Frost Dates for 39601 — Brookhaven, Mississippi

Half of springs at Brookhaven City, MS see their last 32°F night by March 17; only one in ten is past it by February 22, and one in ten still has one after April 7. Planting tender crops after March 27 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after April 1 20%, and after April 7 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 12 in half of years, as early as October 26 one year in ten, and holds off past December 2 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 16 days later, around November 28; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is March 23, 15 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 242 days in a typical year, longer than at 54% of the 96 Mississippi stations; it reaches 270 days one year in ten and falls short of 212 one year in ten. On average 47 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 April 1, and return around November 3. Nights of 24°F, cold enough to damage hardier plants, come in 97% of winters and 16°F in 33%.

July is the warmest month at Brookhaven City, MS, averaging 90°F by day and 71°F at night; January is the coldest at 57°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 76% of years and April still brings one in 22% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 5,828 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 51% of the 96 Mississippi stations. 41% of them (2,393) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 938. Precipitation totals 61.4 inches a year, most in January (6.5") and least in October (3.6"); May to September bring 39% of it.

The nearest other station, Hazlehurst 5 SW, MS, 18 miles north of Brookhaven and 165 feet higher, has a last frost 3 days earlier (March 14), a first frost 1 day later (November 13), a season 3 days longer.

Measurable snow is rare here: only 5 of 29 winters from 1991 to 2020 recorded 0.1 inch or more at Brookhaven City, MS, 2.1 miles away, so there is no typical first-snow date to plan around.

ZIP 39601 is 2 miles from Brookhaven City, MS, which stands at 435 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. 1 other ZIP code shares the station. The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 39601 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.