Frost dates 2026–2027

Frost dates for Selma, North Carolina

Median (50% chance) dates of the last and first 32°F frost, from NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Smithfield, 3.4 mi away (close match).

Last spring frostMar 29
First fall frostNov 5
220 frost-free days
Last spring frostMar 291 year in 10 after Apr 14
First fall frostNov 51 year in 10 by Oct 22
Growing season220 daysbetween median 32°F dates
Hardiness zoneZone 8a10 to 15°F average extreme low

Checking current alerts… View NWS forecast and alerts.

Will it freeze in Selma in the next 7 nights?

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

Tonight: forecast low 66°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 Selma

The median first fall hard-freeze date (28°F) is November 17, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 Climate Normals at Smithfield. 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 26 · Apr 12 · Apr 28 Oct 14 · Oct 28 · Nov 9 200 days
32°F freeze Mar 10 · Mar 29 · Apr 14 Oct 22 · Nov 5 · Nov 21 220 days
28°F hard freeze Feb 21 · Mar 16 · Apr 5 Nov 1 · Nov 17 · Dec 6 245 days
NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00317994. How to read these probabilities.

Average high temperature by month

1991–2020 normals at Smithfield

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 Selma, NC come from the nearest weather station with freeze statistics in NOAA’s 1991–2020 Climate Normals: Smithfield (station USC00317994, elevation 150 ft), 3.4 mi from Selma. 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 Selma

CityDistanceLast spring frostFirst fall frost
Smithfield, NC 3.7 mi Mar 29 Nov 5
Archer Lodge, NC 11 mi Mar 28 Nov 8
Clayton, NC 12 mi Apr 7 Nov 3
Wendell, NC 18 mi Mar 28 Nov 8
Zebulon, NC 20 mi Mar 28 Nov 8
Knightdale, NC 21 mi Apr 7 Nov 3
Garner, NC 21 mi Apr 1 Nov 1
Goldsboro, NC 21 mi Mar 15 Nov 18
Dunn, NC 24 mi Mar 28 Nov 7
Wilson, NC 24 mi Mar 22 Nov 12

Frequently asked questions

When is the last frost in Selma?

On average, the last spring frost (32°F) in Selma is around March 29. In about 1 year in 10 it comes after April 14, and in 9 years in 10 it comes after March 10.

When is the first frost in Selma?

The first fall frost (32°F) usually arrives around November 5. There’s a 10% chance of a freeze by October 22 and a 90% chance by November 21.

Can it frost in Selma 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 12.

What growing zone is Selma?

Selma is in USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 8a (average annual extreme minimum temperature 10 to 15°F), based on the 2023 USDA map for ZIP code 27576. See growing zones in North Carolina.

More: all North Carolina frost dates · North Carolina growing zones · frost vs. freeze