Cary, NC 27513 Frost Dates
When can you plant in Cary, NC?
Around 03/27 is the usual last spring frost, about 211 days away. The first fall frost typically arrives around 11/08, about 227 frost-free days later.
The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map puts Cary in Zone 8a (10 to 15°F average annual minimum); frost dates are NOAA's 1991-2020 station normal, not this year's forecast.
What to do before the first frost
About 10 weeks of growing season left in Cary before the first fall frost — a cold frame or row cover can stretch harvest weeks past that date.
Why 03/27 isn't a guarantee
03/27 is the middle of 30 years of NOAA records, not a promise. Plant by 03/08 and you're betting against frost in roughly 9 years out of 10. 04/10 is the safer bet, historically only a 1-in-10 chance of frost that late.
How Cary compares
Cary's growing season runs about 227 days, ranking 10,943 of 40,283 US ZIP codes measured here, longest to shortest. Within NC, it ranks 332 of 1,078.
Learn more
local microclimates covers what one yard in Cary can differ from the 27513 normal. zone vs. frost date covers why Zone 8a and Cary's frost date answer different questions.