Raleigh, North Carolina frost dates
Frost risk by date
| Chance of frost | Spring: frost after | Fall: frost before |
|---|---|---|
| 90% | March 15 | November 17 |
| 70% | March 25 | November 9 |
| 50% | March 31 | November 4 |
| 30% | April 6 | October 31 |
| 10% | April 16 | October 23 |
Read the spring column like this: there is a 10% chance of a 32°F freeze after April 16. These are NOAA probabilities for the Raleigh Durham International Airport weather station (USW00013722, elevation 127 m), 1991–2020.
Raleigh vegetable planting calendar
Dates count from the 50% last-frost date (March 31). For tomatoes, peppers and other frost-tender crops, waiting until the 10% date (Apr 16) is the cautious choice.
| Crop | Start seeds indoors | Plant out |
|---|---|---|
| Beans | Mar 10 | Apr 7 (usually sown directly in the garden) |
| Broccoli | Jan 20 | Mar 3 |
| Brussels sprouts | Jan 20 | Mar 3 |
| Cabbage | Jan 13 | Feb 24 |
| Cauliflower | Feb 3 | Mar 17 |
| Sweet corn | Mar 3 | Mar 31 (usually sown directly in the garden) |
| Cucumbers | Mar 17 | Apr 7 |
| Kale | Jan 13 | Feb 24 |
| Leeks | Dec 16 | Feb 24 |
| Lettuce | Feb 10 | Mar 17 |
| Melons | Mar 24 | Apr 14 |
| Onions | Dec 9 | Feb 17 (from seed; sets and transplants go out at the same time) |
| Peas | Feb 3 | Mar 3 (usually sown directly in the garden) |
| Peppers | Feb 17 | Apr 14 |
| Squash | Mar 24 | Apr 14 |
| Tomatoes | Feb 3 | Mar 31 |
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 November 4. There's a 1-in-10 chance it comes before October 23. 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 16.
Nearby cities
| City | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greensboro, NC | Mar 30 | Nov 5 | ~107 km |
| Roanoke, VA | Apr 3 | Nov 1 | ~191 km |
| Wilmington, NC | Mar 19 | Nov 20 | ~197 km |
| Charlotte, NC | Mar 30 | Nov 3 | ~209 km |
| Richmond, VA | Apr 3 | Nov 4 | ~222 km |
| Virginia Beach, VA | Mar 17 | Nov 23 | ~259 km |