Frost dates 2026–2027

Frost dates for St. James, North Carolina

Median (50% chance) dates of the last and first 32°F frost, from NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Southport 5 N, 6.3 mi away (close match).

Last spring frostMar 24
First fall frostNov 17
239 frost-free days
Last spring frostMar 241 year in 10 after Apr 10
First fall frostNov 171 year in 10 by Oct 31
Growing season239 daysbetween median 32°F dates
Hardiness zoneZone 8b15 to 20°F average extreme low

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Will it freeze in St. James in the next 7 nights?

No overnight lows at or below 32°F are forecast in St. James 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 St. James

The median first fall hard-freeze date (28°F) is December 1, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 Climate Normals at Southport 5 N. 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 17 · Apr 4 · Apr 19 Oct 21 · Nov 5 · Nov 23 215 days
32°F freeze Mar 1 · Mar 24 · Apr 10 Oct 31 · Nov 17 · Dec 6 239 days
28°F hard freeze Feb 7 · Mar 8 · Mar 30 Nov 10 · Dec 1 · Dec 30 268 days
NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00318113. How to read these probabilities.

Average high temperature by month

1991–2020 normals at Southport 5 N

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 St. James, NC come from the nearest weather station with freeze statistics in NOAA’s 1991–2020 Climate Normals: Southport 5 N (station USC00318113, elevation 20 ft), 6.3 mi from St. James. 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 St. James

CityDistanceLast spring frostFirst fall frost
Oak Island, NC 2.5 mi Mar 24 Nov 17
Boiling Spring Lakes, NC 6.2 mi Mar 24 Nov 17
Carolina Beach, NC 13 mi Mar 24 Nov 17
Shallotte, NC 16 mi Mar 20 Nov 17
Leland, NC 19 mi Mar 19 Nov 20
Wilmington, NC 22 mi Mar 19 Nov 20
Carolina Shores, NC 27 mi Mar 26 Nov 11
North Myrtle Beach, SC 36 mi Mar 13 Nov 20
Surf City, NC 47 mi Mar 26 Nov 13
Myrtle Beach, SC 48 mi Mar 21 Nov 13

Frequently asked questions

When is the last frost in St. James?

On average, the last spring frost (32°F) in St. James is around March 24. In about 1 year in 10 it comes after April 10, and in 9 years in 10 it comes after March 1.

When is the first frost in St. James?

The first fall frost (32°F) usually arrives around November 17. There’s a 10% chance of a freeze by October 31 and a 90% chance by December 6.

Can it frost in St. James 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 4.

What growing zone is St. James?

St. James 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 28465. See growing zones in North Carolina.

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