Frost dates for Columbia, South Carolina
South Carolina · first & last freeze, from NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals
In a typical year, the last spring freeze around Columbia comes near March 22 and the first fall freeze near November 15. One year in ten, a freeze still arrives after April 10 in spring — and one year in ten, the first fall freeze has already landed by November 1. NCEI's own growing-season statistic (days between freezes, percentiled per year) puts the median at 239 days.
Freeze-date probabilities, three thresholds
| Threshold | Last spring — 9 in 10 years past by | Last spring — typical (median) | Last spring — 1 in 10 years later than | First fall — 1 in 10 years by | First fall — typical (median) | First fall — 9 in 10 years by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F — near-freezing (frost can occur) | March 16 | April 3 | April 19 | October 21 | November 4 | November 19 |
| 32°F — freezing | March 2 | March 22 | April 10 | November 1 | November 15 | December 4 |
| 28°F — hard freeze | February 14 | March 8 | March 28 | November 12 | November 30 | December 28 |
Measured at Sandhill Rsch - Elgin, SC (USC00387666), 6.6 mi from the city's census reference point, elev. 440 ft. NOAA/NCEI 1991–2020 normals. Read each date column as odds over the 30-year record — e.g. "9 in 10 years past by" means only one spring in ten saw a later freeze than that date.
Frost-free windows (computed)
| Window (32°F ends) | Opens | Closes | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cautious (1-in-10 freeze risk at each end) | April 10 | November 1 | 205 days |
| Typical (median freeze dates) | March 22 | November 15 | 238 days |
| Gambler's (9-in-10 freeze risk at each end) | March 2 | December 4 | 277 days |
Pure arithmetic on the freeze-date percentiles above — the "cautious" window opens on the date only 1 year in 10 still sees a later spring freeze, and closes on the date by which only 1 year in 10 has already frozen.
About this city's numbers
- Census entity: Columbia city, South Carolina — official 2024 population estimate 144,788.
- Weather station: Sandhill Rsch - Elgin, SC (USC00387666), 6.6 mi from the city's census-gazetteer reference point at elevation 440 ft. Frost dates are that station's history — neighborhoods vary.
- Data pulled 2026-09-05; normals period 1991-2020 (replaced by NOAA roughly once a decade).
More South Carolina cities
Charleston · North Charleston · Mount Pleasant · all of South Carolina →