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USDA Hardiness Zone 8a

Frost Dates for 35950 — Albertville, Alabama

NOAA 1991–2020 normals from Guntersville, AL (578 ft), 8 miles northwest.

Updated

In Albertville, the last spring frost (32°F) is around March 19 in half of years and has passed by April 5 in nine years out of ten. The first fall frost comes around November 18, as early as November 2 one year in ten, leaving a typical freeze-free season of 244 days (NOAA, Guntersville, AL).

Last spring frost
March 19

50% probability

First fall frost
November 18

50% probability

Growing season
244 days

freeze-free, 50%

Hardiness zone
8a

10 to 15°F (-12.2 to -9.4°C) coldest night

First snow
Rare

median, 1991–2020

Last snow
Rare

median, 1991–2020

Winters with snow
22%

5 of 23 observed

Snow per year
0.7"

NOAA normal

Frost risk by date in Albertville

Half of springs at Guntersville, AL see their last 32°F night by March 19; only one in ten is past it by February 28, and one in ten still has one after April 5. Planting tender crops after March 27 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after March 31 20%, and after April 5 10%. The 17 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is narrower than at 64% of the 115 Alabama stations behind this site's ZIP pages.

In fall the first 32°F night comes by November 18 in half of years, as early as November 2 one year in ten, and holds off past December 6 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 13 days later, around December 1; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is March 25, 11 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 244 days in a typical year, longer than at 70% of the 115 Alabama stations; it reaches 271 days one year in ten and falls short of 219 one year in ten. On average 52 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 13 days longer, to about April 1, and return around November 7. Nights of 24°F, cold enough to damage hardier plants, come in 99% of winters and 16°F in 60%.

Spring: the chance of another night this cold after the date
Low90%80%70%60%50%40%30%20%10%
36°FMar 15Mar 22Mar 26Mar 30Apr 1Apr 4Apr 7Apr 11Apr 17
32°FFeb 28Mar 4Mar 10Mar 15Mar 19Mar 23Mar 27Mar 31Apr 5
28°FFeb 13Feb 21Feb 27Mar 2Mar 6Mar 10Mar 15Mar 19Mar 25
24°F99% of yrsJan 23Feb 1Feb 8Feb 14Feb 21Feb 26Mar 1Mar 8Mar 15
20°F88% of yrsJan 5Jan 15Jan 23Jan 30Feb 2Feb 7Feb 14Feb 24Mar 2
16°F60% of yrsDec 31Jan 7Jan 13Jan 18Jan 24Jan 29Feb 1Feb 7Feb 21
Fall: the chance the first night this cold has come by the date
Low10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%
36°FOct 27Oct 31Nov 1Nov 4Nov 7Nov 10Nov 13Nov 18Nov 25
32°FNov 2Nov 7Nov 11Nov 14Nov 18Nov 21Nov 26Dec 1Dec 6
28°FNov 11Nov 17Nov 23Nov 27Dec 1Dec 4Dec 10Dec 18Dec 30
24°F99% of yrsNov 24Dec 1Dec 6Dec 12Dec 20Dec 25Jan 1Jan 6Jan 14
20°F88% of yrsDec 9Dec 20Dec 27Jan 1Jan 4Jan 9Jan 13Jan 19Feb 1
16°F60% of yrsDec 23Dec 30Jan 2Jan 6Jan 10Jan 14Jan 19Jan 27Feb 4

Freeze probabilities 1991–2020 at Guntersville, AL, 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 35950 →Compare Albertville with another place →

Weather by month in Albertville

July is the warmest month at Guntersville, AL, averaging 89°F by day and 72°F at night; January is the coldest at 50°F and 33°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 85% of years and April still brings one in 19% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 5,242 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), fewer than at 63% of the 115 Alabama stations. 39% of them (2,019) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 938. Precipitation totals 56.9 inches a year, most in December (6.0") and least in October (3.5"); May to September bring 38% of it.

Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Guntersville, AL
MonthHigh °FLow °FPrecip. in32°F nightNights ≤ 32°FGDD 50°F
Jan50335.3100%1634
Feb55365.499%1250
Mar63435.785%5168
Apr72505.019%<1346
May80604.60%0608
Jun86684.70%0813
Jul89724.30%0938
Aug89714.00%0927
Sep84654.20%0739
Oct74543.55%<1427
Nov62424.277%5139
Dec53366.098%1454

Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Guntersville, AL (578 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, Guntersville No.2, AL, 8 miles northwest of Albertville, has a last frost 2 days earlier (March 17), a first frost 1 day later (November 19), a season 3 days longer.

Frost dates for 35976 (Guntersville) →

When it snows in Albertville, Alabama

Measurable snow is rare here: only 5 of 23 winters from 1991 to 2020 recorded 0.1 inch or more at Guntersville, AL, 7.7 miles away, so there is no typical first-snow date to plan around.

Planting calendar for 35950

What to do and when, from the 50% frost dates for Albertville, Alabama
WhenWhat to do
January 8 – January 22Start peppers and aubergines indoorsThey need eight to ten weeks under lights before they can go out.
January 22 – February 5Start tomatoes indoorsSix to eight weeks gives a transplant big enough to set fruit early.
February 19 – March 5Sow peas, spinach, lettuce, radish outdoorsThese tolerate light frost and prefer to germinate in cool soil.
March 19 onwardTransplant tomatoes, peppers, basil, squash, cucumbersThe average last freeze has passed — still watch the actual forecast.
by August 26Sow the autumn crop of carrots, beets and brassicasThey need about twelve weeks to size up before growth stops.
by November 4Harvest tender crops, or be ready to cover themA first freeze two weeks early is well within normal variation.
November 18 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 35950 is 8 miles from Guntersville, AL, which stands at 578 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. 3 other ZIP codes share the station. The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 35950 in zone 8a, the band where the coldest night of the year averaged 10 to 15°F (-12.2 to -9.4°C) over 1991–2020; a zone describes winter lows, not frost dates.

Frost dates across Alabama →

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 8a places in Alabama