Frost Dates for 33852 — Lake Placid, Florida

Half of springs at Archbold Bio Stn, FL see their last 32°F night by February 26; only one in ten is past it by January 20, and one in ten still has one after March 28. Planting tender crops after March 10 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after March 18 20%, and after March 28 10%. The 30 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is wider than at 82% 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 22 in half of years, as early as November 27 one year in ten, and holds off past January 27 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 16 days later, around January 7; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is March 9, 19 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 300 days in a typical year, shorter than at 53% of the 102 Florida stations; it reaches 338 days one year in ten and falls short of 259 one year in ten. On average 9 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 19, and return around December 3. Nights of 24°F, cold enough to damage hardier plants, come in 53% of winters and 16°F in 5%.

August is the warmest month at Archbold Bio Stn, FL, averaging 93°F by day and 71°F at night; January is the coldest at 75°F and 48°F. From April to October the chance of a 32°F night stays under 10% each month. In spring, February still brings one in 64% of years and March still brings one in 41% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 8,404 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 55% of the 158 Florida stations. 44% of them (3,683) have built up by the end of June, and August adds the most, 997. Precipitation totals 54.3 inches a year, most in June (8.9") and least in November (1.7"); May to September bring 69% of it.

The nearest other station, Avon Park 2 W, FL, 23 miles northwest of Lake Placid, has a last frost 29 days earlier (January 28), a first frost 17 days later (January 8), a season 43 days longer.

Measurable snow is rare here: only 0 of 30 winters from 1991 to 2020 recorded 0.1 inch or more at Archbold Bio Stn, FL, 7.9 miles away, so there is no typical first-snow date to plan around.

ZIP 33852 is 8 miles from Archbold Bio Stn, FL, which stands at 140 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 33852 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.