Jackson, NC 27845 Frost Dates
When can you plant in Jackson, NC?
The last spring frost here typically falls around 04/05, about 220 days from today. The first fall frost typically arrives around 11/01, about 211 frost-free days later.
The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map puts Jackson 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 9 weeks of growing season left in Jackson before the first fall frost — a cold frame or row cover can stretch harvest weeks past that date.
Why 04/05 isn't a guarantee
04/05 is the middle of 30 years of NOAA records, not a promise. Plant by 03/22 and you're betting against frost in roughly 9 years out of 10. 04/18 is the safer bet, historically only a 1-in-10 chance of frost that late.
How Jackson compares
Jackson's growing season runs about 211 days, ranking 14,857 of 40,283 US ZIP codes measured here, longest to shortest. Within NC, it ranks 755 of 1,078.
Learn more
local microclimates covers what one yard in Jackson can differ from the 27845 normal. zone vs. frost date covers why Zone 8a and Jackson's frost date answer different questions.