Charlotte, North Carolina Frost Dates, Growing Season & Hardiness Zone
Frost odds and planting zone for Charlotte for the 2027 season, based on 1991–2020 normals.
Last frost date
Mar 30
typical (50% chance of a later 32°F night)
Safer date: Apr 14 (10% risk)
earlyMar 30
typicalApr 14
safer
First fall frost
Nov 3
typical (50% chance it has happened by then)
Early-risk date: Oct 22 (10%)
Growing season
221 days
typical frost-free (32°F) season
Short year: 201 days (1 year in 10 is shorter)
USDA hardiness zone
8a
2023 map: 10 to 15°F average coldest night
2012 map: 7b (most of the city)
Across the metro, the typical last frost runs from Mar 24 (Gastonia Municipal Airport) to Apr 3 (Monroe 2 SE), depending on where you live.
By Mar 30, half of years have seen their last 32°F night. A later freeze, after Apr 14, happens in 1 year out of 10.
Based on NOAA station Charlotte Douglas Airport (USW00013881), 7.1 mi W, elevation 728 ft (+54 ft vs. city center). Confidence: High.
When is the last frost in Charlotte?
The typical last 32°F night is Mar 30, and in 1 year out of 10 a freeze still comes after Apr 14. Cold 36°F nights (frost possible on plants) typically last longer, to around Apr 11. The last hard freeze (28°F) typically comes earlier, around Mar 17.
Charlotte has a long late-frost tail: 15 days separate the typical date (Mar 30) from the safer 1-in-10 date (Apr 14). If tender plants go out early, be ready to protect them on cold nights.
The typical last 36°F night (frost possible on plants in low spots) comes around Apr 11, 12 days after the typical last 32°F night. On clear, calm nights, frost can form on leaves even when the thermometer reads above freezing.
| Threshold | 10% (safer) | 30% | 50% (typical) | 90% (early) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F (frost possible on plants) | Apr 28 | Apr 17 | Apr 11 | Mar 26 |
| 32°F freeze | Apr 14 | Apr 5 | Mar 30 | Mar 12 |
| 28°F hard freeze | Apr 3 | Mar 24 | Mar 17 | Feb 25 |
All probabilities (10–90%)
| Threshold | 10% | 20% | 30% | 40% | 50% | 60% | 70% | 80% | 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F (frost possible on plants) | Apr 28 | Apr 21 | Apr 17 | Apr 14 | Apr 11 | Apr 9 | Apr 5 | Apr 1 | Mar 26 |
| 32°F freeze | Apr 14 | Apr 9 | Apr 5 | Apr 2 | Mar 30 | Mar 27 | Mar 23 | Mar 18 | Mar 12 |
| 28°F hard freeze | Apr 3 | Mar 29 | Mar 24 | Mar 20 | Mar 17 | Mar 14 | Mar 9 | Mar 3 | Feb 25 |
Is it too early to plant in Charlotte?
Before Mar 30 the odds of another 32°F night are better than even; after Apr 14 they are about 1 in 10 or less.
Today's risk is computed in your browser from the same NOAA probability table, shown as the range between the two nearest NOAA probability levels.
When is the first frost in Charlotte?
The typical first fall freeze (32°F) comes by Nov 3, but 1 year in 10 it shows up as early as Oct 22. Cold 36°F nights (frost possible on plants) typically start around Oct 27, and the first hard freeze (28°F) typically comes around Nov 14.
For fall crops, count back from Nov 3, or from Oct 22 to be safe. Our planting calendar does the math for each crop.
| Threshold | 10% (early) | 30% | 50% (typical) | 90% (late) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F (frost possible on plants) | Oct 15 | Oct 22 | Oct 27 | Nov 7 |
| 32°F freeze | Oct 22 | Oct 30 | Nov 3 | Nov 17 |
| 28°F hard freeze | Nov 1 | Nov 8 | Nov 14 | Dec 2 |
All probabilities (10–90%)
| Threshold | 10% | 20% | 30% | 40% | 50% | 60% | 70% | 80% | 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F (frost possible on plants) | Oct 15 | Oct 19 | Oct 22 | Oct 24 | Oct 27 | Oct 30 | Nov 1 | Nov 3 | Nov 7 |
| 32°F freeze | Oct 22 | Oct 27 | Oct 30 | Nov 1 | Nov 3 | Nov 5 | Nov 8 | Nov 12 | Nov 17 |
| 28°F hard freeze | Nov 1 | Nov 4 | Nov 8 | Nov 11 | Nov 14 | Nov 17 | Nov 21 | Nov 26 | Dec 2 |
How long is Charlotte's growing season?
In a typical year, Charlotte gets 221 days between the last and first 32°F nights. About 1 year in 10, the season is shorter than 201 days.
Most warm-season vegetables have time to finish if you plant on schedule. For long-season crops, transplants do best.
Each year the station logs an average of 5,035 growing degree days (base 50°F), a measure of the heat available for crop growth.
| Threshold | 10% (long year) | 50% (typical) | 90% (short year) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F (frost possible on plants) | 220 days | 200 days | 179 days |
| 32°F freeze | 244 days | 221 days | 201 days |
| 28°F hard freeze | 271 days | 245 days | 221 days |
How does Charlotte's season compare?
Among the 56 U.S. cities with frost dates on this site, the typical frost-free season here is longer than in 32 of them and shorter than in 23.
Growing degree days (base 50°F)
Annual normal: 5,035 GDD (NOAA flag S, 27 years). Running total by the end of each month (sum of NOAA daily GDD normals, so the year-end total can differ slightly from the annual normal):
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 33 | 88 | 251 | 595 | 1,186 | 1,982 | 2,915 | 3,803 | 4,484 | 4,859 | 4,984 | 5,034 |
What growing zone is Charlotte? (USDA 2023)
On the 2023 USDA map, Charlotte is zone 8a (10 to 15°F average coldest winter night). On the 2012 map, most of the city was 7b. Of the 29 city ZIPs listed in both tables, 20 moved up half a zone.
| ZIP | 2023 | 2012 | Change | Share of ZIP in Charlotte |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28202 mostly in city | 8a | 7b | +1 half zone (warmer) | 100% |
| 28203 mostly in city | 8a | 7b | +1 half zone (warmer) | 100% |
| 28204 mostly in city | 8a | 7b | +1 half zone (warmer) | 100% |
| 28205 mostly in city | 8a | 7b | +1 half zone (warmer) | 100% |
| 28206 mostly in city | 8a | 7b | +1 half zone (warmer) | 100% |
| 28207 mostly in city | 8a | 8a | unchanged | 100% |
| 28208 mostly in city | 8a | 7b | +1 half zone (warmer) | 100% |
| 28209 mostly in city | 8a | 8a | unchanged | 100% |
| 28210 mostly in city | 8a | 8a | unchanged | 97% |
| 28211 mostly in city | 8a | 8a | unchanged | 100% |
| 28212 mostly in city | 8a | 7b | +1 half zone (warmer) | 100% |
| 28213 mostly in city | 8a | 7b | +1 half zone (warmer) | 88% |
| 28214 mostly in city | 8a | 7b | +1 half zone (warmer) | 56% |
| 28215 mostly in city | 8a | 7b | +1 half zone (warmer) | 72% |
| 28216 mostly in city | 8a | 7b | +1 half zone (warmer) | 64% |
| 28217 mostly in city | 8a | 8a | unchanged | 95% |
| 28223 mostly in city | 8a | 7b | +1 half zone (warmer) | 100% |
| 28226 mostly in city | 8a | 8a | unchanged | 99% |
| 28227 | 8a | 7b | +1 half zone (warmer) | 18% |
| 28244 mostly in city | 8a | 7b | +1 half zone (warmer) | 100% |
| 28262 mostly in city | 8a | 7b | +1 half zone (warmer) | 79% |
| 28269 mostly in city | 8a | 7b | +1 half zone (warmer) | 92% |
| 28270 mostly in city | 8a | 7b | +1 half zone (warmer) | 100% |
| 28273 mostly in city | 8a | 8a | unchanged | 95% |
| 28274 mostly in city | 8a | 8a | unchanged | 100% |
| 28277 mostly in city | 8a | 7b | +1 half zone (warmer) | 93% |
| 28278 | 8a | 8a | unchanged | 27% |
| 28280 mostly in city | 8a | 7b | +1 half zone (warmer) | 100% |
| 28282 mostly in city | 8a | 7b | +1 half zone (warmer) | 100% |
Other ZIPs touching Charlotte and PO-box ZIPs
ZIPs outside the 282 prefix that overlap the city boundary:
- 28078: 2023 8a, 2012 7b (0.1% of the ZIP is in Charlotte)
- 28104: 2023 8a, 2012 7b (0.4% of the ZIP is in Charlotte)
- 28105: 2023 8a, 2012 7b (15.8% of the ZIP is in Charlotte)
- 28134: 2023 8a, 2012 8a (16.4% of the ZIP is in Charlotte)
PO-box and single-address 282xx ZIPs have no Census area, so we cannot tell which city they serve: 28201 (8a/7b), 28218 (8a/7b), 28219 (8a/8a), 28220 (8a/8a), 28221 (8a/7b), 28222 (8a/8a), 28224 (8a/8a), 28228 (8a/7b), 28229 (8a/7b), 28230 (8a/7b), 28231 (8a/7b), 28232 (8a/7b), 28233 (8a/7b), 28234 (8a/8a), 28235 (8a/7b), 28236 (8a/7b), 28237 (8a/7b), 28241 (8a/7b), 28242 (8a/8a), 28243 (8a/7b), 28246 (8a/7b), 28247 (8a/8a), 28253 (8a/7b), 28254 (8a/8a), 28255 (8a/8a), 28256 (8a/7b), 28258 (8a/8a), 28260 (8a/7b), 28263 (8a/7b), 28265 (8a/7b), 28266 (8a/7b), 28271 (8a/7b), 28272 (8a/7b), 28275 (8a/7b), 28281 (8a/7b), 28284 (8a/7b), 28285 (8a/7b), 28287 (8a/8a), 28288 (8a/7b), 28289 (8a/7b), 28290 (8a/7b), 28296 (8a/7b), 28297 (8a/7b), 28299 (8a/7b) (2023/2012).
Zones: PRISM Group, Oregon State University, https://prism.oregonstate.edu, accessed 2026-10-08. Shown as published in the ZIP tables; this page does not show a zone map. Not the official USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (official map: planthardiness.ars.usda.gov).
Does the new zone change Charlotte's frost dates?
No. Zones describe only how cold the coldest winter night gets on average. They don't tell you when frost starts or stops. The frost dates for Charlotte come from NOAA's 1991–2020 frost probabilities, which the 2023 zone map left untouched. Choose winter-hardy perennials by zone, and schedule planting by frost dates.
Why do Charlotte frost dates differ between websites?
You may see Apr 5 given as Charlotte's last frost date. That's the 30%-risk date, meaning about 3 years in 10 still have a 32°F night after it. Our headline date is Mar 30, the 50% (median) date.
Apr 14 is the date we call 'safer': it's the 10%-risk date, with a 32°F night after it in only about 1 year in 10.
You may also see Apr 11. That's the 50% date for a 36°F night (frost possible on plants) rather than a 32°F freeze, so sites using 36°F as their cutoff list later dates.
Station choice is another reason dates differ. Our 8 qualifying stations within 25 miles of the city center range from Mar 24 to Apr 3 for the typical (50%) last 32°F frost (table below).
| Date | What it is (NOAA 1991–2020) |
|---|---|
| Apr 5 | 32°F last frost, 30% risk (a 'balanced' date) |
| Apr 11 | 36°F last cold night, 50% (frost possible on plants) |
| Apr 14 | 32°F last frost, 10% risk (the 'safer' date) |
| Mar 17 | 28°F last hard freeze, 50% |
| Apr 1 | 32°F last frost, 50%, at Concord (nearest station with NOAA flag S) |
| Station | Distance | Elevation | Typical last frost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gastonia Municipal Airport | 18.4 mi W | 797 ft | Mar 24 |
| Gastonia | 18.1 mi WNW | 700 ft | Mar 27 |
| Winthrop University | 21.9 mi SSW | 650 ft | Mar 27 |
| Charlotte Douglas Airport used here | 7.1 mi W | 728 ft | Mar 30 |
| Monroe Airport | 17.8 mi SE | 679 ft | Mar 31 |
| Rock Hill York Co. Airport | 20.0 mi SW | 669 ft | Mar 31 |
| Concord | 19.8 mi NE | 700 ft | Apr 1 |
| Monroe 2 SE | 23.5 mi SE | 550 ft | Apr 3 |
Which weather station is this based on?
- Station
- Charlotte Douglas Airport (NOAA USW00013881, WBAN/ASOS-AWOS)
- Distance
- 7.1 mi W of the city center
- Elevation
- 728 ft; city center 674 ft (USGS), difference +54 ft
- Record
- NOAA completeness flag S, 28 of 30 years (1991–2020)
- Confidence
- High (rule)
Confidence: High. The station is 7.1 miles from the city center, only 54 ft different in elevation, and its frost statistics meet our completeness rule (NOAA flag S, 28 of 30 years).
| Station | ID | Distance | Elev. (Δ) | Last frost 50% | First frost 50% | Season 50% | NOAA flag / years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte Douglas Airport | USW00013881 | 7.1 mi W | 728 ft (+54) | Mar 30 | Nov 3 | 221 d | S / 28 |
| Monroe Airport | USW00053872 | 17.8 mi SE | 679 ft (+5) | Mar 31 | Nov 5 | 220 d | R / 22 |
| Gastonia | USC00313356 | 18.1 mi WNW | 700 ft (+26) | Mar 27 | Nov 9 | 228 d | R / 24 |
| Gastonia Municipal Airport | USW00053870 | 18.4 mi W | 797 ft (+123) | Mar 24 | Nov 9 | 230 d | R / 21 |
| Concord | USC00311975 | 19.8 mi NE | 700 ft (+26) | Apr 1 | Nov 2 | 215 d | S / 28 |
| Rock Hill York Co. Airport | USW00053871 | 20.0 mi SW | 669 ft (-5) | Mar 31 | Nov 4 | 218 d | R / 20 |
| Winthrop University | USC00389350 | 21.9 mi SSW | 650 ft (-24) | Mar 27 | Nov 5 | 225 d | S / 28 |
| Monroe 2 SE | USC00315771 | 23.5 mi SE | 550 ft (-124) | Apr 3 | Nov 1 | 213 d | R / 23 |
Other stations within 25 mi (not used)
- none
18 other NOAA normals stations within 40 km (mostly rain gauges) have no frost statistics.
Charlotte planting dates at a glance
Balanced dates use the 30%-risk last-frost date as the anchor. The Charlotte planting calendar has typical and safe dates, fall planting and a month-by-month list for 26 vegetables.
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant outdoors (balanced) | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomatoes | Mar 8–22 | Apr 26 | – |
| Peppers | Feb 22 – Mar 8 | Apr 19 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Mar 22 – Apr 5 | – |
| Onions (dry, from sets) | – | Mar 8–22 | – |
| Peas | – | Mar 8–22 | sow by Aug 16 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | – | Mar 8–22 | sow by Aug 21 |
| Carrots | – | Mar 22 – Apr 5 | sow by Aug 11 |
| Beans (snap) | – | Apr 5 | sow by Aug 7 |
| Summer squash | – | Apr 5 | sow by Aug 17 |
| Broccoli | Jan 18 – Feb 1 | Mar 8–22 | transplant by Aug 16 |
| Cabbage | Jan 18 – Feb 1 | Mar 8–22 | transplant by Jul 27 |
| Cauliflower | Feb 1–15 | Mar 22 – Apr 5 | – |
| Kohlrabi | – | Mar 8–22 | sow by Aug 31 |
| Green onions | – | Mar 8–22 | sow by Aug 21 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 8–22 | sow by Sep 20 |
| Spinach | – | Mar 8–22 | sow by Sep 10 |
| Turnips | – | Mar 8–22 | sow by Aug 31 |
| Beets | – | Mar 22 – Apr 5 | sow by Aug 21 |
| Swiss chard | – | Mar 22 – Apr 5 | sow by Aug 21 |
| Parsnips | – | Mar 22 – Apr 5 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 5 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Apr 5 | sow by Aug 12 |
| Eggplant | Feb 15 – Mar 8 | Apr 19 | – |
| Cantaloupe | – | Apr 19 | – |
| Watermelon | – | Apr 19 | – |
| Winter squash | – | Apr 19 | – |
When to plant tomatoes in Charlotte · Fall planting dates for Charlotte
Frost dates near Charlotte
| City | Distance | Last frost | First frost | Season | Zone 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raleigh frost dates | 130 mi | Mar 28 | Nov 8 | 229 days | 8a |
| Atlanta, GA frost dates | 228 mi | Mar 24 | Nov 8 | 231 days | 8a |
Frequently asked questions
What is the average last frost date in Charlotte?
Mar 30 is the median (50%) date for Charlotte's last 32°F night, from NOAA 1991–2020 normals at Charlotte Douglas Airport. To play it safe, use Apr 14: only about 1 year in 10 has a freeze after it.
When is the first frost in Charlotte?
The first 32°F night typically arrives by Nov 3. About 1 year in 10, it comes as early as Oct 22. A 36°F night (frost possible on plants) typically shows up around Oct 27.
What growing zone is Charlotte, North Carolina? Is Charlotte zone 7 or 8?
Zone 8a (zone 8 for short) is Charlotte's USDA hardiness zone on the 2023 map. Most of the city was 7b on the older 2012 map, so you'll still find 'zone 7' in older references.
Is it too early to plant in Charlotte?
If it's before Mar 30, it's too early for frost-tender plants: another 32°F night is more likely than not. From Mar 30 to Apr 14, the risk falls from 50% to 10%. Cool-season crops such as peas and lettuce can be planted weeks earlier (see the planting calendar).
What temperature is a killing frost?
It depends on the crop. Tender plants such as tomatoes are killed by a light frost, which CSU Extension describes as 28–32°F; below 28°F is a heavy frost. We show NOAA odds for 36°F (frost possible on plants), 32°F (freeze, our headline) and 28°F (hard freeze).
Is first frost the same as first freeze?
Not quite. A freeze is when the air reaches 32°F. Frost is ice that forms on surfaces, and on calm, clear nights it can form with the air a few degrees above freezing. So in Charlotte, the first 36°F night (frost possible on plants) typically comes around Oct 27, before the first 32°F night (Nov 3).
Download & sources
- Add Charlotte frost & planting dates to your calendar (.ics, 2027)
- Printable planting calendar (PDF)
- How these numbers are calculated
Data: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (annual/seasonal and daily normals, station USW00013881); USDA Plant Hardiness Zone ZIP tables 2023 and 2012 by the PRISM Group, Oregon State University; Census 2020 ZIP/place relationship file; USGS elevation. Long-term odds, not a forecast. Figures and sentences are generated from these data by fixed rules; see the methodology. Last updated 2026-10-08.