Clinton, NC 28329 Frost Dates
When can you plant in Clinton, NC?
Typically, the last spring freeze lands around 03/28, roughly 212 days out. The first fall frost typically arrives around 11/07, about 226 frost-free days later.
The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map puts Clinton in Zone 8b (15 to 20°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 Clinton 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 03/10 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 Clinton compares
At roughly 226 frost-free days, Clinton places 11,176 of 40,283 ZIP codes in this dataset. Within NC, it ranks 364 of 1,078.
Learn more
zone vs. frost date covers why Zone 8b and Clinton's frost date answer different questions. the frost range covers how to read the range around Clinton's dates instead of trusting one.