Frost dates 2026–2027

Frost dates for Radford, Virginia

Median (50% chance) dates of the last and first 32°F frost, from NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Radford 3 N, 5.8 mi away (close match).

Last spring frostApr 26
First fall frostOct 18
174 frost-free days
Last spring frostApr 261 year in 10 after May 16
First fall frostOct 181 year in 10 by Oct 6
Growing season174 daysbetween median 32°F dates
Hardiness zoneZone 7a0 to 5°F average extreme low

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Will it freeze in Radford in the next 7 nights?

The earliest overnight low at or below 32°F in the available NWS frost forecast is Sat, Nov 7: 31°F (Sat, Nov 7, 6:00 PM EST to Sun, Nov 8, 6:00 AM EST).

Tonight: forecast low 49°F. Above 36°F.

NWS forecast period: Thu, Nov 5, 6:00 PM EST to Fri, Nov 6, 6:00 AM EST.

5 of the next 7 nights are forecast at 36°F or colder, cold enough for frost on exposed plants.

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 Radford

The median first fall hard-freeze date (28°F) is October 28, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 Climate Normals at Radford 3 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 Apr 21 · May 7 · May 23 Sep 25 · Oct 9 · Oct 21 153 days
32°F freeze Apr 10 · Apr 26 · May 16 Oct 6 · Oct 18 · Oct 31 174 days
28°F hard freeze Mar 26 · Apr 10 · May 3 Oct 14 · Oct 28 · Nov 9 199 days
NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00446999. How to read these probabilities.

Average high temperature by month

1991–2020 normals at Radford 3 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 Radford, VA come from the nearest weather station with freeze statistics in NOAA’s 1991–2020 Climate Normals: Radford 3 N (station USC00446999, elevation 1,800 ft), 5.8 mi from Radford. 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 Radford

CityDistanceLast spring frostFirst fall frost
Christiansburg, VA 8.7 mi Apr 19 Oct 23
Blacksburg, VA 11 mi Apr 24 Oct 19
Pulaski, VA 12 mi Apr 25 Oct 17
Salem, VA 30 mi Apr 3 Nov 1
Wytheville, VA 32 mi Apr 25 Oct 18
Princeton, WV 34 mi Apr 30 Oct 10
Roanoke, VA 35 mi Apr 3 Nov 1
Galax, VA 37 mi Apr 26 Oct 14
Bluefield, WV 37 mi Apr 30 Oct 15
Vinton, VA 39 mi Apr 3 Nov 1

Frequently asked questions

When is the last frost in Radford?

On average, the last spring frost (32°F) in Radford is around April 26. In about 1 year in 10 it comes after May 16, and in 9 years in 10 it comes after April 10.

When is the first frost in Radford?

The first fall frost (32°F) usually arrives around October 18. There’s a 10% chance of a freeze by October 6 and a 90% chance by October 31.

Can it frost in Radford 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 May 7.

What growing zone is Radford?

Radford is in USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 7a (average annual extreme minimum temperature 0 to 5°F), based on the 2023 USDA map for ZIP code 24141. See growing zones in Virginia.

More: all Virginia frost dates · Virginia growing zones · frost vs. freeze