Gardeners and growers along the South Carolina and Georgia coasts should prepare as the National Weather Service Charleston SC officially resumes its Frost/Freeze Program on March 1 for the 2026 growing season.
Beginning Sunday, Frost Advisories, Freeze Watches and Freeze Warnings will again be issued when temperatures are forecast to threaten tender vegetation during the climatological growing season.
Coastal Counties Included in Coverage Area
The program applies to coastal counties in southeast South Carolina, including Charleston, Berkeley and Dorchester, as well as Chatham, Bryan and Liberty counties in southeast Georgia. Major travel corridors such as I-26, US-17, I-95 and I-16 fall within the coverage zone.
Although hard freezes become less common along the coast by March, inland areas near Walterboro, Moncks Corner and west of Savannah can still see early-morning temperatures dip into the lower 30s.
What Triggers Frost and Freeze Alerts
The Frost/Freeze Program operates annually and is based on long-term climate averages that determine the typical last spring freeze. For coastal South Carolina and Georgia, that median date occurs in late February, prompting the March 1 restart.
Once active, advisories may be issued when temperatures fall into the mid-30s with frost potential, while freeze alerts are issued when temperatures are expected to reach 32 degrees or colder.
Residents are encouraged to monitor forecasts, protect sensitive plants and cover early crops, as brief cold snaps remain possible even as overall warming trends set in during March.
