Frost dates in West Virginia

NOAA 1991–2020 normals for a 32 °F freeze. Your own yard can run a little either side.

Short answer

Across 12 NOAA weather stations in West Virginia, the average last spring frost runs from April 14 at Huntington Tri State Airport to May 7 at Elkins 21 ENE. The first fall frost comes as early as October 7 at Elkins 21 ENE and as late as October 30 at Parkersburg. Planting zones near these stations run from 6a to 7a.

Find yours by ZIP code

The table below is by weather station. For the station nearest you, and your planting zone, type your ZIP code.

West Virginia frost dates by weather station

Station	Last spring frost	First fall frost	Frost-free	Zone nearby
Beckley Raleigh Co Airport 2,514 ft	April 22 1 in 10 after May 13	October 21 1 in 10 by October 8	182 days	6b
Bluefield Mercer Co Airport 2,870 ft	April 21 1 in 10 after May 11	October 22 1 in 10 by October 11	184 days	7a
Charleston Yeager Airport 910 ft	April 16 1 in 10 after May 5	October 26 1 in 10 by October 13	193 days	7a
Clarksburg Benedum Airport 1,203 ft	April 18 1 in 10 after May 9	October 24 1 in 10 by October 9	189 days	6b
Elkins 21 ENE 3,390 ft	May 7 1 in 10 after May 27	October 7 1 in 10 by September 24	153 days	6a
Elkins Randolph Co Airport 1,979 ft	May 5 1 in 10 after May 21	October 12 1 in 10 by October 1	160 days	6a
Huntington Tri State Airport 824 ft	April 14 1 in 10 after May 3	October 26 1 in 10 by October 13	195 days	7a
Martinsburg E Wv Rgnl Airport 534 ft	April 20 1 in 10 after May 12	October 22 1 in 10 by October 7	185 days	7a
Morgantown Hart Fld 1,240 ft	April 23 1 in 10 after May 14	October 24 1 in 10 by October 11	184 days	7a
Parkersburg 620 ft	April 14 1 in 10 after May 2	October 30 1 in 10 by October 16	199 days	6b
Parkersburg Wood Co Airport 831 ft	April 23 1 in 10 after May 11	October 22 1 in 10 by October 8	182 days	6b
Wheeling Ohio Co Airport 1,179 ft	April 23 1 in 10 after May 10	October 25 1 in 10 by October 10	185 days	7a

The average date is NOAA's 50% date: half of years have a later last frost, or an earlier first one. Plan by the 1-in-10 date if a freeze would cost you plants. Stations are NOAA's main weather stations, mostly airports. “Zone nearby” is the USDA 2023 zone of the nearest ZIP code within 10 miles. NOAA counts the frost season from August to July, so in the warmest places the “first fall” freeze lands after New Year.

How these dates work

Frost dates come from NOAA's 1991 to 2020 Climate Normals, which work out from each weather station's daily lows how likely the last spring freeze and the first fall freeze (32 °F) are by each date. We use the station nearest the middle of your ZIP code and show its height and distance, since a station on a hill or by a lake can differ from your yard.

The average date is the 50% date: half of years have a freeze after the spring date or before the fall one. The 1-in-10 dates are NOAA's 10% dates, the ones to plan by if a late freeze would cost you plants. Within one yard, cold air pools in low spots while walls and paving hold heat, so some corners freeze before others.

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