USDA Hardiness Zone 9a
Frost Dates for 32083 — Raiford, Florida
NOAA 1991–2020 normals from Starke, FL (150 ft), 11 miles southeast.
Updated
In Raiford, the last spring frost (32°F) is around February 8 in half of years and has passed by March 8 in nine years out of ten. The first fall frost comes around December 24, as early as November 29 one year in ten, leaving a typical freeze-free season of 313 days (NOAA, Starke, FL).
- Last spring frost
- February 8
- First fall frost
- December 24
- Growing season
- 313 days
- Hardiness zone
- 9a
50% probability
50% probability
freeze-free, 50%
20 to 25°F (-6.7 to -3.9°C) coldest night
- First snow
- Rare
- Last snow
- Rare
- Winters with snow
- 0%
- Snow per year
- 0"
median, 1991–2020
median, 1991–2020
0 of 20 observed
NOAA normal
Frost risk by date in Raiford
Half of springs at Starke, FL see their last 32°F night by February 8; only one in ten is past it by January 6, and one in ten still has one after March 8. Planting tender crops after February 22 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after February 28 20%, and after March 8 10%. The 28 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is wider than at 67% of the 101 Florida stations behind this site's ZIP pages, so a fixed calendar date is a gamble here.
In fall the first 32°F night comes by December 24 in half of years, as early as November 29 one year in ten, and holds off past January 30 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 11 days later, around January 4; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is February 20, 16 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 313 days in a typical year, longer than at 54% of the 102 Florida stations; it reaches 352 days one year in ten and falls short of 279 one year in ten. On average 15 nights a year drop to 32°F or below. Nights of 36°F, when frost can still settle on leaves in low, open spots, continue 21 days longer, to about March 1, and return around December 2. A 24°F night is unusual: 24% of winters had one.
| Low | 90% | 80% | 70% | 60% | 50% | 40% | 30% | 20% | 10% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Feb 2 | Feb 10 | Feb 19 | Feb 25 | Mar 1 | Mar 5 | Mar 10 | Mar 16 | Mar 22 |
| 32°F94% of yrs | Jan 6 | Jan 18 | Jan 28 | Feb 3 | Feb 8 | Feb 15 | Feb 22 | Feb 28 | Mar 8 |
| 28°F63% of yrs | Dec 26 | Jan 2 | Jan 7 | Jan 15 | Jan 23 | Jan 30 | Feb 3 | Feb 11 | Feb 20 |
| 24°F24% of yrs | too rare for a date | ||||||||
| 20°F3% of yrs | too rare for a date | ||||||||
| Low | 10% | 20% | 30% | 40% | 50% | 60% | 70% | 80% | 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Nov 9 | Nov 17 | Nov 23 | Nov 28 | Dec 2 | Dec 5 | Dec 11 | Dec 20 | Jan 1 |
| 32°F94% of yrs | Nov 29 | Dec 4 | Dec 10 | Dec 17 | Dec 24 | Jan 1 | Jan 5 | Jan 12 | Jan 30 |
| 28°F63% of yrs | Dec 7 | Dec 17 | Dec 26 | Jan 1 | Jan 4 | Jan 9 | Jan 19 | Jan 30 | Feb 9 |
| 24°F24% of yrs | too rare for a date | ||||||||
| 20°F3% of yrs | too rare for a date | ||||||||
Freeze probabilities 1991–2020 at Starke, FL, from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals. Where a temperature is reached in fewer than 99.5% of years, the dates describe only the years that reach it. Not a forecast.
Frost risk on any date in 32083 →Compare Raiford with another place →
Weather by month in Raiford
July is the warmest month at Starke, FL, averaging 92°F by day and 74°F at night; January is the coldest at 68°F and 45°F. From April to October the chance of a 32°F night stays under 10% each month. In spring, February still brings one in 51% of years and March still brings one in 19% of years.
Warmth for growing adds up to 7,759 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), fewer than at 63% of the 158 Florida stations. 43% of them (3,354) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 1,032. Precipitation totals 53.3 inches a year, most in June (8.2") and least in November (2.3"); May to September bring 59% of it.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | 32°F night | Nights ≤ 32°F | GDD 50°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 68 | 45 | 4.0 | 67% | 5 | 250 |
| Feb | 71 | 47 | 3.0 | 51% | 3 | 274 |
| Mar | 76 | 52 | 3.1 | 19% | 1 | 445 |
| Apr | 82 | 58 | 2.6 | 0% | 0 | 599 |
| May | 87 | 66 | 3.7 | 0% | 0 | 822 |
| Jun | 92 | 73 | 8.2 | 0% | 0 | 964 |
| Jul | 92 | 74 | 7.1 | 0% | 0 | 1032 |
| Aug | 92 | 74 | 6.4 | 0% | 0 | 1018 |
| Sep | 89 | 71 | 5.9 | 0% | 0 | 906 |
| Oct | 83 | 62 | 4.3 | 0% | <1 | 704 |
| Nov | 76 | 53 | 2.3 | 11% | 1 | 438 |
| Dec | 71 | 47 | 2.7 | 51% | 5 | 307 |
Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Starke, FL (150 ft), NOAA NCEI. "32°F night": chance of at least one in the month. GDD: growing degree days, base 50°F.
Compared with the next station
The nearest other station, Glen St Mary 1 W, FL, 14 miles north of Raiford, has a last frost 28 days later (March 8), a first frost 23 days earlier (December 1), a season 41 days shorter.
When it snows in Raiford, Florida
Measurable snow is rare here: only 0 of 20 winters from 1991 to 2020 recorded 0.1 inch or more at Glen St Mary 1 W, FL, 14.1 miles away, so there is no typical first-snow date to plan around.
Planting calendar for 32083
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| November 30 – December 14 | Start peppers and aubergines indoorsThey need eight to ten weeks under lights before they can go out. |
| December 14 – December 28 | Start tomatoes indoorsSix to eight weeks gives a transplant big enough to set fruit early. |
| January 11 – January 25 | Sow peas, spinach, lettuce, radish outdoorsThese tolerate light frost and prefer to germinate in cool soil. |
| February 8 onward | Transplant tomatoes, peppers, basil, squash, cucumbersThe average last freeze has passed — still watch the actual forecast. |
| by October 1 | Sow the autumn crop of carrots, beets and brassicasThey need about twelve weeks to size up before growth stops. |
| by December 10 | Harvest tender crops, or be ready to cover themA first freeze two weeks early is well within normal variation. |
| December 24 onward | Plant garlic, mulch beds, lift tender bulbsGarlic wants a cold spell; bare soil loses structure over winter. |
The weeks before and after the 50% dates are general rules of thumb, not NOAA figures; a seed packet gives the timing for each variety.
Where these figures come from
ZIP 32083 is 11 miles from Starke, FL, which stands at 150 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. 6 other ZIP codes share the station; its figures are presented in full for 32091 (Starke). The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 32083 in zone 9a, the band where the coldest night of the year averaged 20 to 25°F (-6.7 to -3.9°C) over 1991–2020; a zone describes winter lows, not frost dates.
Hardiness zone and temperature range: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023 (USDA-ARS, Oregon State University), ZIP-code listing, unchanged. °C converted from °F by this site.
Thirty-year averages, not a forecast: check the forecast before planting out. How stations are matched and which pages are offered to search engines: methodology.