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USDA Hardiness Zone 8b

Frost Dates for 39455 — Lumberton, Mississippi

NOAA 1991–2020 normals from Poplarville Exp Stn, MS (313 ft), 14 miles south.

Updated

In Lumberton, the last spring frost (32°F) is around March 10 in half of years and has passed by April 1 in nine years out of ten. The first fall frost comes around November 21, as early as November 2 one year in ten, leaving a typical freeze-free season of 257 days (NOAA, Poplarville Exp Stn, MS).

Last spring frost
March 10

50% probability

First fall frost
November 21

50% probability

Growing season
257 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
5%

1 of 20 observed

Snow per year
0.3"

NOAA normal

Frost risk by date in Lumberton

Half of springs at Poplarville Exp Stn, MS see their last 32°F night by March 10; only one in ten is past it by February 16, and one in ten still has one after April 1. Planting tender crops after March 18 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after March 23 20%, and after April 1 10%. The 22 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is wider than at 85% 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 21 in half of years, as early as November 2 one year in ten, and holds off past December 12 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 12 days later, around December 3; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is March 16, 16 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 257 days in a typical year, longer than at 85% of the 96 Mississippi stations; it reaches 287 days one year in ten and falls short of 227 one year in ten. On average 26 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 15 days longer, to about March 25, and return around November 8. Nights of 24°F, cold enough to damage hardier plants, come in 93% of winters and 16°F in 30%.

Spring: the chance of another night this cold after the date
Low90%80%70%60%50%40%30%20%10%
36°FMar 2Mar 11Mar 16Mar 21Mar 25Mar 30Apr 4Apr 8Apr 17
32°FFeb 16Feb 24Mar 1Mar 5Mar 10Mar 14Mar 18Mar 23Apr 1
28°FJan 27Feb 2Feb 11Feb 18Feb 24Feb 28Mar 4Mar 10Mar 16
24°F93% of yrsJan 4Jan 15Jan 25Jan 30Feb 2Feb 11Feb 19Feb 26Mar 6
20°F65% of yrsDec 26Jan 4Jan 11Jan 17Jan 23Jan 28Jan 31Feb 11Feb 25
16°F30% 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 25Oct 30Nov 2Nov 5Nov 8Nov 11Nov 15Nov 19Nov 26
32°FNov 2Nov 7Nov 12Nov 17Nov 21Nov 25Dec 1Dec 4Dec 12
28°FNov 10Nov 18Nov 25Nov 30Dec 3Dec 7Dec 14Dec 23Jan 3
24°F93% of yrsNov 26Dec 4Dec 11Dec 19Dec 26Jan 1Jan 4Jan 10Jan 20
20°F65% of yrsDec 11Dec 21Dec 30Jan 2Jan 7Jan 11Jan 16Jan 23Feb 3
16°F30% of yrstoo rare for a date

Freeze probabilities 1991–2020 at Poplarville 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 39455 →Compare Lumberton with another place →

Weather by month in Lumberton

July is the warmest month at Poplarville Exp Stn, MS, averaging 91°F by day and 71°F at night; January is the coldest at 59°F and 39°F. A freezing night is all but certain in every month from December to February (a 90% chance or more). From May to October the chance of a 32°F night stays under 10% each month. In spring, March still brings one in 67% of years and April still brings one in 10% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 6,256 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 75% of the 96 Mississippi stations. 42% of them (2,619) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 953. Precipitation totals 65.0 inches a year, most in July (6.9") and least in October (4.0"); May to September bring 45% of it.

Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Poplarville Exp Stn, MS
MonthHigh °FLow °FPrecip. in32°F nightNights ≤ 32°FGDD 50°F
Jan59395.799%9112
Feb63425.392%5146
Mar70485.567%2307
Apr77545.510%0466
May84625.30%0718
Jun89696.40%0871
Jul91716.90%0953
Aug91706.00%0952
Sep87664.80%0799
Oct79564.06%<1542
Nov68464.167%2252
Dec61415.594%7139

Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Poplarville Exp Stn, MS (313 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, Hattiesburg 5SW, MS, 18 miles northeast of Lumberton, has a last frost 3 days earlier (March 7), a first frost 2 days later (November 23), a season 4 days longer.

Frost dates for 39402 (Hattiesburg) →

When it snows in Lumberton, Mississippi

Measurable snow is rare here: only 1 of 20 winters from 1991 to 2020 recorded 0.1 inch or more at Poplarville Exp Stn, MS, 13.7 miles away, so there is no typical first-snow date to plan around.

Planting calendar for 39455

What to do and when, from the 50% frost dates for Lumberton, Mississippi
WhenWhat to do
December 30 – January 13Start peppers and aubergines indoorsThey need eight to ten weeks under lights before they can go out.
January 13 – January 27Start tomatoes indoorsSix to eight weeks gives a transplant big enough to set fruit early.
February 10 – February 24Sow peas, spinach, lettuce, radish outdoorsThese tolerate light frost and prefer to germinate in cool soil.
March 10 onwardTransplant tomatoes, peppers, basil, squash, cucumbersThe average last freeze has passed — still watch the actual forecast.
by August 29Sow the autumn crop of carrots, beets and brassicasThey need about twelve weeks to size up before growth stops.
by November 7Harvest tender crops, or be ready to cover themA first freeze two weeks early is well within normal variation.
November 21 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 39455 is 14 miles from Poplarville Exp Stn, MS, which stands at 313 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 39470 (Poplarville). The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 39455 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