Charleston, West Virginia frost dates
Frost risk by date
| Chance of frost | Spring: frost after | Fall: frost before |
|---|---|---|
| 90% | April 1 | November 6 |
| 70% | April 9 | October 31 |
| 50% | April 16 | October 26 |
| 30% | April 23 | October 21 |
| 10% | May 5 | October 13 |
Read the spring column like this: there is a 10% chance of a 32°F freeze after May 5. These are NOAA probabilities for the Charleston Yeager Airport weather station (USW00013866, elevation 277 m), 1991–2020.
Charleston vegetable planting calendar
Dates count from the 50% last-frost date (April 16). For tomatoes, peppers and other frost-tender crops, waiting until the 10% date (May 5) is the cautious choice.
| Crop | Start seeds indoors | Plant out |
|---|---|---|
| Beans | Mar 26 | Apr 23 (usually sown directly in the garden) |
| Broccoli | Feb 5 | Mar 19 |
| Brussels sprouts | Feb 5 | Mar 19 |
| Cabbage | Jan 29 | Mar 12 |
| Cauliflower | Feb 19 | Apr 2 |
| Sweet corn | Mar 19 | Apr 16 (usually sown directly in the garden) |
| Cucumbers | Apr 2 | Apr 23 |
| Kale | Jan 29 | Mar 12 |
| Leeks | Jan 1 | Mar 12 |
| Lettuce | Feb 26 | Apr 2 |
| Melons | Apr 9 | Apr 30 |
| Onions | Dec 25 | Mar 5 (from seed; sets and transplants go out at the same time) |
| Peas | Feb 19 | Mar 19 (usually sown directly in the garden) |
| Peppers | Mar 5 | Apr 30 |
| Squash | Apr 9 | Apr 30 |
| Tomatoes | Feb 19 | Apr 16 |
Offsets from Oregon State University Extension's seed-starting table. "Plant out" means transplant, or sow directly for crops usually grown from seed.
Fall frost and season extension
The first fall freeze usually arrives around October 26. There's a 1-in-10 chance it comes before October 13. Harvest tender crops such as basil, tomatoes, peppers and squash before then, or cover them on cold nights. Cool-season crops like kale, cabbage and Brussels sprouts handle light frost, and often taste sweeter after it. A hard freeze (28°F) typically comes around November 5.
Nearby cities
| City | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roanoke, VA | Apr 3 | Nov 1 | ~184 km |
| Columbus, OH | Apr 18 | Oct 27 | ~211 km |
| Pittsburgh, PA | Apr 23 | Oct 23 | ~263 km |
| Lexington, KY | Apr 13 | Oct 28 | ~265 km |
| Cincinnati, OH | Apr 18 | Oct 25 | ~278 km |
| Dayton, OH | Apr 16 | Oct 28 | ~285 km |