Rutherford College, NC 28671 Frost Dates
When can you plant in Rutherford College, NC?
The last spring frost here typically falls around 03/31, about 215 days from today. The first fall frost typically arrives around 11/04, about 219 frost-free days later.
Zone 8a (10 to 15°F average annual minimum) comes from the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map; the frost dates above are the 1991-2020 normal at the nearest reporting NOAA station for Rutherford College, not a forecast for this year.
What to do before the first frost
About 10 weeks of growing season left in Rutherford College before the first fall frost — a cold frame or row cover can stretch harvest weeks past that date.
Why 03/31 isn't a guarantee
03/31 is the middle of 30 years of NOAA records, not a promise. Plant by 03/13 and you're betting against frost in roughly 9 years out of 10. 04/16 is the safer bet, historically only a 1-in-10 chance of frost that late.
How Rutherford College compares
Rutherford College's growing season runs about 219 days, ranking 13,061 of 40,283 US ZIP codes measured here, longest to shortest. Within NC, it ranks 631 of 1,078.
Learn more
zone vs. frost date covers why Zone 8a and Rutherford College's frost date answer different questions. the frost range covers how to read the range around Rutherford College's dates instead of trusting one.