Virginia frost dates
The typical last spring frost ranges from Mar 16 in Hampton to Apr 3 in Richmond.
10 of the 10 Virginia cities listed have typical frost dates. The longest frost-free season is 255 days in Hampton; the shortest is 215 days in Richmond. For a single address, look up your ZIP code: rural ZIPs use their nearest suitable station.
| City | Last spring frost | 1 in 10 after | First fall frost | 1 in 10 before | Hard freeze (28°F) | Season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexandria | Mar 24 | Apr 6 | Nov 18 | Nov 5 | Mar 12 / Dec 3 | 241 days |
| Arlington | Mar 24 | Apr 6 | Nov 18 | Nov 5 | Mar 12 / Dec 3 | 241 days |
| Chesapeake | Mar 17 | Mar 31 | Nov 23 | Nov 8 | Mar 4 / Dec 8 | 252 days |
| Hampton | Mar 16 | Apr 1 | Nov 26 | Nov 8 | Mar 2 / Dec 12 | 255 days |
| Newport News | Mar 16 | Apr 1 | Nov 26 | Nov 8 | Mar 2 / Dec 12 | 255 days |
| Norfolk | Mar 17 | Mar 31 | Nov 23 | Nov 8 | Mar 4 / Dec 8 | 252 days |
| Richmond | Apr 3 | Apr 18 | Nov 4 | Oct 23 | Mar 22 / Nov 15 | 215 days |
| Suffolk | Mar 27 | Apr 9 | Nov 15 | Nov 2 | Mar 15 / Dec 1 | 233 days |
| Virginia Beach | Mar 29 | Apr 11 | Nov 12 | Nov 1 | Mar 14 / Nov 25 | 230 days |
| Williamsburg | Mar 31 | Apr 14 | Nov 10 | Oct 29 | Mar 20 / Nov 23 | 225 days |
Reading the table: Arlington
In Arlington, the last spring frost typically comes around Mar 24: in half of years it is earlier, in half later. In 1 year in 10 it comes after Apr 6, 13 days later, so tender plants set out after that date have a 90% chance of escaping frost. In fall, the first frost typically arrives around Nov 18, and in 1 year in 10 before Nov 5. Hard freezes (28°F) usually end earlier in spring and start later in fall: around Mar 12 and Dec 3 in Arlington.
Frost dates at more Virginia weather stations
NOAA stations across Virginia used by our ZIP code lookup, named for the town they are in.
| Station | Elevation | Last spring frost | First fall frost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abingdon 3S | 1,925 ft | Apr 21 (1 in 10 after May 10) | Oct 20 (before Oct 8) |
| Ashland | 220 ft | Apr 10 (1 in 10 after Apr 30) | Oct 29 (before Oct 16) |
| Big Stone Gap | 1,466 ft | Apr 20 (1 in 10 after May 5) | Oct 23 (before Oct 11) |
| Boston 4 Se | 590 ft | Apr 21 (1 in 10 after May 10) | Oct 22 (before Oct 8) |
| Breaks Interstate Park | 1,893 ft | Apr 22 (1 in 10 after May 8) | Oct 23 (before Oct 10) |
| Burkes Garden | 3,068 ft | May 9 (1 in 10 after May 26) | Oct 6 (before Sep 20) |
| Charlotte Court House | 569 ft | Apr 10 (1 in 10 after Apr 23) | Oct 30 (before Oct 17) |
| Charlottesville 2W | 866 ft | Apr 2 (1 in 10 after Apr 14) | Nov 10 (before Oct 29) |
| Charlottesville Airport | 641 ft | Apr 3 (1 in 10 after Apr 23) | Nov 1 (before Oct 19) |
| Chase City | 510 ft | Apr 6 (1 in 10 after Apr 21) | Nov 1 (before Oct 19) |
| Chatham | 647 ft | Apr 22 (1 in 10 after May 9) | Oct 23 (before Oct 9) |
| Christiansburg | 2,100 ft | Apr 19 (1 in 10 after May 9) | Oct 23 (before Oct 10) |
| Clintwood 1W | 1,566 ft | Apr 29 (1 in 10 after May 15) | Oct 16 (before Oct 4) |
| Corbin | 220 ft | Apr 14 (1 in 10 after May 4) | Oct 27 (before Oct 13) |
| Covington Fltr Plt | 1,244 ft | Apr 27 (1 in 10 after May 15) | Oct 18 (before Oct 4) |
| Crozier | 350 ft | Apr 17 (1 in 10 after May 8) | Oct 27 (before Oct 13) |
| Dale Enterprise | 1,358 ft | Apr 21 (1 in 10 after May 7) | Oct 23 (before Oct 9) |
| Danville Rgnl Airport | 571 ft | Apr 10 (1 in 10 after May 1) | Oct 28 (before Oct 15) |
| Emporia 1 Wnw | 100 ft | Mar 31 (1 in 10 after Apr 14) | Nov 6 (before Oct 26) |
| Farmville 2 N | 450 ft | Apr 12 (1 in 10 after Apr 30) | Oct 29 (before Oct 15) |
| Floyd 2 Ne | 2,625 ft | Apr 30 (1 in 10 after May 18) | Oct 10 (before Sep 27) |
| Fredericksburg Sewage | 60 ft | Apr 6 (1 in 10 after Apr 22) | Nov 1 (before Oct 19) |
| Front Royal | 930 ft | Apr 13 (1 in 10 after May 5) | Oct 28 (before Oct 14) |
| Ft Pickett | 330 ft | Apr 11 (1 in 10 after May 1) | Oct 30 (before Oct 16) |
| Galax Radio Wbrf | 2,385 ft | Apr 26 (1 in 10 after May 14) | Oct 14 (before Oct 1) |
| Grundy | 1,157 ft | Apr 21 (1 in 10 after May 7) | Oct 26 (before Oct 13) |
| Holland 1 E | 80 ft | Apr 7 (1 in 10 after Apr 25) | Nov 2 (before Oct 19) |
| Hopewell | 40 ft | Mar 31 (1 in 10 after Apr 14) | Nov 6 (before Oct 26) |
| John H Kerr Dam | 250 ft | Apr 5 (1 in 10 after Apr 19) | Nov 1 (before Oct 20) |
| Lebanon | 1,912 ft | Apr 25 (1 in 10 after May 13) | Oct 16 (before Oct 5) |
| Lexington | 1,097 ft | Apr 23 (1 in 10 after May 11) | Oct 23 (before Oct 9) |
| Lynchburg Rgnl Airport | 940 ft | Apr 15 (1 in 10 after May 3) | Oct 24 (before Oct 12) |
| Martinsville Fltr Plt | 780 ft | Apr 24 (1 in 10 after May 11) | Oct 21 (before Oct 9) |
| Montebello Fish Cultural Stn | 2,667 ft | May 2 (1 in 10 after May 21) | Oct 13 (before Oct 1) |
| Mustoe 1 Sw | 2,367 ft | May 8 (1 in 10 after May 26) | Oct 5 (before Sep 22) |
| N | 4 ft | Apr 1 (1 in 10 after Apr 15) | Nov 10 (before Oct 31) |
| Newport News Intl Airport | 42 ft | Apr 1 (1 in 10 after Apr 18) | Nov 9 (before Oct 31) |
| Painter 2 W | 30 ft | Apr 4 (1 in 10 after Apr 19) | Nov 7 (before Oct 26) |
| Palmyra 3S | 410 ft | Apr 23 (1 in 10 after May 11) | Oct 21 (before Oct 8) |
| Pearisburg 4 Sse | 1,678 ft | Apr 27 (1 in 10 after May 16) | Oct 17 (before Oct 3) |
| Piedmont Rsch Stn | 520 ft | Apr 7 (1 in 10 after Apr 26) | Oct 30 (before Oct 17) |
| Pulaski 2 E | 2,080 ft | Apr 25 (1 in 10 after May 15) | Oct 17 (before Oct 5) |
| Purcellville | 510 ft | Apr 16 (1 in 10 after May 7) | Oct 25 (before Oct 7) |
| Quantico MCAS | 10 ft | Mar 28 (1 in 10 after Apr 8) | Nov 8 (before Oct 28) |
| Richlands | 1,910 ft | Apr 27 (1 in 10 after May 14) | Oct 18 (before Oct 5) |
| Roanoke Rgnl Airport | 1,175 ft | Apr 3 (1 in 10 after Apr 18) | Nov 1 (before Oct 18) |
| S Boston | 329 ft | Apr 10 (1 in 10 after Apr 30) | Oct 30 (before Oct 17) |
| Tye Rvr 1 Se | 720 ft | Apr 15 (1 in 10 after May 4) | Oct 25 (before Oct 11) |
| Vienna | 418 ft | Apr 14 (1 in 10 after Apr 28) | Oct 29 (before Oct 17) |
| W Pt 2 Nw | 20 ft | Apr 6 (1 in 10 after Apr 21) | Nov 1 (before Oct 20) |
| Wakefield 1NW | 113 ft | Apr 12 (1 in 10 after Apr 29) | Oct 30 (before Oct 16) |
| Walkerton 2 Nw | 50 ft | Apr 7 (1 in 10 after Apr 23) | Nov 1 (before Oct 18) |
| Wallops Island Flight Fac | 38 ft | Mar 31 (1 in 10 after Apr 13) | Nov 11 (before Oct 31) |
| Warrenton 3 Se | 500 ft | Apr 9 (1 in 10 after Apr 28) | Nov 1 (before Oct 18) |
| Warsaw 2 Nw | 140 ft | Apr 8 (1 in 10 after Apr 23) | Oct 30 (before Oct 15) |
| Washington Dc Dulles Airport | 290 ft | Apr 15 (1 in 10 after Apr 30) | Oct 24 (before Oct 10) |
| Waynesboro WTP | 1,270 ft | Apr 21 (1 in 10 after May 10) | Oct 23 (before Oct 10) |
| Winchester | 720 ft | Apr 11 (1 in 10 after Apr 29) | Oct 29 (before Oct 14) |
| Wise 1SE | 2,564 ft | Apr 25 (1 in 10 after May 14) | Oct 18 (before Oct 6) |
| Wytheville | 2,458 ft | Apr 25 (1 in 10 after May 16) | Oct 18 (before Oct 5) |
32°F dates from NOAA 1991-2020 freeze probabilities for each city's station. "1 in 10 after": a 10% chance of a later spring frost (planting is 90% safe after it). How to read frost dates.