Frost dates 2026–2027

Frost dates for Sumter, South Carolina

Median (50% chance) dates of the last and first 32°F frost, from NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Sumter, 2.2 mi away (close match).

Last spring frostMar 24
First fall frostNov 7
230 frost-free days
Last spring frostMar 241 year in 10 after Apr 7
First fall frostNov 71 year in 10 by Oct 28
Growing season230 daysbetween median 32°F dates
Hardiness zoneZone 8b15 to 20°F average extreme low

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Will it freeze in Sumter in the next 7 nights?

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

Tonight: forecast low 65°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 Sumter

The median first fall hard-freeze date (28°F) is November 21, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 Climate Normals at Sumter. 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 3 · Apr 20 Oct 17 · Oct 31 · Nov 12 209 days
32°F freeze Mar 5 · Mar 24 · Apr 7 Oct 28 · Nov 7 · Nov 26 230 days
28°F hard freeze Feb 17 · Mar 13 · Mar 30 Nov 4 · Nov 21 · Dec 14 257 days
NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00388440. How to read these probabilities.

Average high temperature by month

1991–2020 normals at Sumter

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 Sumter, SC come from the nearest weather station with freeze statistics in NOAA’s 1991–2020 Climate Normals: Sumter (station USC00388440, elevation 177 ft), 2.2 mi from Sumter. 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 Sumter

CityDistanceLast spring frostFirst fall frost
Camden, SC 25 mi Apr 4 Nov 4
Columbia, SC 30 mi Mar 22 Nov 15
Forest Acres, SC 34 mi Mar 16 Nov 16
Hartsville, SC 34 mi Mar 30 Nov 6
Cayce, SC 37 mi Mar 13 Nov 19
Lake City, SC 37 mi Mar 20 Nov 13
Florence, SC 39 mi Mar 19 Nov 13
Blythewood, SC 39 mi Apr 10 Oct 28
Darlington, SC 39 mi Mar 30 Nov 6
West Columbia, SC 40 mi Mar 25 Nov 7

Frequently asked questions

When is the last frost in Sumter?

On average, the last spring frost (32°F) in Sumter is around March 24. In about 1 year in 10 it comes after April 7, and in 9 years in 10 it comes after March 5.

When is the first frost in Sumter?

The first fall frost (32°F) usually arrives around November 7. There’s a 10% chance of a freeze by October 28 and a 90% chance by November 26.

Can it frost in Sumter 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 3.

What growing zone is Sumter?

Sumter 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 29152. See growing zones in South Carolina.

More: all South Carolina frost dates · South Carolina growing zones · UV index today in Sumter · frost vs. freeze