National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

Snow Across the Great Lakes, Central Appalachians, and Northeast; Unsettled Weather in the West

Light to moderate snow will continue into Saturday over the Great Lakes, Central Appalachians, and Northeast. This weekend into next week, a series of atmospheric rivers will bring gusty winds, periods of heavy rain, and mountain snow to northern California and the Pacific Northwest. Colder temperatures are in store for the weekend from the Great Lakes to East Coast. Read More >

 

NWS Raleigh Frost Freeze Information and Climatology Maps

 

Overview and Definitions:

 

Issuance Policy

Freeze Warning/Watches and Frost Advisories will be issued during the beginning and the ending of the growing season.

 

 

Frost Advisory

A Frost Advisory is issued when temperatures are forecast to be in the 33°F to 36°F range with good radiation conditions. Typically, frost can occur when the temperature falls below 36°F, especially in rural areas. It is a localized phenomenon and can be quite variable across a small area.

 

Freeze Warning/Watch

A Freeze Warning is issued when minimum temperatures are forecast to be 32°F or less.  Frost becomes more widespread when the temperature falls below 32°F with some freeze possible. A Freeze Watch may be issued a few days ahead of time if the potential exists for temperatures to fall into these thresholds.


Hard Freeze Warning/Watch

A Hard Freeze Warning is issued when temperatures are expected to be 28°F or less.  A Hard Freeze Watch may be issued a few days ahead of time if the potential exists for temperatures to fall into these thresholds.

 

 


 

Climatology

 

When do we normally see our First(Fall) and Last(Spring) 36°F Frost, 32°F, and 28ºF freezes? Check out these maps from the  North Carolina State Climate Office (NCSCO) for freeze information on your location. 

Earliest/Median/Latest Dates for the First/Fall 36ºF Frost, 32ºF, and 28°F Freezes

 

Below are images depicting the earliest, median, and the latest dates for the first 36°F Frost, 32°F, and 28°F freezes across our region. Data is derived from the years 1991 to 2020.

 

 

 

Earliest and Latest Dates for the First/Fall 32ºF and 28ºF Freeze for NWS Raleigh Climate Sites

  Earliest Latest
  32ºF 28ºF 32ºF 28ºF
Greensboro Area 10/2/1947 10/12/1906 12/1/2009 12/10/1978
Raleigh Area 10/2/1947 10/20/1972 12/3/1931 12/27/1918
Fayetteville Area 10/8/1935 10/15/1934 12/3/1985 12/19/2011

                     

 

Earliest/Latest Dates for the Last/Spring 36ºF Frost, 32ºF, and 28°F Freezes

 

Below are images depicting the earliest, median, and the latest dates for the last 36°F Frost, 32°F, and 28°F freezes across our region. Data is derived from the years 1980 to 2010.

 

 

 

Earliest and Latest Dates for the Last/Spring 32ºF and 28ºF Freeze for NWS Raleigh Climate Sites

 

  Earliest Latest
  32ºF 28ºF 32ºF 28ºF
Greensboro Area 3/7/2010 2/24/1997 5/8/1989 4/24/1986
Raleigh Area 3/1/1935 2/2/1909 5/10/1977 4/21/1983
Fayetteville Area 3/2/1938 2/6/2000 4/26/1919 4/16/1943