Raleigh, NC 27668 Frost Dates
When can you plant in Raleigh, NC?
Around 03/28 is the usual last spring frost, about 212 days away. The first fall frost typically arrives around 11/08, about 229 frost-free days later.
The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map puts Raleigh 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 Raleigh before the first fall frost — a cold frame or row cover can stretch harvest weeks past that date.
How much risk comes with planting early here
03/28 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. 04/12 is the safer bet, historically only a 1-in-10 chance of frost that late.
How Raleigh compares
Raleigh's growing season runs about 229 days, ranking 10,525 of 40,283 US ZIP codes measured here, longest to shortest. Within NC, it ranks 266 of 1,078.
Learn more
zone vs. frost date covers why Zone 8a and Raleigh's frost date answer different questions. the frost range covers how to read the range around Raleigh's dates instead of trusting one.