Frost Dates for 36003 — Autaugaville, Alabama

Half of springs at Selma 6 SSE, AL see their last 32°F night by March 21; only one in ten is past it by February 27, and one in ten still has one after April 12. Planting tender crops after March 31 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after April 4 20%, and after April 12 10%. The 22 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is wider than at 95% of the 115 Alabama 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 7 in half of years, as early as October 25 one year in ten, and holds off past November 27 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 13 days later, around November 20; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is March 24, 19 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 233 days in a typical year, longer than at 52% of the 115 Alabama stations; it reaches 264 days one year in ten and falls short of 206 one year in ten. On average 50 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 16 days longer, to about April 6, and return around October 31. Nights of 24°F, cold enough to damage hardier plants, come in 99% of winters and 16°F in 55%.

July is the warmest month at Selma 6 SSE, AL, averaging 91°F by day and 71°F at night; January is the coldest at 57°F and 35°F. A freezing night is all but certain in every month from December to February (a 90% chance or more). From May to September the chance of a 32°F night stays under 10% each month. In spring, March still brings one in 80% of years and April still brings one in 29% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 5,742 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 58% of the 115 Alabama stations. 41% of them (2,348) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 959. Precipitation totals 53.6 inches a year, most in February (5.7") and least in October (2.9"); May to September bring 40% of it.

The nearest other station, Montgomery Airport, AL, 19 miles southeast of Autaugaville, has a last frost 8 days earlier (March 13), a first frost 6 days later (November 13), a season 11 days longer.

Measurable snow is rare here: only 0 of 20 winters from 1991 to 2020 recorded 0.1 inch or more at Jones Bluff L&D, AL, 9.8 miles away, so there is no typical first-snow date to plan around.

ZIP 36003 is 18 miles from Selma 6 SSE, AL, which stands at 157 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 36003 in zone 8b, the band where the coldest night of the year averaged 15 to 20°F (-9.4 to -6.7°C) over 1991–2020; a zone describes winter lows, not frost dates.