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Frost Dates and Planting Windows in Virginia

The 32°F frost dates at the 125 weather stations in Virginia 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 Virginia

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 March 23 to May 19 across the state, and the first frost from September 29 to November 18.

32°F frost dates: earliest and latest among 125 stations, by risk level
Risk levelEarliest last frostLatest last frostEarliest first frostLatest first frost
Conservative (10%)March 31NORFOLK INTL AP, VA USMay 28MILL GAP, VA USSeptember 202 stationsNovember 82 stations
Typical (30%)March 232 stationsMay 19MILL GAP, VA USSeptember 29MILL GAP, VA USNovember 18NORFOLK NAS, VA US
Aggressive (50%)March 16NORFOLK NAS, VA USMay 12MILL GAP, VA USOctober 3MILL GAP, VA USNovember 26NORFOLK NAS, VA 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 125 stations
Risk levelShortestLongest
Conservative (90% chance of at least this long)123 daysMILL GAP, VA US231 days2 stations
Typical (70% chance of at least this long)134 daysMILL GAP, VA US246 daysNORFOLK NAS, VA US
Aggressive (50% chance of at least this long)143 daysMILL GAP, VA US255 daysNORFOLK NAS, VA US
Number of stations by growing season length, Typical (70% chance of at least this long)
Growing seasonStations
120–139 days2
140–159 days5
160–179 days38
180–199 days46
200–219 days24
220–239 days8
240–259 days2

Planting windows across Virginia

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 outdoorsApril 6June 2125 of 125
Bean: Sow outdoorsMarch 23May 19125 of 125
Beet: Sow outdoorsFebruary 23May 19125 of 125
Beet: Sow for fallJuly 7September 29125 of 125
Broccoli: Transplant outdoorsFebruary 23May 5125 of 125
Broccoli: Transplant for fallJune 27September 29125 of 125
Brussels sprouts: Transplant outdoorsFebruary 23May 5125 of 125
Brussels sprouts: Transplant for fallJune 7October 9125 of 125
Cabbage: Transplant outdoorsFebruary 23May 5125 of 125
Cabbage: Transplant for fallJune 22September 29125 of 125
Cantaloupe: Transplant outdoorsApril 6June 2125 of 125
Cantaloupe: Sow outdoorsApril 6June 2125 of 125
Carrot: Sow outdoorsFebruary 23May 19125 of 125
Carrot: Sow for fallJune 27September 19125 of 125
Cucumber: Transplant outdoorsMarch 30May 26125 of 125
Cucumber: Sow outdoorsMarch 23May 19125 of 125
Eggplant: Transplant outdoorsApril 6June 2125 of 125
Garlic: Plant for fallSeptember 29December 2125 of 125
Lettuce: Transplant outdoorsFebruary 23May 5125 of 125
Lettuce: Sow outdoorsFebruary 23May 5125 of 125
Lettuce: Sow for fallJune 27October 9125 of 125
Onion: Transplant or plant setsFebruary 23May 5125 of 125
Peas: Sow outdoorsFebruary 23May 5125 of 125
Peas: Sow for fallJuly 5September 29125 of 125
Pepper: Transplant outdoorsApril 6June 2125 of 125
Potato: Plant seed potatoesFebruary 23May 19125 of 125
Pumpkin: Sow outdoorsApril 6June 2125 of 125
Radish: Sow outdoorsFebruary 23May 5125 of 125
Radish: Sow for fallAugust 11October 29125 of 125
Spinach: Transplant outdoorsFebruary 23May 5125 of 125
Spinach: Sow outdoorsFebruary 23May 5125 of 125
Spinach: Sow for fallJuly 17October 12125 of 125
Summer squash: Transplant outdoorsMarch 30May 26125 of 125
Summer squash: Sow outdoorsMarch 23May 19125 of 125
Sweet corn: Sow outdoorsMarch 23May 19125 of 125
Sweet potato: Plant slipsMarch 30June 2125 of 125
Tomato: Transplant outdoorsApril 6June 2125 of 125
Turnip: Sow outdoorsFebruary 23May 5125 of 125
Turnip: Sow for fallJuly 17October 9125 of 125
Watermelon: Transplant outdoorsApril 6June 2125 of 125
Watermelon: Sow outdoorsApril 6June 2125 of 125

Weather stations in Virginia

Every station in Virginia 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.