Skip to content

USDA Hardiness Zone 8b

Frost Dates for 39451 — Leakesville, Mississippi

NOAA 1991–2020 normals from Beaumont Expstation, MS (194 ft), 19 miles west.

Updated

In Leakesville, the last spring frost (32°F) is around March 18 in half of years and has passed by April 6 in nine years out of ten. The first fall frost comes around November 12, as early as October 29 one year in ten, leaving a typical freeze-free season of 239 days (NOAA, Beaumont Expstation, MS).

Last spring frost
March 18

50% probability

First fall frost
November 12

50% probability

Growing season
239 days

freeze-free, 50%

Hardiness zone
8b

15 to 20°F (-9.4 to -6.7°C) coldest night

First snow
Rare

median, 1991–2020

Last snow
Rare

median, 1991–2020

Winters with snow
15%

3 of 20 observed

Snow per year
0.2"

NOAA normal

Frost risk by date in Leakesville

Half of springs at Beaumont Expstation, MS see their last 32°F night by March 18; 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 28 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after April 1 20%, and after April 6 10%. The 19 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is narrower than at 38% of the 96 Mississippi stations behind this site's ZIP pages.

In fall the first 32°F night comes by November 12 in half of years, as early as October 29 one year in ten, and holds off past December 1 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 14 days later, around November 26; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is March 25, 12 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 239 days in a typical year, shorter than at 49% of the 96 Mississippi stations; it reaches 268 days one year in ten and falls short of 215 one year in ten. On average 49 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 14 days longer, to about April 1, and return around November 1. Nights of 24°F, cold enough to damage hardier plants, come in 97% of winters and 16°F in 38%.

Spring: the chance of another night this cold after the date
Low90%80%70%60%50%40%30%20%10%
36°FMar 13Mar 19Mar 25Mar 29Apr 1Apr 4Apr 7Apr 11Apr 17
32°FFeb 25Mar 3Mar 9Mar 14Mar 18Mar 23Mar 28Apr 1Apr 6
28°FFeb 3Feb 17Feb 22Feb 27Mar 2Mar 7Mar 12Mar 18Mar 25
24°F97% of yrsJan 16Jan 27Feb 3Feb 9Feb 16Feb 22Feb 28Mar 5Mar 12
20°F78% of yrsDec 30Jan 10Jan 17Jan 23Jan 31Feb 5Feb 10Feb 19Mar 1
16°F38% of yrstoo rare for a date
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 27Oct 30Nov 1Nov 4Nov 7Nov 11Nov 16
32°FOct 29Nov 2Nov 5Nov 8Nov 12Nov 16Nov 19Nov 24Dec 1
28°FNov 6Nov 12Nov 17Nov 22Nov 26Dec 1Dec 5Dec 13Dec 28
24°F97% of yrsNov 19Nov 28Dec 3Dec 8Dec 17Dec 28Jan 2Jan 10Jan 21
20°F78% of yrsDec 4Dec 12Dec 22Jan 1Jan 4Jan 10Jan 17Jan 27Feb 5
16°F38% of yrstoo rare for a date

Freeze probabilities 1991–2020 at Beaumont Expstation, 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 39451 →Compare Leakesville with another place →

Weather by month in Leakesville

July is the warmest month at Beaumont Expstation, MS, averaging 94°F by day and 71°F at night; January is the coldest at 62°F and 36°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 21% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 6,393 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 86% of the 96 Mississippi stations. 42% of them (2,655) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 995. Precipitation totals 64.0 inches a year, most in December (6.2") and least in September (4.1"); May to September bring 42% of it.

Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Beaumont Expstation, MS
MonthHigh °FLow °FPrecip. in32°F nightNights ≤ 32°FGDD 50°F
Jan62366.199%15105
Feb66395.195%10146
Mar73456.080%4305
Apr80525.421%<1470
May87605.20%0729
Jun92685.70%0901
Jul94716.10%0995
Aug94705.70%0989
Sep90654.10%0832
Oct82534.215%1543
Nov71424.285%7241
Dec64386.296%13138

Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Beaumont Expstation, MS (194 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, Chatom, AL, 30 miles northeast of Leakesville, has a last frost 8 days later (March 26), a first frost 4 days earlier (November 8), a season 11 days shorter.

Frost dates for 36558 (Millry) →

When it snows in Leakesville, Mississippi

Measurable snow is rare here: only 3 of 20 winters from 1991 to 2020 recorded 0.1 inch or more at Leakesville, MS, 2.9 miles away, so there is no typical first-snow date to plan around.

Planting calendar for 39451

What to do and when, from the 50% frost dates for Leakesville, Mississippi
WhenWhat to do
January 7 – January 21Start peppers and aubergines indoorsThey need eight to ten weeks under lights before they can go out.
January 21 – February 4Start tomatoes indoorsSix to eight weeks gives a transplant big enough to set fruit early.
February 18 – March 4Sow peas, spinach, lettuce, radish outdoorsThese tolerate light frost and prefer to germinate in cool soil.
March 18 onwardTransplant tomatoes, peppers, basil, squash, cucumbersThe average last freeze has passed — still watch the actual forecast.
by August 20Sow the autumn crop of carrots, beets and brassicasThey need about twelve weeks to size up before growth stops.
by October 29Harvest tender crops, or be ready to cover themA first freeze two weeks early is well within normal variation.
November 12 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 39451 is 19 miles from Beaumont Expstation, MS, which stands at 194 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. 2 other ZIP codes share the station. The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 39451 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.

ZIP codes measured at the same station

Other zone 8b places in Mississippi