UVa Climatology Office--Your Virginia Growing Season

VA State Climatology Office, Charlottesville, VA

When Does Your Growing Season Start?

The following chart gives the expected date of last occurrence of a given "critical" (or lower) temperature at different probability levels for a number of long-term weather observing stations across Virginia.

A temperature reading of 32�F essentially defines a "frost." If the temperature dips to 28�F or below, it's often referred to as a "freeze." Plants which are reasonably hardy usually need a temperature this low to be seriously injured. Especially cold-sensitive varieties should probably be kept above 36�F.

To use the chart:

Find your location, or a station which has reasonably similar temperature characteristics to yours.
Decide upon the lowest temperature your plants are likely to tolerate.
Read across to find the days in the spring season which represents the different likelihoods of such a low temperature being reached.

For instance: A gardener in in the Ashland area plans to grow a plant with about average sensitivity to cold temperatures. Choosing the 32� level gives us the following information: The average date (50% probability) of last frost (32�) in the spring is April 15th. So--when you finish up your tax return, it's a 50-50 chance there will be another frost this spring. On April 2nd, there's still a 90% chance of having another frost. If you're really risk-averse, wait until April 28th, and there will only be a 10% chance -- only 1 year in 10 will see a frost after that date.

This always bears repeating: Use this information with caution, especially at higher elevations and in complex terrain! The characteristics of your specific location can cause surprisingly wide variations in the temperature in your garden or fields!

May your tomato plants flourish!

(This chart can also be seen and printed at: VA Latest Spring Frost Dates 1971-2000.pdf)


STATION	CRITICAL TEMPERATURE	PROBABILITY OF CRITICAL TEMPERATURE OCCURRING LATER IN THE SPRING
	(�F)	90%	50%	10%
ABINGDON 3 S	36	23-Apr	13-May	2-Jun
	32	12-Apr	30-Apr	17-May
	28	30-Mar	15-Apr	2-May

AMELIA 4 SW	36	17-Apr	30-Apr	13-May
	32	1-Apr	17-Apr	3-May
	28	23-Mar	7-Apr	21-Apr

APPOMATTOX	36	15-Apr	29-Apr	13-May
	32	29-Mar	14-Apr	1-May
	28	16-Mar	2-Apr	18-Apr

ASHLAND	36	17-Apr	30-Apr	13-May
	32	2-Apr	15-Apr	28-Apr
	28	23-Mar	4-Apr	16-Apr

BACK BAY WILDLIFE REFUGE	36	28-Mar	10-Apr	22-Apr
	32	15-Mar	31-Mar	16-Apr
	28	18-Feb	9-Mar	28-Mar

BEDFORD	36	11-Apr	27-Apr	12-May
	32	30-Mar	11-Apr	24-Apr
	28	17-Mar	31-Mar	14-Apr

BIG MEADOWS	36	3-May	25-May	16-Jun
	32	25-Apr	13-May	31-May
	28	13-Apr	29-Apr	16-May

BLACKSBURG	36	30-Apr	16-May	1-Jun
	32	17-Apr	4-May	21-May
	28	31-Mar	20-Apr	9-May

BREMO BLUFF	36	18-Apr	3-May	17-May
	32	8-Apr	21-Apr	3-May
	28	26-Mar	9-Apr	24-Apr

BROOKNEAL	36	20-Apr	3-May	16-May
	32	5-Apr	18-Apr	30-Apr
	28	22-Mar	4-Apr	17-Apr

BUCHANAN	36	21-Apr	5-May	19-May
	32	7-Apr	23-Apr	10-May
	28	24-Mar	8-Apr	22-Apr

BUENA VISTA	36	14-May	26-May	6-Jun
	32	28-Apr	17-May	4-Jun
	28	9-Apr	4-May	28-May

BURKES GARDEN	36	10-May	1-Jun	23-Jun
	32	28-Apr	16-May	4-Jun
	28	22-Apr	4-May	15-May

CHARLOTTE COURT HOUSE	36	14-Apr	2-May	19-May
	32	1-Apr	17-Apr	3-May
	28	17-Mar	4-Apr	22-Apr

CHARLOTTESVILLE 2 W	36	4-Apr	16-Apr	28-Apr
	32	29-Mar	7-Apr	16-Apr
	28	12-Mar	26-Mar	9-Apr

CHASE CITY	36	11-Apr	29-Apr	17-May
	32	30-Mar	15-Apr	1-May
	28	17-Mar	2-Apr	17-Apr

CHATHAM	36	25-Apr	11-May	26-May
	32	19-Apr	1-May	13-May
	28	29-Mar	15-Apr	2-May

COLONIAL BEACH	36	2-Apr	15-Apr	28-Apr
	32	21-Mar	6-Apr	22-Apr
	28	9-Mar	25-Mar	10-Apr

CORBIN	36	20-Apr	5-May	21-May
	32	6-Apr	20-Apr	5-May
	28	22-Mar	4-Apr	18-Apr

COVINGTON FILTER PLANT	36	30-Apr	16-May	1-Jun
	32	20-Apr	3-May	15-May
	28	2-Apr	15-Apr	27-Apr

DALE ENTERPRISE	36	28-Apr	12-May	26-May
	32	18-Apr	30-Apr	12-May
	28	2-Apr	13-Apr	24-Apr

DANVILLE	36	7-Apr	21-Apr	4-May
	32	23-Mar	8-Apr	24-Apr
	28	6-Mar	22-Mar	6-Apr

FARMVILLE 2 N	36	20-Apr	1-May	13-May
	32	6-Apr	18-Apr	29-Apr
	28	24-Mar	6-Apr	19-Apr

FLOYD 2 NE	36	5-May	24-May	11-Jun
	32	29-Apr	16-May	2-Jun
	28	16-Apr	1-May	15-May

GALAX RADIO WBRF	36	29-Apr	16-May	2-Jun
	32	24-Apr	8-May	21-May
	28	4-Apr	21-Apr	8-May

GRUNDY	36	22-Apr	5-May	19-May
	32	8-Apr	24-Apr	10-May
	28	26-Mar	10-Apr	24-Apr

HOLLAND 1 E	36	11-Apr	23-Apr	4-May
	32	30-Mar	12-Apr	25-Apr
	28	12-Mar	25-Mar	7-Apr

HOPEWELL	36	7-Apr	21-Apr	5-May
	32	24-Mar	6-Apr	19-Apr
	28	5-Mar	23-Mar	10-Apr

HOT SPRINGS	36	28-Apr	16-May	2-Jun
	32	18-Apr	3-May	18-May
	28	1-Apr	16-Apr	2-May

JOHN H KERR DAM	36	13-Apr	27-Apr	11-May
	32	29-Mar	11-Apr	24-Apr
	28	13-Mar	28-Mar	12-Apr

LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE	36	22-Mar	4-Apr	17-Apr
	32	10-Mar	26-Mar	11-Apr
	28	21-Feb	9-Mar	24-Mar

LAWRENCEVILLE 3 E	36	19-Apr	4-May	19-May
	32	6-Apr	21-Apr	5-May
	28	20-Mar	6-Apr	22-Apr

LEXINGTON	36	25-Apr	9-May	22-May
	32	15-Apr	28-Apr	12-May
	28	30-Mar	11-Apr	23-Apr

LINCOLN	36	21-Apr	3-May	16-May
	32	5-Apr	18-Apr	1-May
	28	24-Mar	5-Apr	18-Apr

LOUISA	36	25-Apr	9-May	24-May
	32	11-Apr	24-Apr	7-May
	28	28-Mar	12-Apr	28-Apr

LURAY 5 E	36	29-Apr	16-May	1-Jun
	32	21-Apr	4-May	18-May
	28	3-Apr	17-Apr	1-May

LYNCHBURG MUNICIPAL AP	36	15-Apr	29-Apr	12-May
	32	27-Mar	13-Apr	29-Apr
	28	17-Mar	1-Apr	15-Apr

MARTINSVILLE FILTER PLT	36	20-Apr	8-May	26-May
	32	15-Apr	29-Apr	13-May
	28	27-Mar	12-Apr	27-Apr

MATHEWS 4 SE	36	28-Mar	13-Apr	28-Apr
	32	10-Mar	1-Apr	24-Apr
	28	27-Feb	19-Mar	8-Apr

MOUNT WEATHER	36	16-Apr	1-May	17-May
	32	7-Apr	22-Apr	7-May
	28	1-Apr	12-Apr	24-Apr

NORFOLK INTL AP	36	23-Mar	6-Apr	19-Apr
	32	3-Mar	20-Mar	7-Apr
	28	14-Feb	4-Mar	22-Mar

PAINTER 2 W	36	8-Apr	23-Apr	7-May
	32	28-Mar	9-Apr	20-Apr
	28	8-Mar	24-Mar	9-Apr

PENNINGTON GAP	36	23-Apr	11-May	29-May
	32	16-Apr	1-May	16-May
	28	30-Mar	20-Apr	10-May

PHILPOTT DAM 2	36	16-Apr	2-May	18-May
	32	2-Apr	17-Apr	2-May
	28	19-Mar	2-Apr	16-Apr

PIEDMONT RESEARCH STN	36	13-Apr	27-Apr	11-May
	32	29-Mar	14-Apr	29-Apr
	28	22-Mar	4-Apr	17-Apr

PULASKI	36	30-Apr	19-May	6-Jun
	32	19-Apr	6-May	22-May
	28	2-Apr	17-Apr	2-May

RICHMOND BYRD INTL AP	36	6-Apr	21-Apr	7-May
	32	22-Mar	6-Apr	21-Apr
	28	11-Mar	27-Mar	11-Apr

ROANOKE WOODRUM AP	36	15-Apr	30-Apr	14-May
	32	29-Mar	13-Apr	27-Apr
	28	13-Mar	29-Mar	14-Apr

ROCKY MOUNT	36	14-Apr	30-Apr	17-May
	32	3-Apr	20-Apr	6-May
	28	16-Mar	2-Apr	19-Apr

SALTVILLE 1 N	36	23-Apr	17-May	10-Jun
	32	16-Apr	6-May	25-May
	28	27-Mar	22-Apr	19-May

STAFFORDSVILLE 3 ENE	36	28-Apr	16-May	2-Jun
	32	19-Apr	2-May	16-May
	28	29-Mar	18-Apr	9-May

STAUNTON SEWAGE PLANT	36	24-Apr	12-May	31-May
	32	12-Apr	30-Apr	18-May
	28	5-Apr	19-Apr	4-May

STONY CREEK 1 E	36	9-Apr	25-Apr	12-May
	32	28-Mar	14-Apr	1-May
	28	16-Mar	31-Mar	16-Apr

STUART	36	15-Apr	29-Apr	14-May
	32	1-Apr	18-Apr	6-May
	28	14-Mar	31-Mar	18-Apr

SUFFOLK LAKE KILBY	36	29-Mar	11-Apr	24-Apr
	32	14-Mar	30-Mar	16-Apr
	28	25-Feb	15-Mar	1-Apr

TANGIER ISLAND	36	21-Mar	4-Apr	17-Apr
	32	8-Mar	22-Mar	5-Apr
	28	24-Feb	11-Mar	25-Mar

TYE RIVER 1 SE	36	18-Apr	1-May	14-May
	32	3-Apr	16-Apr	28-Apr
	28	18-Mar	2-Apr	16-Apr

VIENNA	36	12-Apr	27-Apr	12-May
	32	30-Mar	10-Apr	22-Apr
	28	17-Mar	31-Mar	14-Apr

WALKERTON 2 NW	36	20-Apr	1-May	13-May
	32	5-Apr	16-Apr	27-Apr
	28	22-Mar	5-Apr	18-Apr

WARRENTON 3 SE	36	13-Apr	30-Apr	17-May
	32	30-Mar	13-Apr	28-Apr
	28	21-Mar	3-Apr	16-Apr

WARSAW 2 NW	36	12-Apr	25-Apr	7-May
	32	28-Mar	11-Apr	25-Apr
	28	18-Mar	2-Apr	16-Apr

WASHINGTON DULLES INTL	36	24-Apr	7-May	21-May
	32	6-Apr	23-Apr	9-May
	28	26-Mar	7-Apr	20-Apr

WASHINGTON REAGAN NTL	36	29-Mar	9-Apr	20-Apr
	32	17-Mar	29-Mar	10-Apr
	28	2-Mar	16-Mar	30-Mar

WEST POINT 2 NW	36	13-Apr	26-Apr	8-May
	32	31-Mar	11-Apr	22-Apr
	28	20-Mar	2-Apr	15-Apr

WILLIAMSBURG 2 N	36	9-Apr	23-Apr	7-May
	32	27-Mar	10-Apr	25-Apr
	28	11-Mar	28-Mar	14-Apr

WINCHESTER 7 SE	36	28-Apr	12-May	27-May
	32	16-Apr	29-Apr	13-May
	28	1-Apr	12-Apr	23-Apr

WISE 3 E	36	20-Apr	8-May	26-May
	32	12-Apr	29-Apr	16-May
	28	26-Mar	10-Apr	25-Apr

WOODSTOCK 2 NE	36	27-Apr	8-May	19-May
	32	13-Apr	28-Apr	13-May
	28	28-Mar	11-Apr	25-Apr

WYTHEVILLE 1 S	36	3-May	21-May	8-Jun
	32	23-Apr	9-May	24-May
	28	6-Apr	26-Apr	15-May