Mar 23 | Apr 6 |
| 28°F | Feb 19 | Mar 10 | Mar 26 |
| 24°F | Jan 30 | Feb 24 | Mar 13 |
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 27 | Nov 6 | Nov 19 |
| 32°F | Nov 4 | Nov 16 | Dec 1 |
| 28°F | Nov 14 | Dec 1 | Dec 25 |
| 24°F | Dec 1 | Dec 22 | Jan 13 |
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 | 200 days | 217 days | 236 days |
| 32°F | 220 days | 239 days | 262 days |
| 28°F | 243 days | 269 days | 295 days |
| 24°F | 274 days | 300 days | 327 days |
Chance of a freeze in any year
| Temperature | Chance per year |
|---|---|
| 36°F | 100% |
| 32°F | 100% |
| 28°F | 100% |
| 24°F | 99% |
ZIP codes whose closest station is this one
| ZIP | Hardiness zone | Avg. extreme low | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23513 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 2 km |
| 23502 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 2 km |
| 23509 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 3 km |
| 23504 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 4 km |
| 23517 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 6 km |
| 23523 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 6 km |
| 23510 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 6 km |
| 23325 | 8a | 10 to 15°F | 6 km |
| 23507 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 7 km |
| 23708 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 7 km |
| 23508 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 7 km |
| 23462 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 8 km |
| 23709 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 9 km |
| 23324 | 8a | 10 to 15°F | 9 km |
| 23704 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 9 km |
| 23464 | 8a | 10 to 15°F | 9 km |
| 23707 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 10 km |
| 23702 | 8a | 10 to 15°F | 11 km |
| 23701 | 8a | 10 to 15°F | 14 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 USC00446147, at 36.8708, -76.2289, elevation 3 m (10 ft).
- Data quality: Representative (10+ years), 16 years of freeze data.
- Average days per year at or below 32°F: 50.
- Frost risk changes over short distances. Valleys and low spots freeze earlier than hillsides and city centers.
Nearby weather stations
- Norfolk Intl Airport (5 km)
- Norfolk NAS (10 km)
- Oceana NAS (18 km)
- Fentress Naas (21 km)
- Langley AFB (26 km)
- Wallaceton-Lake Drummond (36 km)
- Suffolk Lake Kilby (37 km)
- Newport News Intl Airport (37 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.