The cleavage fracture criterion of low alloy steel and weld metal in notched specimens is investigated in detail based on a great number of experimental data. It has been found that the most cleavage fractures initiate at a distance shorter (left side) than that of the peak stress location below a notch root, and the cleavage fracture in notched specimens must satisfy a dual criterion, i.e., a critical plastic strain (εp ≥ εpc) for initiating a crack nucleus, and a critical tensile stress (σyy ≥ σf) for its propagation. According to the dual criterion model, the great number of experimental data of 4PB (four-point bending) tests for the low alloy steel and weld metal and their statistical distribution are explained. The effects of temperature , the local fracture stress σf and the critical plastic strain εpc on the locations of cleavage initiation sites and the controlling steps of cleavage fracture process are discussed.