Frost dates 2026–2027

Frost dates for Shelby, North Carolina

Median (50% chance) dates of the last and first 32°F frost, from NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Shelby 2 NW, 2.0 mi away (close match).

Last spring frostApr 12
First fall frostOct 25
195 frost-free days
Last spring frostApr 121 year in 10 after Apr 28
First fall frostOct 251 year in 10 by Oct 12
Growing season195 daysbetween median 32°F dates
Hardiness zoneZone 8a10 to 15°F average extreme low

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Will it freeze in Shelby in the next 7 nights?

No overnight lows at or below 32°F are forecast in Shelby 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 Shelby

The median first fall hard-freeze date (28°F) is November 2, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 Climate Normals at Shelby 2 NW. 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 Apr 10 · Apr 25 · May 11 Oct 6 · Oct 16 · Oct 28 174 days
32°F freeze Mar 27 · Apr 12 · Apr 28 Oct 12 · Oct 25 · Nov 5 195 days
28°F hard freeze Mar 13 · Mar 31 · Apr 16 Oct 21 · Nov 2 · Nov 18 217 days
NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00317845. How to read these probabilities.

Average high temperature by month

1991–2020 normals at Shelby 2 NW

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 Shelby, NC come from the nearest weather station with freeze statistics in NOAA’s 1991–2020 Climate Normals: Shelby 2 NW (station USC00317845, elevation 820 ft), 2.0 mi from Shelby. 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 Shelby

CityDistanceLast spring frostFirst fall frost
Cherryville, NC 11 mi Apr 9 Oct 28
Kings Mountain, NC 12 mi Mar 24 Nov 9
Bessemer City, NC 15 mi Mar 27 Nov 9
Gaffney, SC 16 mi Apr 20 Oct 24
Forest City, NC 19 mi Apr 11 Oct 27
Dallas, NC 21 mi Mar 27 Nov 9
Gastonia, NC 21 mi Mar 27 Nov 9
Lincolnton, NC 22 mi Apr 9 Oct 28
Clover, SC 22 mi Mar 24 Nov 9
Cramerton, NC 27 mi Mar 27 Nov 9

Frequently asked questions

When is the last frost in Shelby?

On average, the last spring frost (32°F) in Shelby is around April 12. In about 1 year in 10 it comes after April 28, and in 9 years in 10 it comes after March 27.

When is the first frost in Shelby?

The first fall frost (32°F) usually arrives around October 25. There’s a 10% chance of a freeze by October 12 and a 90% chance by November 5.

Can it frost in Shelby 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 25.

What growing zone is Shelby?

Shelby 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 28150. See growing zones in North Carolina.

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