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USDA Hardiness Zone 8a

Frost Dates for 35951 — Albertville, Alabama

NOAA 1991–2020 normals from Guntersville No.2, AL (595 ft), 8 miles west.

Updated

In Albertville, the last spring frost (32°F) is around March 17 in half of years and has passed by April 5 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 247 days (NOAA, Guntersville No.2, AL).

Last spring frost
March 17

50% probability

First fall frost
November 19

50% probability

Growing season
247 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
19%

3 of 16 observed

Snow per year
—

NOAA normal

Frost risk by date in Albertville

Half of springs at Guntersville No.2, AL see their last 32°F night by March 17; only one in ten is past it by February 26, and one in ten still has one after April 5. Planting tender crops after March 25 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after March 31 20%, and after April 5 10%. The 19 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is wider than at 55% of the 115 Alabama stations behind this site's ZIP pages.

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 6 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 12 days later, around December 1; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is March 23, 13 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 247 days in a typical year, longer than at 73% of the 115 Alabama stations; it reaches 273 days one year in ten and falls short of 220 one year in ten. On average 44 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 15 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 65%.

Spring: the chance of another night this cold after the date
Low90%80%70%60%50%40%30%20%10%
36°FMar 11Mar 18Mar 23Mar 28Apr 1Apr 3Apr 6Apr 11Apr 17
32°FFeb 26Mar 3Mar 7Mar 13Mar 17Mar 20Mar 25Mar 31Apr 5
28°FFeb 8Feb 17Feb 23Feb 27Mar 2Mar 6Mar 11Mar 16Mar 23
24°F99% of yrsJan 21Jan 31Feb 5Feb 11Feb 16Feb 22Feb 28Mar 3Mar 10
20°F92% of yrsJan 5Jan 14Jan 22Jan 29Feb 2Feb 7Feb 13Feb 20Mar 1
16°F65% of yrsDec 31Jan 6Jan 11Jan 17Jan 22Jan 28Jan 31Feb 6Feb 16
Fall: the chance the first night this cold has come by the date
Low10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%
36°FOct 26Nov 1Nov 2Nov 5Nov 7Nov 10Nov 13Nov 18Nov 24
32°FNov 4Nov 8Nov 12Nov 16Nov 19Nov 23Nov 28Dec 1Dec 6
28°FNov 13Nov 18Nov 24Nov 29Dec 1Dec 4Dec 8Dec 14Dec 24
24°F99% of yrsNov 25Dec 1Dec 6Dec 10Dec 18Dec 24Dec 29Jan 2Jan 11
20°F92% of yrsDec 7Dec 16Dec 23Dec 29Jan 1Jan 6Jan 11Jan 17Jan 28
16°F65% of yrsDec 15Dec 25Dec 31Jan 3Jan 8Jan 13Jan 17Jan 23Jan 31

Freeze probabilities 1991–2020 at Guntersville No.2, 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 35951 →Compare Albertville with another place →

Weather by month in Albertville

July is the warmest month at Guntersville No.2, AL, averaging 89°F by day and 71°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 81% of years and April still brings one in 19% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 5,138 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), fewer than at 70% of the 115 Alabama stations. 39% of them (1,989) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 925. Precipitation totals 56.8 inches a year, most in December (5.9") and least in October (3.3"); May to September bring 39% of it.

Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Guntersville No.2, AL
MonthHigh °FLow °FPrecip. in32°F nightNights ≤ 32°FGDD 50°F
Jan50335.5100%1633
Feb54355.799%1047
Mar63435.481%4164
Apr72504.819%<1343
May79604.80%0602
Jun86684.50%0801
Jul89714.20%0925
Aug88714.00%0904
Sep83654.50%0718
Oct73543.34%0420
Nov62424.274%3134
Dec53365.998%1249

Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Guntersville No.2, AL (595 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, AL, 8 miles west of Albertville, has a last frost 2 days later (March 19), a first frost 1 day earlier (November 18), a season 3 days shorter.

Frost dates for 35950 (Albertville) →

When it snows in Albertville, Alabama

Measurable snow is rare here: only 3 of 16 winters from 1991 to 2020 recorded 0.1 inch or more at Guntersville No.2, AL, 7.9 miles away, so there is no typical first-snow date to plan around.

Planting calendar for 35951

What to do and when, from the 50% frost dates for Albertville, Alabama
WhenWhat to do
January 6 – January 20Start peppers and aubergines indoorsThey need eight to ten weeks under lights before they can go out.
January 20 – February 3Start tomatoes indoorsSix to eight weeks gives a transplant big enough to set fruit early.
February 17 – March 3Sow peas, spinach, lettuce, radish outdoorsThese tolerate light frost and prefer to germinate in cool soil.
March 17 onwardTransplant tomatoes, peppers, basil, squash, cucumbersThe average last freeze has passed — still watch the actual forecast.
by August 27Sow the autumn crop of carrots, beets and brassicasThey need about twelve weeks to size up before growth stops.
by November 5Harvest tender crops, or be ready to cover themA first freeze two weeks early is well within normal variation.
November 19 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 35951 is 8 miles from Guntersville No.2, AL, which stands at 595 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. 1 other ZIP code shares the station; its figures are presented in full for 35976 (Guntersville). The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 35951 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