Raleigh, NC 27699 Frost Dates
When can you plant in Raleigh, NC?
The last spring frost here typically falls around 03/28, about 212 days from today. 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.
Why 03/28 isn't a guarantee
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 10,531 of 40,283 US ZIP codes measured here, longest to shortest. Within NC, it ranks 272 of 1,078.
Learn more
the frost range covers how to read the range around Raleigh's dates instead of trusting one. local microclimates covers what one yard in Raleigh can differ from the 27699 normal.