Do I need to cover plants for frost in Winston-Salem, NC this week?
Here's the next 7 days for covering plants in Winston-Salem, checked hour by hour against the published thresholds. Below it: what Winston-Salem's 1991–2020 climate averages say about the months that usually work.
This week in Winston-Salem
Asking the sky…
Fairsky is not a substitute for official warnings. For warnings, go to weather.gov. Verdicts are guidance, not guarantees. Your product's label always wins.
When covering plants usually works in Winston-Salem
- On 1991–2020 averages, Winston-Salem's median last spring freeze (32°F) comes around March 26 and the median first fall freeze around November 9. In half of years the date is later than that, in half earlier.
- Nights of 36°F or colder, when frost can form under clear, calm skies, typically end around April 9 and return around October 30.
- Hard freezes (28°F or colder, which kill most tender plants even under a cover) typically end around March 13 and return around November 23.
- Winston-Salem averages 64 nights a year at or below 32°F, most of them in January (18.9).
| Month | Avg high | Avg low | Days ≥0.10" rain | Nights ≤32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 49° | 31° | 5.7 | 18.9 |
| February | 53° | 33° | 6.1 | 14.0 |
| March | 61° | 40° | 6.8 | 6.9 |
| April | 71° | 48° | 6.6 | 0.8 |
| May | 78° | 57° | 7.1 | 0.0 |
| June | 85° | 65° | 7.4 | 0.0 |
| July | 88° | 69° | 8.0 | 0.0 |
| August | 86° | 68° | 6.6 | 0.0 |
| September | 80° | 61° | 5.9 | 0.0 |
| October | 71° | 49° | 5.2 | 0.5 |
| November | 60° | 39° | 5.0 | 7.1 |
| December | 52° | 34° | 6.0 | 15.5 |
Station: Winston Salem Rynlds Airport (NOAA NCEI USW00093807), about 4 km from central Winston-Salem. “Rain days” count days with 0.10" or more of precipitation.
The rules we check
- Cover tender plants when the overnight low is forecast at 34°F or colder.
- At 35–36°F, Fairsky still says cover when the night looks clear and calm (little cloud, wind 5 mph or less), because the ground can frost before the air hits 32°F. (Fairsky default: no source gave a number)
- 32°F or colder is a freeze.
- 28°F or colder is a hard freeze, which kills most tender vegetation; bring pots inside, since covers may not be enough.
Your product's label always wins. Labels differ by product; in the app you can enter your label's temperature range and rain-free hours, and the verdict uses them instead.
Sources: NWS glossary: frost advisory · NWS glossary: hard freeze
More home and yard jobs in Winston-Salem
- Stain a deckDeck and fence stain: 50–90°F, dry wood, 24 rain-free hours after.
- Paint a house exteriorExterior latex paint: 40°F and up, 5°F above the dew point, 4 dry hours after.
- Pour concreteConcrete: 40–85°F, no rain for 24 hours, no freezing for 48.
- Spray weedsWeed killer: 3–10 mph wind, 45–85°F, 4 rain-free hours after.
- Apply pre-emergentCrabgrass pre-emergent: before soil holds 55°F (about 200 GDD), then water it in.
- Plant grass seedCool-season grass seed: soil about 50–65°F, highs 60–80°F, no washout rain.
- Seal a drivewayAsphalt sealcoat: 55°F and rising, 50°F overnight, 36 rain-free hours.
The app covers 47 activities in all, from mowing to a round of golf: see every activity and its rules.
Cover plants for frost in nearby cities
- Greensboro, NC25 miles away
- Charlotte, NC69 miles away
- Durham, NC76 miles away
- Raleigh, NC93 miles away
- Greenville, SC149 miles away
- Columbia, SC152 miles away
All cover plants for frost cities: Cover plants for frost, by city · Home and yard in North Carolina
Questions
How is this verdict made?
We take the National Weather Service hourly forecast for Winston-Salem and check each hour against the thresholds listed above. The result is guidance, not a guarantee; your product's label always wins.
Will it frost tonight in Winston-Salem?
Frost is possible when the forecast low is in the mid-30s °F or colder, especially on clear, calm nights. The verdict above checks Winston-Salem's low tonight and this week.
Fairsky is not a substitute for official warnings. For warnings, go to weather.gov.
Live forecasts: National Weather Service / NOAA (public domain), fetched by your browser. Climate averages: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 (public domain). Activity thresholds: product data sheets, ACI and university extension guidance, linked on each page; your product’s label wins.