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Frost Dates and Planting Windows in South Carolina

The 32°F frost dates at the 103 weather stations in South Carolina with NOAA's 1991–2020 Climate Normals, and the planting windows they give. These are long-term statistics, not a forecast. For the dates at the station nearest you, enter your ZIP code.

The planner uses the weather station nearest your ZIP code.

Frost dates across South Carolina

Each risk level uses a date with a set chance of frost. In spring, it's the chance of a 32°F frost on or after the last-frost date. In fall, it's the chance of the first 32°F frost on or before the first-frost date. At the Typical level (30%), the last frost ranges from February 17 to May 2 across the state, and the first frost from October 11 to December 20.

At 3 of these 103 stations, 32°F isn't reached every year. Their frost dates describe only the years when it is reached, and the ranges on this page include them.

32°F frost dates: earliest and latest among 103 stations, by risk level
Risk levelEarliest last frostLatest last frostEarliest first frostLatest first frost
Conservative (10%)March 4CHARLESTON CITY, SC USMay 12JOCASSEE 8 WNW, SC USOctober 5JOCASSEE 8 WNW, SC USDecember 2CHARLESTON CITY, SC US
Typical (30%)February 17CHARLESTON CITY, SC USMay 2JOCASSEE 8 WNW, SC USOctober 11JOCASSEE 8 WNW, SC USDecember 20CHARLESTON CITY, SC US
Aggressive (50%)February 4CHARLESTON CITY, SC USApril 26JOCASSEE 8 WNW, SC USOctober 17JOCASSEE 8 WNW, SC USDecember 30CHARLESTON CITY, SC US

Growing season length

The growing season is the stretch between the last spring frost and the first fall frost at 32°F. NOAA gives it as a length with a chance of being at least that long. Each risk level uses the length with that chance of a shorter season, so Conservative shows the shortest lengths.

Growing season at 32°F: shortest and longest among 103 stations
Risk levelShortestLongest
Conservative (90% chance of at least this long)152 daysJOCASSEE 8 WNW, SC US289 daysCHARLESTON CITY, SC US
Typical (70% chance of at least this long)165 daysJOCASSEE 8 WNW, SC US307 daysCHARLESTON CITY, SC US
Aggressive (50% chance of at least this long)174 daysJOCASSEE 8 WNW, SC US321 daysCHARLESTON CITY, SC US
Number of stations by growing season length, Typical (70% chance of at least this long)
Growing seasonStations
160–179 days2
180–199 days10
200–219 days36
220–239 days38
240–259 days11
260–279 days5
280–299 days0
300–319 days1

Planting windows across South Carolina

For each crop, the earliest start and the latest end of its Typical windows among the stations. A window at any one station is shorter and falls inside this span. Transplant dates are for seedlings.

Typical planting windows (30% frost dates): earliest start and latest end among stations
Crop and taskEarliest startLatest endStations
Basil: Transplant outdoorsMarch 2May 16103 of 103
Bean: Sow outdoorsFebruary 17May 2103 of 103
Beet: Sow outdoorsJanuary 20May 2103 of 103
Beet: Sow for fallJuly 19October 31103 of 103
Broccoli: Transplant outdoorsJanuary 20April 18103 of 103
Broccoli: Transplant for fallJuly 9October 31103 of 103
Brussels sprouts: Transplant outdoorsJanuary 20April 18103 of 103
Brussels sprouts: Transplant for fallJune 19November 10103 of 103
Cabbage: Transplant outdoorsJanuary 20April 18103 of 103
Cabbage: Transplant for fallJuly 4October 31103 of 103
Cantaloupe: Transplant outdoorsMarch 2May 16103 of 103
Cantaloupe: Sow outdoorsMarch 2May 16103 of 103
Carrot: Sow outdoorsJanuary 20May 2103 of 103
Carrot: Sow for fallJuly 9October 21103 of 103
Cucumber: Transplant outdoorsFebruary 24May 9103 of 103
Cucumber: Sow outdoorsFebruary 17May 2103 of 103
Eggplant: Transplant outdoorsMarch 2May 16103 of 103
Garlic: Plant for fallOctober 11January 3103 of 103
Lettuce: Transplant outdoorsJanuary 20April 18103 of 103
Lettuce: Sow outdoorsJanuary 20April 18103 of 103
Lettuce: Sow for fallJuly 9November 10103 of 103
Onion: Transplant or plant setsJanuary 20April 18103 of 103
Peas: Sow outdoorsJanuary 20April 18103 of 103
Peas: Sow for fallJuly 17October 31103 of 103
Pepper: Transplant outdoorsMarch 2May 16103 of 103
Potato: Plant seed potatoesJanuary 20May 2103 of 103
Pumpkin: Sow outdoorsMarch 2May 16103 of 103
Radish: Sow outdoorsJanuary 20April 18103 of 103
Radish: Sow for fallAugust 23November 30103 of 103
Spinach: Transplant outdoorsJanuary 20April 18103 of 103
Spinach: Sow outdoorsJanuary 20April 18103 of 103
Spinach: Sow for fallJuly 29November 13103 of 103
Summer squash: Transplant outdoorsFebruary 24May 9103 of 103
Summer squash: Sow outdoorsFebruary 17May 2103 of 103
Sweet corn: Sow outdoorsFebruary 17May 2103 of 103
Sweet potato: Plant slipsFebruary 24May 16103 of 103
Tomato: Transplant outdoorsMarch 2May 16103 of 103
Turnip: Sow outdoorsJanuary 20April 18103 of 103
Turnip: Sow for fallJuly 29November 10103 of 103
Watermelon: Transplant outdoorsMarch 2May 16103 of 103
Watermelon: Sow outdoorsMarch 2May 16103 of 103

Weather stations in South Carolina

Every station in South Carolina with NOAA frost-date normals, with its Typical 32°F frost dates and growing season.

Data sources

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, frost dates, 1991–2020 normals, version 1.0.1
Files: us-climate-normals_1991-2020_v1.0.1_annualseasonal_multivariate_by-station_c20230404.tar.gz, inventory_30yr.txt from NOAA NCEI. Retrieved October 10, 2026.