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USDA Hardiness Zone 8a

Frost Dates for 37302 — Apison, Tennessee

NOAA 1991–2020 normals from Chattanooga Lovell Airport, TN (671 ft), 11 miles west.

Updated

In Apison, the last spring frost (32°F) is around March 24 in half of years and has passed by April 8 in nine years out of ten. The first fall frost comes around November 9, as early as October 27 one year in ten, leaving a typical freeze-free season of 230 days (NOAA, Chattanooga Lovell Airport, TN).

Last spring frost
March 24

50% probability

First fall frost
November 9

50% probability

Growing season
230 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
0%

0 of 17 observed

Snow per year
0"

NOAA normal

Frost risk by date in Apison

Half of springs at Chattanooga Lovell Airport, TN see their last 32°F night by March 24; only one in ten is past it by March 6, and one in ten still has one after April 8. Planting tender crops after March 31 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after April 3 20%, and after April 8 10%. The 15 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is narrower than at 78% of the 144 Tennessee stations behind this site's ZIP pages.

In fall the first 32°F night comes by November 9 in half of years, as early as October 27 one year in ten, and holds off past November 26 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 13 days later, around November 22; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is March 30, 9 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 230 days in a typical year, longer than at 98% of the 144 Tennessee stations; it reaches 254 days one year in ten and falls short of 210 one year in ten. On average 56 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 11 days longer, to about April 4, and return around October 31. Nights of 24°F, cold enough to damage hardier plants, come in 100% of winters and 16°F in 73%.

Spring: the chance of another night this cold after the date
Low90%80%70%60%50%40%30%20%10%
36°FMar 19Mar 25Mar 29Apr 1Apr 4Apr 7Apr 10Apr 14Apr 20
32°FMar 6Mar 12Mar 16Mar 20Mar 24Mar 28Mar 31Apr 3Apr 8
28°FFeb 18Feb 25Mar 2Mar 7Mar 11Mar 15Mar 18Mar 23Mar 30
24°FJan 26Feb 3Feb 12Feb 18Feb 23Feb 28Mar 5Mar 11Mar 18
20°F94% of yrsJan 9Jan 19Jan 26Jan 31Feb 4Feb 9Feb 16Feb 25Mar 4
16°F73% of yrsJan 1Jan 8Jan 12Jan 18Jan 24Jan 28Feb 1Feb 7Feb 23
Fall: the chance the first night this cold has come by the date
Low10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%
36°FOct 19Oct 23Oct 26Oct 28Oct 31Nov 1Nov 4Nov 7Nov 11
32°FOct 27Nov 1Nov 3Nov 6Nov 9Nov 11Nov 14Nov 18Nov 26
28°FNov 6Nov 10Nov 14Nov 18Nov 22Nov 26Dec 1Dec 5Dec 13
24°FNov 16Nov 23Nov 30Dec 4Dec 8Dec 14Dec 21Dec 28Jan 5
20°F94% of yrsDec 4Dec 12Dec 21Dec 27Dec 31Jan 3Jan 8Jan 14Jan 25
16°F73% of yrsDec 21Dec 29Jan 2Jan 5Jan 9Jan 13Jan 17Jan 24Jan 31

Freeze probabilities 1991–2020 at Chattanooga Lovell Airport, TN, 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 37302 →Compare Apison with another place →

Weather by month in Apison

July is the warmest month at Chattanooga Lovell Airport, TN, averaging 91°F by day and 71°F at night; January is the coldest at 51°F and 32°F. A freezing night is all but certain in every month from November to March (a 90% chance or more). From May to September the chance of a 32°F night stays under 10% each month. In spring, April still brings one in 28% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 5,216 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 97% of the 144 Tennessee stations. 39% of them (2,050) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 953. Precipitation totals 55.0 inches a year, most in March (5.3") and least in October (3.6"); May to September bring 38% of it.

Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Chattanooga Lovell Airport, TN
MonthHigh °FLow °FPrecip. in32°F nightNights ≤ 32°FGDD 50°F
Jan51325.0100%1731
Feb56365.099%1248
Mar64425.393%5167
Apr74504.928%<1360
May81593.90%0620
Jun88674.20%0823
Jul91715.10%0953
Aug90703.70%0930
Sep84644.20%0718
Oct74513.618%<1402
Nov62404.893%7119
Dec53355.399%1544

Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Chattanooga Lovell Airport, TN (671 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, Chickamauga Pk Larc, GA, 16 miles southwest of Apison, has a last frost 13 days later (April 6), a first frost 10 days earlier (October 30), a season 25 days shorter.

Frost dates for 30736 (Ringgold) →

When it snows in Apison, Tennessee

Measurable snow is rare here: only 0 of 17 winters from 1991 to 2020 recorded 0.1 inch or more at Ringgold 2 SE, GA, 8.6 miles away, so there is no typical first-snow date to plan around.

Planting calendar for 37302

What to do and when, from the 50% frost dates for Apison, Tennessee
WhenWhat to do
January 13 – January 27Start peppers and aubergines indoorsThey need eight to ten weeks under lights before they can go out.
January 27 – February 10Start tomatoes indoorsSix to eight weeks gives a transplant big enough to set fruit early.
February 24 – March 10Sow peas, spinach, lettuce, radish outdoorsThese tolerate light frost and prefer to germinate in cool soil.
March 24 onwardTransplant tomatoes, peppers, basil, squash, cucumbersThe average last freeze has passed — still watch the actual forecast.
by August 17Sow the autumn crop of carrots, beets and brassicasThey need about twelve weeks to size up before growth stops.
by October 26Harvest tender crops, or be ready to cover themA first freeze two weeks early is well within normal variation.
November 9 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 37302 is 11 miles from Chattanooga Lovell Airport, TN, which stands at 671 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. 8 other ZIP codes share the station; its figures are presented in full for 37421 (Chattanooga). The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 37302 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 Tennessee →

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 Tennessee