Frost dates 2026–2027

Frost dates for Zebulon, North Carolina

Median (50% chance) dates of the last and first 32°F frost, from NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Clayton 3E, 14 mi away (close match).

Last spring frostMar 28
First fall frostNov 8
225 frost-free days
Last spring frostMar 281 year in 10 after Apr 11
First fall frostNov 81 year in 10 by Oct 27
Growing season225 daysbetween median 32°F dates
Hardiness zoneZone 8a10 to 15°F average extreme low

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Will it freeze in Zebulon in the next 7 nights?

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

The median first fall hard-freeze date (28°F) is November 19, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 Climate Normals at Clayton 3E. 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 10 · Apr 24 Oct 17 · Oct 31 · Nov 11 203 days
32°F freeze Mar 10 · Mar 28 · Apr 11 Oct 27 · Nov 8 · Nov 22 225 days
28°F hard freeze Feb 23 · Mar 15 · Apr 1 Nov 4 · Nov 19 · Dec 9 251 days
NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00311817. How to read these probabilities.

Average high temperature by month

1991–2020 normals at Clayton 3E

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 Zebulon, NC come from the nearest weather station with freeze statistics in NOAA’s 1991–2020 Climate Normals: Clayton 3E (station USC00311817, elevation 332 ft), 14 mi from Zebulon. 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 Zebulon

CityDistanceLast spring frostFirst fall frost
Wendell, NC 3.1 mi Mar 28 Nov 8
Rolesville, NC 9.9 mi Apr 4 Nov 4
Knightdale, NC 11 mi Apr 7 Nov 3
Archer Lodge, NC 11 mi Mar 28 Nov 8
Clayton, NC 14 mi Apr 7 Nov 3
Wake Forest, NC 14 mi Apr 4 Nov 4
Raleigh, NC 18 mi Mar 28 Nov 8
Garner, NC 19 mi Apr 1 Nov 1
Selma, NC 20 mi Mar 29 Nov 5
Smithfield, NC 21 mi Mar 29 Nov 5

Frequently asked questions

When is the last frost in Zebulon?

On average, the last spring frost (32°F) in Zebulon is around March 28. In about 1 year in 10 it comes after April 11, and in 9 years in 10 it comes after March 10.

When is the first frost in Zebulon?

The first fall frost (32°F) usually arrives around November 8. There’s a 10% chance of a freeze by October 27 and a 90% chance by November 22.

Can it frost in Zebulon 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 10.

What growing zone is Zebulon?

Zebulon 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 27597. See growing zones in North Carolina.

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