USDA Hardiness Zone 9a
Frost Dates for 32570 — Milton, Florida
NOAA 1991–2020 normals from Whiting Field NAS, FL (199 ft), under a mile northwest.
Updated
In Milton, the last spring frost (32°F) is around March 14 in half of years and has passed by April 4 in nine years out of ten. The first fall frost comes around November 19, as early as November 4 one year in ten, leaving a typical freeze-free season of 251 days (NOAA, Whiting Field NAS, FL).
- Last spring frost
- March 14
- First fall frost
- November 19
- Growing season
- 251 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
- 6%
- Snow per year
- 0.1"
median, 1991–2020
median, 1991–2020
1 of 18 observed
NOAA normal
Frost risk by date in Milton
Half of springs at Whiting Field NAS, FL see their last 32°F night by March 14; only one in ten is past it by February 21, and one in ten still has one after April 4. Planting tender crops after March 23 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after March 29 20%, and after April 4 10%. The 21 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is narrower than at 75% 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 November 19 in half of years, as early as November 4 one year in ten, and holds off past December 8 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 13 days later, around December 2; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is March 21, 14 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 251 days in a typical year, shorter than at 96% of the 102 Florida stations; it reaches 280 days one year in ten and falls short of 225 one year in ten. On average 20 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 14 days longer, to about March 28, and return around November 7. Nights of 24°F, cold enough to damage hardier plants, come in 92% of winters and 16°F in 31%.
| Low | 90% | 80% | 70% | 60% | 50% | 40% | 30% | 20% | 10% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Mar 5 | Mar 14 | Mar 19 | Mar 23 | Mar 28 | Apr 1 | Apr 5 | Apr 8 | Apr 14 |
| 32°F | Feb 21 | Feb 28 | Mar 5 | Mar 9 | Mar 14 | Mar 17 | Mar 23 | Mar 29 | Apr 4 |
| 28°F | Jan 31 | Feb 9 | Feb 16 | Feb 22 | Feb 28 | Mar 4 | Mar 9 | Mar 15 | Mar 21 |
| 24°F92% of yrs | Jan 5 | Jan 19 | Jan 28 | Feb 2 | Feb 10 | Feb 17 | Feb 24 | Mar 2 | Mar 12 |
| 20°F64% of yrs | Dec 25 | Jan 4 | Jan 13 | Jan 19 | Jan 26 | Jan 31 | Feb 8 | Feb 20 | Mar 1 |
| 16°F31% of yrs | too rare for a date | ||||||||
| Low | 10% | 20% | 30% | 40% | 50% | 60% | 70% | 80% | 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Oct 26 | Oct 30 | Nov 2 | Nov 5 | Nov 7 | Nov 11 | Nov 14 | Nov 18 | Nov 25 |
| 32°F | Nov 4 | Nov 8 | Nov 12 | Nov 16 | Nov 19 | Nov 23 | Nov 27 | Dec 1 | Dec 8 |
| 28°F | Nov 12 | Nov 17 | Nov 23 | Nov 28 | Dec 2 | Dec 7 | Dec 13 | Dec 24 | Jan 4 |
| 24°F92% of yrs | Nov 25 | Dec 4 | Dec 10 | Dec 20 | Dec 27 | Jan 1 | Jan 7 | Jan 15 | Jan 30 |
| 20°F64% of yrs | Dec 9 | Dec 21 | Dec 28 | Jan 1 | Jan 6 | Jan 13 | Jan 18 | Jan 26 | Feb 8 |
| 16°F31% of yrs | too rare for a date | ||||||||
Freeze probabilities 1991–2020 at Whiting Field NAS, 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 32570 →Compare Milton with another place →
Frost risk through the year in Milton
In Milton, the spring curve drops under 10% on April 4 and the fall curve passes 10% on November 4, 214 days later; that gap is shorter than at 94% of the 71 Florida stations with frost dates. The spring risk falls from 90% to 10% over 42 days (February 21 to April 4) and the fall risk climbs from 10% to 90% over 34 days (November 4 to December 8): both ends of the season vary about as much.
| Planted on | Another 32°F night | 28°F night |
|---|---|---|
| Feb 28 | 80% | 50% |
| Mar 7 | 65% | 34% |
| Mar 1450% date | 50% | 22% |
| Mar 21 | 33% | under 10% |
| Mar 28 | 22% | under 10% |
| Apr 4 | under 10% | under 10% |
Weather by month in Milton
July is the warmest month at Whiting Field NAS, FL, averaging 91°F by day and 71°F at night; January is the coldest at 62°F and 39°F. A freezing night is all but certain in every month from December to February (a 90% chance or more). From May to October the chance of a 32°F night stays under 10% each month. In spring, March still brings one in 76% of years and April still brings one in 15% of years.
Warmth for growing adds up to 6,379 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), fewer than at 98% of the 158 Florida stations. 42% of them (2,670) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 955. Precipitation totals 63.3 inches a year, most in March (7.4") and least in May (3.6"); May to September bring 43% of it.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | 32°F night | Nights ≤ 32°F | GDD 50°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 62 | 39 | 5.4 | 97% | 8 | 127 |
| Feb | 66 | 42 | 4.6 | 93% | 4 | 169 |
| Mar | 72 | 47 | 7.4 | 76% | 2 | 316 |
| Apr | 78 | 53 | 5.7 | 15% | 0 | 471 |
| May | 85 | 61 | 3.6 | 0% | 0 | 716 |
| Jun | 90 | 68 | 6.0 | 0% | 0 | 871 |
| Jul | 91 | 71 | 6.2 | 0% | 0 | 955 |
| Aug | 91 | 70 | 6.2 | 0% | 0 | 942 |
| Sep | 88 | 67 | 5.4 | 0% | 0 | 813 |
| Oct | 80 | 56 | 3.6 | 4% | 0 | 558 |
| Nov | 71 | 46 | 4.5 | 75% | 2 | 270 |
| Dec | 65 | 41 | 4.7 | 93% | 5 | 171 |
Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Whiting Field NAS, FL (199 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, Whiting Field NAS South, FL, under a mile southwest of Milton, has a last frost 14 days earlier (February 28), a first frost 8 days later (November 27), a season 25 days longer.
When it snows in Milton, Florida
Measurable snow is rare here: only 1 of 18 winters from 1991 to 2020 recorded 0.1 inch or more at Milton Exp Stn, FL, 9.1 miles away, so there is no typical first-snow date to plan around.
Planting calendar for 32570
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| January 3 – January 17 | Start peppers and aubergines indoorsThey need eight to ten weeks under lights before they can go out. |
| January 17 – January 31 | Start tomatoes indoorsSix to eight weeks gives a transplant big enough to set fruit early. |
| February 14 – February 28 | Sow peas, spinach, lettuce, radish outdoorsThese tolerate light frost and prefer to germinate in cool soil. |
| March 14 onward | Transplant tomatoes, peppers, basil, squash, cucumbersThe average last freeze has passed — still watch the actual forecast. |
| by August 27 | Sow the autumn crop of carrots, beets and brassicasThey need about twelve weeks to size up before growth stops. |
| by November 5 | Harvest tender crops, or be ready to cover themA first freeze two weeks early is well within normal variation. |
| November 19 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 32570 is under a mile from Whiting Field NAS, FL, which stands at 199 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 32570 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.