Fall in zone 6bPhoto: Dietmar Rabich, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Frost dates for ZIP 26801 (Hardy County, WV)
Average last spring and first fall frost dates with 10%, 50% and 90% odds, from NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the nearest weather station, Lost Rvr, WV (8 miles away).
- Average last spring frostMay 350% chance of a 32°F freeze after this date
- Average first fall frostOct 1250% chance of a 32°F freeze by this date
- Growing season (frost-free)160 daysmedian, 32°F threshold
- USDA hardiness zone6b-5 to 0°F avg. coldest night
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This week in your yard
As of Oct 18, 2026, from your frost dates, zone and soil temperature. Lawn timing · Vegetables · Pruning · Plants
Soil temperature now
2-inch depth
55°F 50–55°F
24-hour average · latest 50°F, as of Oct 18, 1:00 AM CDT
Estimate Not a measurement at this ZIP: distance-weighted average of Elkins 21 ENE (36 mi).
4-inch depth
58°F 55°F or warmer
24-hour average · latest 53°F, as of Oct 18, 1:00 AM CDT
Estimate Not a measurement at this ZIP: distance-weighted average of Elkins 21 ENE (36 mi).
Fall: Texas A&M AgriLife times fall pre-emergent (for winter weeds such as annual bluegrass) to soil cooling to about 70°F for several days. The 50–55°F band is the spring trigger. Always read and follow the product label.
7-day forecast and frost risk
The latest National Weather Service 7-day forecast and any Frost Advisory or Freeze Warning for 26801 load here. You can also open the NWS forecast for this ZIP.
Pre-emergent
Soil is 58°F at 4 inches (estimated soil temperature, not a station reading). Fall pre-emergent (annual bluegrass, winter weeds): window open as soil cools through the 70s and 60s.
Fertilizer window
Lawn region: Transition zone. Timing only; always follow the product label.
- Bermudagrass (warm-season): Spring: Several weeks after the lawn is fully green (April–May) (about Jun 18 here, using green-up about 3–4 weeks after your average last frost); Summer: Every 4–6 weeks through mid-August (heaviest feeder of the group); Late: Light, low-nitrogen/high-potassium feeding about 4 weeks before first frost, or skip. Avoid: Heavy late-fall nitrogen (linked to spring dead spot).
- Tall fescue (cool-season): Early fall: September (main feeding); Late fall: November, while still green; Late winter: Optional light feeding February–March. Avoid: Feeding after mid-spring and through summer in the transition zone (stress and brown patch).
Plant now
No vegetable planting windows are open this week.
Prune now
No frost-timed pruning windows are open this week.
Spring-flowering shrubs are pruned right after their flowers fade, not by date. See the pruning guide.
Last spring frost odds
| Chance of a 32°F freeze after this date | Date |
|---|---|
| 90% (early: most years still freeze after this) | Apr 19 |
| 50% (the "average" last frost) | May 3 |
| 10% (cautious: only 1 year in 10 freezes later) | May 21 |
Most gardeners plant frost-tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, basil) after the 50% date, and closer to the 10% date for less risk.
First fall frost odds
| Chance the first 32°F freeze has happened by this date | Date |
|---|---|
| 10% (early: 1 year in 10 freezes this soon) | Sep 28 |
| 50% (the "average" first frost) | Oct 12 |
| 90% (late: most years have frozen by now) | Oct 26 |
Light frost, freeze and hard freeze
| Threshold | Last spring (50%) | First fall (50%) |
|---|---|---|
| 36°F (light frost possible on clear, calm nights) | May 15 | Sep 30 |
| 32°F (freeze) | May 3 | Oct 12 |
| 28°F (hard freeze) | Apr 23 | Oct 24 |
n/a means NOAA did not publish a date at that threshold for this station (usually because it rarely gets that cold).
Vegetable planting calendar for 26801
Dates count from your average last spring frost (May 3) and first fall frost (Oct 12). Half of years have a frost after the spring date, so give tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, squash) some slack.
| Crop | Start indoors | Spring planting | Fall planting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Mar 8–22 | May 10–24 (transplant) | – |
| Pepper (sweet and hot) | Feb 22–Mar 8 | May 17–31 (transplant) | – |
| Eggplant | Feb 22–Mar 8 | May 17–31 (transplant) | – |
| Tomatillo | Mar 8–22 | May 10–24 (transplant) | – |
| Lettuce | Mar 8–22 | Apr 12–May 3 (transplant) Apr 5–May 17 (sow outdoors) | Aug 17–Sep 7 (transplant) Aug 3–31 (sowing) |
| Spinach | – | Mar 22–Apr 12 (sow outdoors) | Aug 17–Sep 7 (sowing) |
| Kale | Mar 8–22 | Apr 5–19 (transplant) Apr 5–19 (sow outdoors) | Jul 20–Aug 17 (transplant) Jul 6–Aug 3 (sowing) |
| Collards | Mar 8–22 | Apr 5–May 3 (transplant) Apr 5–May 3 (sow outdoors) | Jul 20–Aug 17 (transplant) Jul 6–Aug 3 (sowing) |
| Broccoli | Feb 22–Mar 8 | Apr 5–19 (transplant) | Jul 6–Aug 3 (transplant) |
| Cabbage | Feb 22–Mar 8 | Apr 5–19 (transplant) | Jul 6–Aug 3 (transplant) |
| Cauliflower | Feb 22–Mar 8 | Apr 19–May 3 (transplant) | Jul 6–Aug 3 (transplant) |
| Brussels sprouts | Feb 8–22 | Apr 5–19 (transplant) | Jun 22–Jul 13 (transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Mar 8–22 | Apr 5–19 (transplant) Apr 5–19 (sow outdoors) | Aug 3–17 (sowing) |
| Bok choy / Asian greens | – | Apr 5–19 (sow outdoors) | Aug 17–31 (sowing) |
| Arugula | – | Apr 5–May 3 (sow outdoors) | Aug 17–Sep 14 (sowing) |
| Mustard greens | – | Apr 5–26 (sow outdoors) | Aug 17–31 (sowing) |
| Swiss chard | Mar 22–Apr 5 | Apr 19–May 10 (transplant) Apr 19–May 17 (sow outdoors) | Aug 3–17 (sowing) |
| Beet | – | Apr 5–May 3 (sow outdoors) | Aug 3–17 (sowing) |
| Carrot | – | Apr 12–May 10 (sow outdoors) | Jul 20–Aug 3 (sowing) |
| Radish | – | Mar 29–May 10 (sow outdoors) | Aug 31–Sep 14 (sowing) |
| Turnip | – | Apr 5–26 (sow outdoors) | Aug 3–17 (sowing) |
| Parsnip | – | Apr 12–May 3 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pea (garden, snap, snow) | – | Mar 8–Apr 5 (sow outdoors) | Jul 20–Aug 3 (sowing) |
| Onion (bulbing) | Feb 8–22 | Mar 22–Apr 5 (transplant) | – |
| Green onion / scallion | – | Mar 22–Apr 19 (sow outdoors) | Aug 3–17 (sowing) |
| Leek | Feb 8–22 | Apr 5–19 (transplant) | – |
| Garlic | – | – | Aug 31–Sep 28 (sowing) |
| Shallot | – | Mar 22–Apr 5 (transplant) | Aug 31–Sep 28 (sowing) |
| Potato | – | Apr 5–19 (transplant) | Jun 22–Jul 6 (transplant) |
| Sweet potato | – | May 24–Jun 7 (transplant) | – |
| Sweet corn | – | May 10–24 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, bush (snap) | – | May 10–24 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, pole | – | May 10–24 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Lima bean | – | May 17–31 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Southern pea (cowpea, black-eyed pea) | – | May 24–Jun 14 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cucumber | Apr 5–12 | May 10–24 (transplant) May 10–24 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Apr 5–12 | May 10–24 (transplant) May 10–24 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Winter squash | Apr 5–12 | May 10–24 (transplant) May 10–24 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pumpkin | – | May 10–24 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Watermelon | Apr 5–12 | May 17–31 (transplant) May 17–31 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cantaloupe / muskmelon | Apr 5–12 | May 17–31 (transplant) May 17–31 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Okra | Mar 22–Apr 5 | May 17–31 (transplant) May 17–31 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Celery | Feb 8–22 | May 10–17 (transplant) | – |
| Basil | Mar 22–Apr 5 | May 10–24 (transplant) May 10–24 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cilantro | – | Apr 19–May 17 (sow outdoors) | Aug 17–31 (sowing) |
| Parsley | Feb 22–Mar 8 | Apr 19–May 3 (transplant) Apr 12–May 3 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Dill | – | May 3–17 (sow outdoors) | Aug 17–31 (sowing) |
| Sunflower | – | May 3–17 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Asparagus (crowns) | – | Apr 5–19 (transplant) | – |
| Rhubarb (crowns) | – | Apr 5–19 (transplant) | – |
| Strawberry (plants) | – | Apr 5–19 (transplant) | Aug 3–31 (transplant) |
Typical ranges from university extension planting calendars, adjusted to your frost dates. Probabilities, not guarantees. Fall windows that would overlap spring planting are left out, as are fall crops of frost-tender plants where the frost-free season is under 210 days.
Where these numbers come from
Station: Lost Rvr, WV (NOAA GHCN-Daily ID USC00465453), elevation 1,690 ft, 7.9 miles from the ZIP's center point. NOAA completeness flag: R (representative, 10+ years).
Nearby stations
| Station | Distance | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moorefield 1 SSE, WV | 9 mi | Apr 29 | Oct 15 |
| Wardensville R M Farm, WV | 12 mi | May 6 | Oct 12 |
| Petersburg, WV | 19 mi | Apr 23 | Oct 20 |
The average last-frost dates of these stations span 14 days, a rough guide to local variation. See data sources & methods.
Frost questions for 26801
When is the last frost in 26801?
The average (50% chance) last spring freeze of 32°F for ZIP 26801 is May 3. For a more cautious planting date, use May 21, when only 1 year in 10 still sees a later freeze.
When is the first frost in 26801?
The average first fall freeze is October 12. In 1 year in 10 it comes by September 28.
What hardiness zone is 26801?
ZIP 26801 is in USDA zone 6b (-5 to 0°F average coldest winter night), per the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP listing.
What is the soil temperature in 26801 right now?
This page shows the latest 2-inch and 4-inch soil temperature from the nearest public soil station (USDA SCAN, NOAA USCRN or TexMesonet), or a labeled estimate when no station is close, against the 50–55°F spring pre-emergent band.
Nearby ZIP codes
26810 26755 26851 Wardensville 26836 Moorefield 26714 26845 26818 26812
Other ZIP codes in Hardy County
26810 26812 26818 26836 26838 26845 26851 All Hardy County frost dates · West Virginia frost dates
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Weekly yard timing, plus frost and soil-temperature alerts for your ZIP code.
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