Richmond, VA (WRIC) – As we continue to warm up and further solidify ourselves into warmer weather across the area, we’re looking at average last freeze dates, not just in the Richmond area but across the country as well.

The average last freeze date not only marks the end of winter-like temperatures, but also a great indicator for when you can begin to plant certain outdoor plants without having to worry about them perishing in colder temperatures.

As we can see from our National Average Last Freeze Dates graphic, some areas have their historical date of last freeze earlier than others. As you would expect, it is later in the north and earlier in the south.

These final freezing days can run from as early as February to as late as June. Some regions, on the other hand, have a year-round risk of freezing temperatures.

We’ll take a closer look at what to expect in our area, but keep in mind that these are historical averages, and by no means a precise prediction of when we’ll officially move on to warmer weather.

The date of the average last freeze for most of Central VA is sometime in early April, from the 1st-15th. Western Virginia, particularly in the mountains, generally gets their last freezing day in late April. Southeastern Virginia generally gets an earlier last freeze in late March.

Since we can expect our last freezing day sometime between the mid-March and the end of April statewide, we can look at planting temperature-sensitive plants outside. Hopefully by May we can ditch our winter coats and move into summer-like weather.