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USDA Hardiness Zone 8a

Frost Dates for 38069 — Stanton, Tennessee

NOAA 1991–2020 normals from Brownsville, TN (330 ft), 11 miles northeast.

Updated

In Stanton, the last spring frost (32°F) is around March 29 in half of years and has passed by April 15 in nine years out of ten. The first fall frost comes around November 5, as early as October 24 one year in ten, leaving a typical freeze-free season of 221 days (NOAA, Brownsville, TN).

Last spring frost
March 29

50% probability

First fall frost
November 5

50% probability

Growing season
221 days

freeze-free, 50%

Hardiness zone
8a

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

First snow
January 16

median, 1991–2020

Last snow
February 7

median, 1991–2020

Winters with snow
85%

17 of 20 observed

Snow per year
3.4"

NOAA normal

Frost risk by date in Stanton

Half of springs at Brownsville, TN see their last 32°F night by March 29; only one in ten is past it by March 9, and one in ten still has one after April 15. Planting tender crops after April 4 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after April 9 20%, and after April 15 10%. The 17 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is narrower than at 34% of the 144 Tennessee stations behind this site's ZIP pages.

In fall the first 32°F night comes by November 5 in half of years, as early as October 24 one year in ten, and holds off past November 22 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 12 days later, around November 17; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is April 5, 10 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 221 days in a typical year, longer than at 92% of the 144 Tennessee stations; it reaches 246 days one year in ten and falls short of 201 one year in ten. On average 67 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 9, and return around October 27. Nights of 24°F, cold enough to damage hardier plants, come in 100% of winters and 16°F in 89%.

Spring: the chance of another night this cold after the date
Low90%80%70%60%50%40%30%20%10%
36°FMar 23Mar 30Apr 2Apr 6Apr 9Apr 11Apr 15Apr 19Apr 25
32°FMar 9Mar 16Mar 21Mar 25Mar 29Apr 1Apr 4Apr 9Apr 15
28°FFeb 25Mar 2Mar 7Mar 12Mar 16Mar 20Mar 24Mar 31Apr 5
24°FFeb 8Feb 17Feb 23Feb 27Mar 2Mar 6Mar 11Mar 17Mar 23
20°FJan 22Jan 31Feb 5Feb 10Feb 15Feb 22Feb 28Mar 3Mar 11
16°F89% of yrsJan 5Jan 15Jan 22Jan 28Feb 1Feb 6Feb 13Feb 21Mar 2
Fall: the chance the first night this cold has come by the date
Low10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%
36°FOct 14Oct 19Oct 23Oct 25Oct 27Oct 30Nov 1Nov 4Nov 9
32°FOct 24Oct 30Nov 1Nov 3Nov 5Nov 8Nov 11Nov 16Nov 22
28°FNov 3Nov 7Nov 11Nov 14Nov 17Nov 22Nov 26Dec 1Dec 6
24°FNov 10Nov 16Nov 21Nov 25Nov 30Dec 3Dec 8Dec 15Dec 22
20°FNov 21Nov 29Dec 4Dec 12Dec 19Dec 24Dec 29Jan 3Jan 14
16°F89% of yrsDec 5Dec 18Dec 24Dec 29Jan 1Jan 7Jan 13Jan 20Feb 1

Freeze probabilities 1991–2020 at Brownsville, 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 38069 →Compare Stanton with another place →

Weather by month in Stanton

July is the warmest month at Brownsville, TN, averaging 91°F by day and 71°F at night; January is the coldest at 48°F and 30°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 42% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 5,179 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 95% of the 144 Tennessee stations. 39% of them (2,041) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 961. Precipitation totals 56.3 inches a year, most in May (6.0") and least in August (3.3"); May to September bring 39% of it.

Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Brownsville, TN
MonthHigh °FLow °FPrecip. in32°F nightNights ≤ 32°FGDD 50°F
Jan48304.2100%2027
Feb53335.0100%1448
Mar62415.694%7154
Apr72505.242%1350
May80606.00%0626
Jun88684.70%0835
Jul91714.10%0961
Aug90703.30%0925
Sep85623.90%0702
Oct74503.827%1382
Nov61404.794%8128
Dec51335.8100%1640

Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Brownsville, TN (330 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, Covington 3 SW, TN, 20 miles west of Stanton, has a last frost 2 days earlier (March 27), a first frost 1 day earlier (November 4), a season 1 day longer.

Frost dates for 38063 (Ripley) →

When it snows in Stanton, Tennessee

The first measurable snow (0.1 inch or more) in Stanton usually arrives around January 16, and the last of the season around February 7. Those are the middle dates across the winters of 1991–2020 at Somerville 10N, TN, 5 miles away: half of years saw snow earlier, half later. Snow fell in 85% of those winters. The last 32°F night of spring typically comes 50 days after the last snow.

Planting calendar for 38069

What to do and when, from the 50% frost dates for Stanton, Tennessee
WhenWhat to do
January 18 – February 1Start peppers and aubergines indoorsThey need eight to ten weeks under lights before they can go out.
February 1 – February 15Start tomatoes indoorsSix to eight weeks gives a transplant big enough to set fruit early.
March 1 – March 15Sow peas, spinach, lettuce, radish outdoorsThese tolerate light frost and prefer to germinate in cool soil.
March 29 onwardTransplant tomatoes, peppers, basil, squash, cucumbersThe average last freeze has passed — still watch the actual forecast.
by August 13Sow the autumn crop of carrots, beets and brassicasThey need about twelve weeks to size up before growth stops.
by October 22Harvest tender crops, or be ready to cover themA first freeze two weeks early is well within normal variation.
November 5 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 38069 is 11 miles from Brownsville, TN, which stands at 330 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 38012 (Brownsville). The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 38069 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