U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USW00093987 · Texas

Frost Dates for Lufkin, TX

NOAA weather station Lufkin Angelina County Airport (USW00093987), Texas · elevation 288 ft (88 m) · hardiness zone 9a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 4only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMarch 1150% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostNovember 1550% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season247 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone9acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Lufkin, TXSpring: a frost after February 17 in 9 years out of 10, after March 11 in half of the years, after April 4 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 30 in 1 year out of 10, before November 15 in half of the years, before December 4 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 247 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Mar 11First frost ~Nov 15Frost season at Lufkin, TXSpring: a frost after February 17 in 9 years out of 10, after March 11 in half of the years, after April 4 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 30 in 1 year out of 10, before November 15 in half of the years, before December 4 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 247 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Mar 11First frost ~Nov 15
frost likely chance fading 90% → 10% frost-free in a typical yearThe year at a glance. Blue: frost is likely; the gradient fades as the chance drops from 90% to 10%; green: the frost-free part of a typical year.

Frost dates (32°F)

Probability of frost, based on 27 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)April 4October 30
50% (typical)March 11November 15
90% (likely)February 17December 4
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
247 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
February 25
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 28

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost March 10 (1 day earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 14 (1 day earlier). Frost-free season 250 days.

A shorter, more recent NOAA period. The 30-year normals above remain the main reference: 15 years carry more year-to-year noise.

Add these dates to your calendar Yearly reminders for the typical last frost, the lower-risk planting date and the typical first fall frost (.ics).

How the chance of frost changes with the date

Spring at Lufkin: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 4, 20% March 28, 30% March 22, 40% March 16, 50% March 11, 60% March 6, 70% March 2, 80% February 26, 90% February 17. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 February 20, 2022 March 13, 2023 March 20, 2024 February 19, 2025 February 21, 2026 March 17.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Mar 1Apr 1Apr 4Mar 11Feb 172021: February 202022: March 132023: March 202024: February 192025: February 212026: March 17Fall at Lufkin: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 30, 20% November 3, 30% November 7, 40% November 11, 50% November 15, 60% November 19, 70% November 23, 80% November 29, 90% December 4. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 December 12, 2022 November 13, 2023 November 27, 2024 November 30, 2025 November 10.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Dec 1Oct 30Nov 15Dec 42021: December 122022: November 132023: November 272024: November 302025: November 10
Two charts, because spring and fall answer different questions: in spring, the chance that a frost still comes after a date; in fall, the chance that the first frost has already come before it. NOAA publishes these odds from 10% to 90%, so the lines stop there. ◆ marks the actual date in each recent year.

What actually happened in recent years

Observed dates of the last spring and first fall frost (32°F) at this station; ◆ marks them on the charts above
YearLast spring frostFirst fall frost
2021February 20December 12
2022March 13November 13
2023March 20November 27
2024February 19November 30
2025February 21November 10
2026March 17season not over yet

What these dates mean

Setting out tender crops on February 17 in Lufkin carries a 90% chance of a frost later in the season, making it a gamble for any garden. The cautious spring date for planting tender varieties is April 4, when only a 10% chance of a later frost remains.

The 50% date for light frost in spring is March 11, indicating an even chance of a frost later in the season. In the fall, the cautious date to finish harvesting tender crops is October 30, with a 10% chance that a frost has arrived earlier. The 50% fall date is November 15, meaning there is an even chance of a frost occurring in the season.

Hard frost at 28 °F is more damaging than the milder 32 °F light frost, so the median hard-frost dates of February 25 in spring and November 28 in fall are key reference points for gardeners in this region.

How to read the probabilities

The dates are probabilities from 30 years of weather, not a forecast for this year.

  • Spring: "10% after April 4" means that in about one spring out of ten a frost still happens after that date. The 90% date is the earliest: a frost after it happens in most years.
  • Fall: "10% before October 30" means that in about one fall out of ten the first frost arrives before that date.
  • 50% is the typical date: half of the years are earlier, half are later.
  • A light frost (32°F) damages tender plants; a hard frost (28°F) also stops most hardy vegetables.

Nearby weather stations

Map of weather stations near Lufkin, TXNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Nacogdoches, TX — 27 mi; 2 — Town Bluff Dam, TX — 46 mi; 3 — Rusk, TX — 46 mi; 4 — Center, TX — 53 mi; 5 — Henderson, TX — 65 mi.TXLA25 mi · 40 km1. Nacogdoches, TX — 27 mi12. Town Bluff Dam, TX — 46 mi23. Rusk, TX — 46 mi34. Center, TX — 53 mi45. Henderson, TX — 65 mi5
  1. Nacogdoches, TX 27 mi (44 km)
  2. Town Bluff Dam, TX 46 mi (74 km)
  3. Rusk, TX 46 mi (74 km)
  4. Center, TX 53 mi (85 km)
  5. Henderson, TX 65 mi (105 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 9a: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 31.2361, -94.7544.