USDA Hardiness Zone 8b
Frost Dates for 39066 — Edwards, Mississippi
NOAA 1991–2020 normals from Oakley Exp Stn, MS (205 ft), 8 miles southeast.
Updated
In Edwards, the last spring frost (32°F) is around March 16 in half of years and has passed by April 6 in nine years out of ten. The first fall frost comes around November 6, as early as October 24 one year in ten, leaving a typical freeze-free season of 236 days (NOAA, Oakley Exp Stn, MS).
- Last spring frost
- March 16
- First fall frost
- November 6
- Growing season
- 236 days
- Hardiness zone
- 8b
50% probability
50% probability
freeze-free, 50%
15 to 20°F (-9.4 to -6.7°C) coldest night
- First snow
- Rare
- Last snow
- Rare
- Winters with snow
- 13%
- Snow per year
- —
median, 1991–2020
median, 1991–2020
4 of 30 observed
NOAA normal
Frost risk by date in Edwards
Half of springs at Oakley Exp Stn, MS see their last 32°F night by March 16; only one in ten is past it by February 25, and one in ten still has one after April 6. Planting tender crops after March 26 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after March 31 20%, and after April 6 10%. The 21 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is wider than at 73% of the 96 Mississippi 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 6 in half of years, as early as October 24 one year in ten, and holds off past November 26 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 12 days later, around November 18; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is March 21, 16 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 236 days in a typical year, shorter than at 57% of the 96 Mississippi stations; it reaches 261 days one year in ten and falls short of 210 one year in ten. On average 54 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 17 days longer, to about April 2, and return around October 30. Nights of 24°F, cold enough to damage hardier plants, come in 99% of winters and 16°F in 50%.
| Low | 90% | 80% | 70% | 60% | 50% | 40% | 30% | 20% | 10% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Mar 11 | Mar 18 | Mar 25 | Mar 29 | Apr 2 | Apr 5 | Apr 9 | Apr 13 | Apr 20 |
| 32°F | Feb 25 | Mar 2 | Mar 8 | Mar 12 | Mar 16 | Mar 21 | Mar 26 | Mar 31 | Apr 6 |
| 28°F | Feb 7 | Feb 17 | Feb 23 | Feb 27 | Mar 1 | Mar 6 | Mar 10 | Mar 15 | Mar 21 |
| 24°F99% of yrs | Jan 17 | Jan 29 | Feb 4 | Feb 10 | Feb 16 | Feb 23 | Feb 28 | Mar 4 | Mar 11 |
| 20°F85% of yrs | Dec 29 | Jan 11 | Jan 19 | Jan 26 | Jan 31 | Feb 4 | Feb 10 | Feb 20 | Mar 1 |
| 16°F50% of yrs | Dec 24 | Jan 3 | Jan 10 | Jan 15 | Jan 20 | Jan 26 | Jan 31 | Feb 5 | Feb 20 |
| Low | 10% | 20% | 30% | 40% | 50% | 60% | 70% | 80% | 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Oct 16 | Oct 21 | Oct 24 | Oct 27 | Oct 30 | Nov 1 | Nov 4 | Nov 7 | Nov 12 |
| 32°F | Oct 24 | Oct 29 | Nov 1 | Nov 4 | Nov 6 | Nov 9 | Nov 13 | Nov 18 | Nov 26 |
| 28°F | Nov 1 | Nov 6 | Nov 10 | Nov 14 | Nov 18 | Nov 22 | Nov 27 | Dec 2 | Dec 11 |
| 24°F99% of yrs | Nov 11 | Nov 17 | Nov 23 | Nov 29 | Dec 3 | Dec 8 | Dec 19 | Dec 29 | Jan 7 |
| 20°F85% of yrs | Nov 24 | Dec 3 | Dec 10 | Dec 22 | Dec 30 | Jan 2 | Jan 8 | Jan 15 | Jan 29 |
| 16°F50% of yrs | Dec 11 | Dec 25 | Jan 1 | Jan 4 | Jan 8 | Jan 12 | Jan 17 | Jan 25 | Feb 4 |
Freeze probabilities 1991–2020 at Oakley Exp Stn, 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 39066 →Compare Edwards with another place →
Weather by month in Edwards
July is the warmest month at Oakley Exp Stn, MS, averaging 93°F by day and 71°F at night; January is the coldest at 59°F and 35°F. A freezing night is all but certain in every month from November 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 79% of years and April still brings one in 20% of years.
Warmth for growing adds up to 6,186 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 70% of the 96 Mississippi stations. 41% of them (2,550) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 1,001. Precipitation totals 60.3 inches a year, most in January (5.9") and least in October (4.0"); May to September bring 39% of it.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | 32°F night | Nights ≤ 32°F | GDD 50°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 59 | 35 | 5.9 | 100% | 16 | 90 |
| Feb | 63 | 39 | 5.5 | 97% | 11 | 126 |
| Mar | 70 | 46 | 5.7 | 79% | 5 | 284 |
| Apr | 77 | 53 | 5.8 | 20% | 1 | 447 |
| May | 84 | 62 | 4.5 | 0% | <1 | 712 |
| Jun | 91 | 69 | 4.8 | 0% | 0 | 892 |
| Jul | 93 | 71 | 5.2 | 0% | 0 | 1001 |
| Aug | 93 | 70 | 4.7 | 0% | 0 | 981 |
| Sep | 89 | 64 | 4.1 | 0% | 0 | 802 |
| Oct | 81 | 53 | 4.0 | 27% | 1 | 522 |
| Nov | 69 | 42 | 4.5 | 92% | 8 | 210 |
| Dec | 61 | 38 | 5.6 | 98% | 13 | 120 |
Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Oakley Exp Stn, MS (205 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, Vicksburg City, MS, 17 miles west of Edwards, has a last frost 18 days earlier (February 26), a first frost 16 days later (November 22), a season 33 days longer.
When it snows in Edwards, Mississippi
Measurable snow is rare here: only 4 of 30 winters from 1991 to 2020 recorded 0.1 inch or more at Oakley Exp Stn, MS, 8.1 miles away, so there is no typical first-snow date to plan around.
Planting calendar for 39066
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| January 5 – January 19 | Start peppers and aubergines indoorsThey need eight to ten weeks under lights before they can go out. |
| January 19 – February 2 | Start tomatoes indoorsSix to eight weeks gives a transplant big enough to set fruit early. |
| February 16 – March 2 | Sow peas, spinach, lettuce, radish outdoorsThese tolerate light frost and prefer to germinate in cool soil. |
| March 16 onward | Transplant tomatoes, peppers, basil, squash, cucumbersThe average last freeze has passed — still watch the actual forecast. |
| by August 14 | Sow the autumn crop of carrots, beets and brassicasThey need about twelve weeks to size up before growth stops. |
| by October 23 | Harvest tender crops, or be ready to cover themA first freeze two weeks early is well within normal variation. |
| November 6 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 39066 is 8 miles from Oakley Exp Stn, MS, which stands at 205 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. 5 other ZIP codes share the station; its figures are presented in full for 39272 (Byram). The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 39066 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.
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.