Frost dates for Cape Hatteras, NC
When the last spring frost and first fall frost usually come, and when to plant, from 30 years of NOAA weather records.
Last spring frost
March 4
typical year
Safe to plant
March 25
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
December 22
typical year
Growing season
290 days
frost-free, typical year
Frost watch this week
Tonight's and the next six nights' lows from the National Weather Service forecast for the station's location. Frost: 32°F or colder. Possible frost: 33–36°F, mostly in low spots on clear, still nights.
When to plant
Counted from this page's frost dates. Warm-season crops wait for the safe-to-plant date.
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant outside | Fall planting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cool-season crops | |||
| Peas | – | Feb 4 – 18 | – |
| Spinach | – | Jan 21 – Feb 11 | Oct 27 – Nov 10 |
| Lettuce | – | Feb 4 – 25 | Oct 27 – Nov 10 |
| Radishes | – | Feb 4 – Mar 18 | Nov 10 – 24 |
| Onions | – | Feb 4 – 18 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Feb 11 – 25 | – |
| Carrots | – | Feb 11 – Mar 4 | Sep 29 – Oct 13 |
| Beets | – | Feb 4 – 18 | Oct 13 – 27 |
| Kale | Dec 24 – Jan 7 | Feb 4 – 18 | Oct 13 – 27 |
| Broccoli | Dec 24 – Jan 7 | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | Oct 13 – 27 |
| Cabbage | Dec 10 – 24 | Feb 4 – 18 | Oct 13 – 27 |
| Garlic | – | – | Nov 10 – Dec 1 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Jan 28 – Feb 11 | Mar 25 – Apr 8 | – |
| Peppers | Jan 21 – Feb 4 | Apr 1 – 15 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Mar 25 – Apr 15 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Mar 25 – Apr 22 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Mar 25 – Apr 15 | – |
| Green beans | – | Mar 25 – Oct 13 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Mar 25 – Apr 22 | – |
| Basil | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | Apr 1 – 8 | – |
Onions: from sets. Green beans: until 10 weeks before the first fall frost. Garlic: harvest next summer.
The year at a glance
Start indoors Plant outside Fall planting
The chance of frost, by date
| 1 year in 10 | Half of years | 9 years in 10 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring frost after | March 25 | March 4 | February 4 |
| Fall frost before | November 29 | December 22 | January 16 |
Frost here means 32°F or colder. Read across: in 1 year in 10, spring frost carries on past the first date, which is why that date is the safe-to-plant date.
Hard freeze (28°F)
A hard freeze kills most garden plants, even hardy ones. The last one in spring usually comes around February 12 (March 11 in a late year), and the first one in fall around January 8.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station CAPE HATTERAS AP, NC US (USW00093729), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 1 zip code, all within 6 miles:
27943
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.