Wilmington, NC 28403 Frost Dates
When can you plant in Wilmington, NC?
The last spring frost here typically falls around 03/19, about 203 days from today. The first fall frost typically arrives around 11/20, about 247 frost-free days later.
The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map puts Wilmington 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 12 weeks of growing season left in Wilmington before the first fall frost — a cold frame or row cover can stretch harvest weeks past that date.
Why 03/19 isn't a guarantee
03/19 is the middle of 30 years of NOAA records, not a promise. Plant by 02/26 and you're betting against frost in roughly 9 years out of 10. 04/04 is the safer bet, historically only a 1-in-10 chance of frost that late.
How Wilmington compares
Wilmington's growing season runs about 247 days, ranking 7,774 of 40,283 US ZIP codes measured here, longest to shortest. Within NC, it ranks 49 of 1,078.
Learn more
local microclimates covers what one yard in Wilmington can differ from the 28403 normal. zone vs. frost date covers why Zone 8b and Wilmington's frost date answer different questions.