St. James, NC 28461 Frost Dates
When can you plant in St. James, NC?
Typically, the last spring freeze lands around 03/24, roughly 208 days out. The first fall frost typically arrives around 11/17, about 239 frost-free days later.
The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map puts St. James 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 St. James 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
03/24 is the middle of 30 years of NOAA records, not a promise. Plant by 03/01 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 St. James compares
St. James's growing season runs about 239 days, ranking 8,808 of 40,283 US ZIP codes measured here, longest to shortest. Within NC, it ranks 81 of 1,078.
Learn more
the frost range covers how to read the range around St. James's dates instead of trusting one. local microclimates covers what one yard in St. James can differ from the 28461 normal.