Frost dates 2026–2027

Frost dates for Athens, Georgia

Median (50% chance) dates of the last and first 32°F frost, from NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Athens Ben Epps Airport, 2.4 mi away (close match).

Last spring frostMar 23
First fall frostNov 10
232 frost-free days
Last spring frostMar 231 year in 10 after Apr 10
First fall frostNov 101 year in 10 by Oct 28
Growing season232 daysbetween median 32°F dates
Hardiness zoneZone 8b15 to 20°F average extreme low

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Will it freeze in Athens in the next 7 nights?

No overnight lows at or below 32°F are forecast in Athens during the next 7 nights in the available NWS frost forecast.

Tonight: forecast low 60°F. Above 36°F.

NWS forecast period: Thu, Nov 5, 6:00 PM EST to Fri, Nov 6, 6:00 AM EST.

No nights at or below 36°F in the National Weather Service forecast for the next 7 nights.

Overnight lows from the National Weather Service forecast for this location. This covers the available forecast window, not the first freeze of the whole season. Frost can form above 32°F on clear, calm nights.

Frost and freeze probabilities

Freeze dates shift from year to year. Spring percentages describe the chance of a freeze after the stated date; fall percentages describe the chance of a freeze by that date. The 10% spring date is the cautious one: a later freeze happens about 1 year in 10.

These dates describe historical probabilities, not this year’s forecast or the earliest and latest possible freezes. Different weather stations or probability thresholds can produce different published dates for the same city.

Average first hard freeze in Athens

The median first fall hard-freeze date (28°F) is November 25, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 Climate Normals at Athens Ben Epps Airport. This is the 50% probability date, not a forecast for this year.

TemperatureLast spring date
90% · 50% · 10% chance of a later freeze
First fall date
10% · 50% · 90% chance of an earlier freeze
Season
36°F frost possible Mar 18 · Apr 5 · Apr 21 Oct 19 · Oct 31 · Nov 14 209 days
32°F freeze Mar 2 · Mar 23 · Apr 10 Oct 28 · Nov 10 · Nov 27 232 days
28°F hard freeze Feb 13 · Mar 9 · Mar 27 Nov 7 · Nov 25 · Dec 19 264 days
NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USW00013873. How to read these probabilities.

Average high temperature by month

1991–2020 normals at Athens Ben Epps Airport

Average low temperature by month

Months with lows near or below freezing carry frost risk

Where these frost dates come from

The frost dates for Athens, GA come from the nearest weather station with freeze statistics in NOAA’s 1991–2020 Climate Normals: Athens Ben Epps Airport (station USW00013873, elevation 785 ft), 2.4 mi from Athens. Local conditions (valleys, hilltops, distance to water, city heat) can shift frost dates by days or weeks. The hardiness zone is from the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (USDA ARS and Oregon State University PRISM). See our methodology.

Frost dates near Athens

CityDistanceLast spring frostFirst fall frost
Jefferson, GA 19 mi Mar 31 Nov 6
Commerce, GA 19 mi Mar 31 Nov 6
Winder, GA 21 mi Apr 3 Nov 7
Monroe, GA 22 mi Apr 3 Nov 7
Hoschton, GA 24 mi Apr 3 Nov 7
Madison, GA 26 mi Mar 24 Nov 12
Auburn, GA 27 mi Apr 3 Nov 7
Braselton, GA 27 mi Mar 20 Nov 14
Social Circle, GA 29 mi Mar 22 Nov 14
Dacula, GA 30 mi Apr 3 Nov 7

Frequently asked questions

When is the last frost in Athens?

On average, the last spring frost (32°F) in Athens is around March 23. In about 1 year in 10 it comes after April 10, and in 9 years in 10 it comes after March 2.

When is the first frost in Athens?

The first fall frost (32°F) usually arrives around November 10. There’s a 10% chance of a freeze by October 28 and a 90% chance by November 27.

Can it frost in Athens after the last frost date?

Yes. Frost can form on clear, calm nights even when the air stays above 32°F. Temperatures of 36°F or lower, cold enough for frost on exposed plants, have a 50% chance of occurring after April 5.

What growing zone is Athens?

Athens is in USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 8b (average annual extreme minimum temperature 15 to 20°F), based on the 2023 USDA map for ZIP code 30602. See growing zones in Georgia.

More: all Georgia frost dates · Georgia growing zones · UV index today in Athens · frost vs. freeze