USDA Hardiness Zone 8a
Frost Dates for 38855 — Mantachie, Mississippi
NOAA 1991–2020 normals from Fulton 3 W, MS (350 ft), 5 miles southeast.
Updated
In Mantachie, the last spring frost (32°F) is around April 1 in half of years and has passed by April 16 in nine years out of ten. The first fall frost comes around October 31, as early as October 17 one year in ten, leaving a typical freeze-free season of 212 days (NOAA, Fulton 3 W, MS).
- Last spring frost
- April 1
- First fall frost
- October 31
- Growing season
- 212 days
- Hardiness zone
- 8a
50% probability
50% probability
freeze-free, 50%
10 to 15°F (-12.2 to -9.4°C) coldest night
- First snow
- Rare
- Last snow
- Rare
- Winters with snow
- 18%
- Snow per year
- 0.2"
median, 1991–2020
median, 1991–2020
3 of 17 observed
NOAA normal
Frost risk by date in Mantachie
Half of springs at Fulton 3 W, MS see their last 32°F night by April 1; only one in ten is past it by March 16, and one in ten still has one after April 16. Planting tender crops after April 7 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after April 11 20%, and after April 16 10%. The 15 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is narrower than at 94% of the 96 Mississippi stations behind this site's ZIP pages.
In fall the first 32°F night comes by October 31 in half of years, as early as October 17 one year in ten, and holds off past November 14 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 9 days later, around November 9; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is April 6, 10 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 212 days in a typical year, shorter than at 93% of the 96 Mississippi stations; it reaches 235 days one year in ten and falls short of 190 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 10 days longer, to about April 11, and return around October 22. Severe cold of 16°F or below comes in 93% of winters, usually between December 30 and February 4.
| Low | 90% | 80% | 70% | 60% | 50% | 40% | 30% | 20% | 10% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Mar 28 | Apr 2 | Apr 6 | Apr 8 | Apr 11 | Apr 15 | Apr 18 | Apr 22 | Apr 27 |
| 32°F | Mar 16 | Mar 22 | Mar 25 | Mar 29 | Apr 1 | Apr 5 | Apr 7 | Apr 11 | Apr 16 |
| 28°F | Mar 1 | Mar 7 | Mar 12 | Mar 16 | Mar 21 | Mar 24 | Mar 28 | Apr 1 | Apr 6 |
| 24°F | Feb 15 | Feb 23 | Feb 28 | Mar 2 | Mar 7 | Mar 11 | Mar 15 | Mar 19 | Mar 25 |
| 20°F | Jan 26 | Feb 4 | Feb 11 | Feb 17 | Feb 22 | Feb 27 | Mar 2 | Mar 7 | Mar 15 |
| 16°F93% of yrs | Jan 8 | Jan 18 | Jan 24 | Jan 31 | Feb 4 | Feb 11 | Feb 17 | Feb 24 | Mar 5 |
| Low | 10% | 20% | 30% | 40% | 50% | 60% | 70% | 80% | 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Oct 9 | Oct 13 | Oct 17 | Oct 20 | Oct 22 | Oct 25 | Oct 27 | Oct 30 | Nov 3 |
| 32°F | Oct 17 | Oct 22 | Oct 25 | Oct 28 | Oct 31 | Nov 1 | Nov 4 | Nov 8 | Nov 14 |
| 28°F | Oct 25 | Nov 1 | Nov 3 | Nov 6 | Nov 9 | Nov 12 | Nov 16 | Nov 20 | Nov 27 |
| 24°F | Nov 4 | Nov 9 | Nov 14 | Nov 18 | Nov 22 | Nov 27 | Dec 1 | Dec 5 | Dec 14 |
| 20°F | Nov 14 | Nov 21 | Nov 28 | Dec 1 | Dec 6 | Dec 11 | Dec 21 | Dec 31 | Jan 8 |
| 16°F93% of yrs | Nov 28 | Dec 6 | Dec 14 | Dec 23 | Dec 30 | Jan 3 | Jan 8 | Jan 15 | Jan 29 |
Freeze probabilities 1991–2020 at Fulton 3 W, MS, 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 38855 →Compare Mantachie with another place →
Weather by month in Mantachie
July is the warmest month at Fulton 3 W, MS, averaging 89°F by day and 69°F at night; January is the coldest at 51°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 52% of years.
Warmth for growing adds up to 4,950 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), fewer than at 92% of the 96 Mississippi stations. 39% of them (1,940) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 907. Precipitation totals 61.3 inches a year, most in December (6.2") and least in September (4.0"); May to September bring 40% of it.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | 32°F night | Nights ≤ 32°F | GDD 50°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 51 | 30 | 5.3 | 100% | 18 | 33 |
| Feb | 56 | 33 | 5.7 | 100% | 14 | 50 |
| Mar | 65 | 40 | 5.4 | 98% | 8 | 159 |
| Apr | 73 | 48 | 5.8 | 52% | 1 | 336 |
| May | 80 | 58 | 5.9 | 0% | 0 | 583 |
| Jun | 86 | 66 | 4.9 | 0% | 0 | 780 |
| Jul | 89 | 69 | 4.7 | 0% | 0 | 907 |
| Aug | 89 | 68 | 4.9 | 0% | 0 | 885 |
| Sep | 84 | 61 | 4.0 | 0% | 0 | 678 |
| Oct | 74 | 49 | 4.0 | 53% | 2 | 368 |
| Nov | 62 | 38 | 4.5 | 99% | 9 | 121 |
| Dec | 53 | 33 | 6.2 | 100% | 15 | 52 |
Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Fulton 3 W, MS (350 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, Tupelo 2, MS, 16 miles west of Mantachie, has a last frost 11 days earlier (March 21), a first frost 10 days later (November 10), a season 25 days longer.
When it snows in Mantachie, Mississippi
Measurable snow is rare here: only 3 of 17 winters from 1991 to 2020 recorded 0.1 inch or more at Tupelo 3, MS, 13.1 miles away, so there is no typical first-snow date to plan around.
Planting calendar for 38855
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| January 21 – February 4 | Start peppers and aubergines indoorsThey need eight to ten weeks under lights before they can go out. |
| February 4 – February 18 | Start tomatoes indoorsSix to eight weeks gives a transplant big enough to set fruit early. |
| March 4 – March 18 | Sow peas, spinach, lettuce, radish outdoorsThese tolerate light frost and prefer to germinate in cool soil. |
| April 1 onward | Transplant tomatoes, peppers, basil, squash, cucumbersThe average last freeze has passed — still watch the actual forecast. |
| by August 8 | Sow the autumn crop of carrots, beets and brassicasThey need about twelve weeks to size up before growth stops. |
| by October 17 | Harvest tender crops, or be ready to cover themA first freeze two weeks early is well within normal variation. |
| October 31 onward | Plant 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 38855 is 5 miles from Fulton 3 W, MS, which stands at 350 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. 4 other ZIP codes share the station; its figures are presented in full for 38843 (Fulton). The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 38855 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 Mississippi →
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.