Spring/Fall Freeze Climatology

Average Date of the Last Spring Freeze

Average dates of the last spring freeze for locations across southeast North Carolina and northeast South Carolina. Click a station for detailed info.

Location	Average Date
Wilmington, NC	March 18
Lumberton, NC	April 4
Castle Hayne, NC	April 2
Elizabethtown, NC	March 31
Whiteville, NC	March 29
Longwood, NC	March 31
Southport, NC	March 26
Florence, SC	March 30
N. Myrtle Beach, SC	March 15
Brookgreen Gardens	March 21
Darlington, SC	March 25
Dillon, SC	March 29
Conway, SC	March 15
Andrews, SC	March 19
Lake City, SC	March 23
Marion, SC	March 30
McColl, SC	March 28
Georgetown, SC	March 13

Average Date of the First Fall Freeze

Average dates of the first fall freeze for locations across southeast North Carolina and northeast South Carolina. Click a station for detailed info.

Location	Average Date
Wilmington, NC	November 17
Lumberton, NC	October 29
Castle Hayne, NC	November 5
Elizabethtown, NC	November 2
Whiteville, NC	November 2
Longwood, NC	November 3
Southport, NC	November 9
Florence, SC	November 10
N. Myrtle Beach, SC	November 16
Brookgreen Gardens	November 15
Darlington, SC	November 5
Dillon, SC	November 2
Conway, SC	November 17
Andrews, SC	November 13
Lake City, SC	November 10
Marion, SC	November 1
McColl, SC	November 1
Georgetown, SC	November 21

Average Length of the Growing Season

Average length of the growing season (days) for locations across southeast North Carolina and northeast South Carolina. The growing season is the number of days between the last spring freeze and the first fall freeze. Click a station for detailed info.

Location	Days
Wilmington, NC	243
Lumberton, NC	208
Castle Hayne, NC	216
Elizabethtown, NC	214
Whiteville, NC	217
Longwood, NC	217
Southport, NC	227
Florence, SC	235
N. Myrtle Beach, SC	245
Brookgreen Gardens, SC	237
Darlington, SC	224
Dillon, SC	217
Conway, SC	245
Andrews, SC	239
Lake City, SC	231
Marion, SC	215
McColl, SC	217
Georgetown, SC	252

Frequently Asked Questions

Are the first and last dates for freezing temperatures changing?

Since 1950 almost all climate stations across the Eastern Carolinas have shown increases in the length of the growing season. Averaged across our area:

The average date of the last spring freeze is occurring 1.6 days earlier per decade.
The average date of the first fall freeze is occurring 1.8 days later per decade.
The average length of the growing season is increasing at a rate of 3.3 days per decade.

What should I plant in my garden this year based on this information?

North Carolina State University and Clemson University have put together excellent state-specific resources for various garden vegetables including varieties and times needed to mature for harvest: NCSU Planting Guide, and Clemson Planning a Garden Even in the coldest years in eastern North or South Carolina there is plenty of time in the growing season to grow virtually any type of garden vegetable. Drought or extreme heat are normally much larger concerns for farmers and gardeners.

Why does the date of the last Spring Freeze (or first Fall freeze) vary so much from place to place?

Many factors determine how much nighttime temperatures vary from place to place. It's worth mentioning there are two types of freeze events: an advective freeze and a radiational freeze. An advective freeze occurs when strong winds (usually northwest or north winds) bring cold air into the region. Since winds continue blowing through night any small-scale temperature variations are evened out. On nights when skies are clear and winds are calm, a very different event occurs called a radiational freeze. On these nights microclimates appear where temperatures can vary widely from neighborhood to neighborhood. Differences in tree cover and vegetation, proximity to water, slope and elevation, and even soil type help create these temperature differences.

Soil type and proximity to water have the most impact here in the Eastern Carolinas. Peat soil or soils with high organic content like are found in Carolina Bays and pocosin swamps produce the coldest nights and shortest growing seasons. Proximity to water (ocean, rivers, and lakes) provides locally warmer temperatures and extends the growing season length.

What is the source of the data used on this website?

For Wilmington, Lumberton, Florence, and North Myrtle Beach, climate observations used in this study were collected at the local airports using ASOS weather stations. The remainder of the data shown here originates from the NWS Cooperative Observation Program, a network of thousands of volunteer observers who report their highs, lows and daily precipitation to the National Weather Service. Official equipment and training is provided by the National Weather Service to ensure the data collected is high quality. The countless hours of public service volunteered by Cooperative Observers over the years have been invaluable in establishing a more complete picture of the climate of the United States.

Research and Page Author: Tim Armstrong
Last Updated: March 7, 2021