Introduction

Growing season is defined as the number of days without an air temperature of 32°F or lower. The standard deviation is an important statistic to consider along with the average date. The standard deviation tells the amount of dispersion around the average. The average growing season length plus and minus one standard deviation gives the range of growing season length into which 68% of all observed growing seasons will fall. For example, the average growing season in Albemarle is 200 days (Table 1). Further, 68% of all the growing seasons will be from 187 to 213 days long (200 minus 13 and 200 plus 13).

Below the growing season data are listed by Station Name (Table 1) and by County (Table 2).

There are several published references for North Carolina climate data. These references are available from the North Carolina State University Department of Communication Services, Publications, Box 7603, Raleigh, NC 27695-7603; (919) 515-2861.

• Weather and Climate in North Carolina AG-375 ($2.50)
• Probabilities of Dry Periods in North Carolina AG-411 ($2.00)
• Risk of Frost and Freeze Damage for North Carolina Fruit Crops AG-403 (free)
• Low-Temperature Probability Data for North Carolina AG-403S ($3.00)
• Growing Degree Days in North Carolina AG-236 ($3.00)

Table 1. Average length of growing season for selected North Carolina stations (1951-1980)

Table 1. Average length of growing season for selected North Carolina counties (1951-1980)