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USDA Hardiness Zone 9b

Frost Dates for 32225 — Jacksonville, Florida

NOAA 1991–2020 normals from Jacksonville Craig Municipal Airport, FL (41 ft), 1 miles southwest.

Updated

In Jacksonville, the last spring frost (32°F) is around February 9 in half of years and has passed by March 7 in nine years out of ten. The first fall frost comes around December 31, as early as November 30 one year in ten, leaving a typical freeze-free season of 314 days (NOAA, Jacksonville Craig Municipal Airport, FL).

Last spring frost
February 9

50% probability

First fall frost
December 31

50% probability

Growing season
314 days

freeze-free, 50%

Hardiness zone
9b

25 to 30°F (-3.9 to -1.1°C) coldest night

First snow
Rare

median, 1991–2020

Last snow
Rare

median, 1991–2020

Winters with snow
0%

0 of 20 observed

Snow per year
0"

NOAA normal

Frost risk by date in Jacksonville

Half of springs at Jacksonville Craig Municipal Airport, FL see their last 32°F night by February 9; only one in ten is past it by January 12, and one in ten still has one after March 7. Planting tender crops after February 23 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after March 1 20%, and after March 7 10%. The 26 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is wider than at 52% 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 31 in half of years, as early as November 30 one year in ten, and holds off past January 31 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 8 days later, around January 8; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is February 24, 11 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 314 days in a typical year, longer than at 55% of the 102 Florida stations; it reaches 353 days one year in ten and falls short of 280 one year in ten. On average 7 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 20 days longer, to about March 1, and return around December 6. A 24°F night is unusual: 26% of winters had one.

Spring: the chance of another night this cold after the date
Low90%80%70%60%50%40%30%20%10%
36°FFeb 1Feb 10Feb 19Feb 25Mar 1Mar 5Mar 9Mar 14Mar 22
32°F96% of yrsJan 12Jan 23Jan 30Feb 4Feb 9Feb 17Feb 23Mar 1Mar 7
28°F67% of yrsDec 29Jan 6Jan 14Jan 20Jan 26Jan 31Feb 4Feb 12Feb 24
24°F26% of yrstoo rare for a date
20°F3% of yrstoo rare for a date
Fall: the chance the first night this cold has come by the date
Low10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%
36°FNov 17Nov 23Nov 29Dec 2Dec 6Dec 11Dec 19Dec 29Jan 5
32°F96% of yrsNov 30Dec 6Dec 13Dec 22Dec 31Jan 4Jan 9Jan 16Jan 31
28°F67% of yrsDec 9Dec 19Dec 29Jan 3Jan 8Jan 12Jan 19Jan 28Feb 5
24°F26% of yrstoo rare for a date
20°F3% of yrstoo rare for a date

Freeze probabilities 1991–2020 at Jacksonville Craig Municipal Airport, 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 32225 →Compare Jacksonville with another place →

Weather by month in Jacksonville

July is the warmest month at Jacksonville Craig Municipal Airport, FL, averaging 91°F by day and 73°F at night; January is the coldest at 65°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 54% of years and March still brings one in 19% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 7,243 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), fewer than at 73% of the 158 Florida stations. 42% of them (3,051) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 998. Precipitation totals 51.8 inches a year, most in September (7.3") and least in February (2.4"); May to September bring 57% of it.

Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Jacksonville Craig Municipal Airport, FL
MonthHigh °FLow °FPrecip. in32°F nightNights ≤ 32°FGDD 50°F
Jan65453.076%4207
Feb68482.454%1245
Mar73523.019%<1398
Apr79582.40%0551
May84653.00%0755
Jun89716.30%0897
Jul91736.10%0998
Aug90746.90%0981
Sep86717.30%0864
Oct80646.00%0677
Nov73542.610%<1404
Dec68482.843%2267

Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Jacksonville Craig Municipal Airport, FL (41 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, Mayport Pilot Stn, FL, 6 miles northeast of Jacksonville, has a last frost 8 days earlier (February 1), a first frost 5 days later (January 5), a season 18 days longer.

Frost dates for 32233 (Atlantic Beach) →

When it snows in Jacksonville, Florida

Measurable snow is rare here: only 0 of 20 winters from 1991 to 2020 recorded 0.1 inch or more at Jacksonville Beach, FL, 7.6 miles away, so there is no typical first-snow date to plan around.

Planting calendar for 32225

What to do and when, from the 50% frost dates for Jacksonville, Florida
WhenWhat to do
December 1 – December 15Start peppers and aubergines indoorsThey need eight to ten weeks under lights before they can go out.
December 15 – December 29Start tomatoes indoorsSix to eight weeks gives a transplant big enough to set fruit early.
January 12 – January 26Sow peas, spinach, lettuce, radish outdoorsThese tolerate light frost and prefer to germinate in cool soil.
February 9 onwardTransplant tomatoes, peppers, basil, squash, cucumbersThe average last freeze has passed — still watch the actual forecast.
by October 8Sow the autumn crop of carrots, beets and brassicasThey need about twelve weeks to size up before growth stops.
by December 17Harvest tender crops, or be ready to cover themA first freeze two weeks early is well within normal variation.
December 31 onwardPlant 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 32225 is 1 mile from Jacksonville Craig Municipal Airport, FL, which stands at 41 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 32246 (Jacksonville). The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 32225 in zone 9b, the band where the coldest night of the year averaged 25 to 30°F (-3.9 to -1.1°C) over 1991–2020; a zone describes winter lows, not frost dates.

Frost dates across Florida →

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.

ZIP codes measured at the same station

Other zone 9b places in Florida