U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00168163 · Louisiana

Frost Dates for St. Joseph, LA

NOAA weather station St. Joseph 3 N (USC00168163), Louisiana · elevation 78 ft (24 m) · hardiness zone 8b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 4only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMarch 1350% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostNovember 1050% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season242 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone8bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at St. Joseph, LASpring: a frost after February 20 in 9 years out of 10, after March 13 in half of the years, after April 4 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 27 in 1 year out of 10, before November 10 in half of the years, before December 1 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 242 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Mar 13First frost ~Nov 10Frost season at St. Joseph, LASpring: a frost after February 20 in 9 years out of 10, after March 13 in half of the years, after April 4 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 27 in 1 year out of 10, before November 10 in half of the years, before December 1 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 242 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Mar 13First frost ~Nov 10
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.Today

Frost dates (32°F)

Probability of frost, based on 25 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)April 4October 27
50% (typical)March 13November 10
90% (likely)February 20December 1
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
242 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
February 27
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 22

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost March 11 (2 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 7 (3 days earlier). Frost-free season 242 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 St. Joseph: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 4, 20% March 27, 30% March 21, 40% March 16, 50% March 13, 60% March 9, 70% March 4, 80% February 28, 90% February 20. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 March 3, 2022 March 13.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Mar 1Apr 1Apr 4Mar 13Feb 202021: March 32022: March 13Fall at St. Joseph: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 27, 20% November 1, 30% November 4, 40% November 7, 50% November 10, 60% November 13, 70% November 18, 80% November 23, 90% December 1. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 20, 2022 October 19.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Dec 1Oct 27Nov 10Dec 12021: November 202022: October 19
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
2021March 3November 20
2022March 13October 19
2023incomplete recordincomplete record
2024incomplete recordincomplete record
2025incomplete recordincomplete record
2026incomplete recordseason not over yet

What these dates mean

In St. Joseph there are 242 days between the 32°F 50% dates, and that interval frames the window when most tender crops can be cultivated. The median dates are March 13 for spring and November 10 for fall; each represents an even-odds point for a light frost, so a gardener knows that frost is equally likely to occur before or after those days.

The cautious spring date for setting out tender crops is April 4, which carries only a 10 % chance of a frost later; the cautious fall date to finish harvesting tender crops is October 27, with only a 10 % chance of a frost earlier. Planting on February 20 or counting on crops through December 1 involves a 90 % chance of frost and is therefore a gamble.

A hard frost at 28 °F is more damaging than a light frost at 32 °F, and the median hard-frost dates for this station are February 27 and November 22.

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 27" 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 St. Joseph, LANumbered nearest stations: 1 — Natchez, MS — 26 mi; 2 — Winnsboro, LA — 29 mi; 3 — Hazlehurst, MS — 46 mi; 4 — near Jonesville, LA — 49 mi; 5 — near Brookhaven, MS — 53 mi.MSLA25 mi · 40 km1. Natchez, MS — 26 mi12. Winnsboro, LA — 29 mi23. Hazlehurst, MS — 46 mi34. near Jonesville, LA — 49 mi45. near Brookhaven, MS — 53 mi5
  1. Natchez, MS 26 mi (41 km)
  2. Winnsboro, LA 29 mi (47 km)
  3. Hazlehurst, MS 46 mi (75 km)
  4. near Jonesville, LA 49 mi (79 km)
  5. near Brookhaven, MS 53 mi (86 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 8b: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 31.9497, -91.2336.