Frost Dates for 70548 — Kaplan, Louisiana

Half of springs at Leland Bowman Lock, LA see their last 32°F night by February 17; only one in ten is past it by January 19, and one in ten still has one after March 13. Planting tender crops after February 28 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after March 5 20%, and after March 13 10%. The 24 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is wider than at 63% of the 88 Louisiana 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 December 5 in half of years, as early as November 13 one year in ten, and holds off past January 4 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 20 days later, around December 25; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is February 28, 13 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 298 days in a typical year, longer than at 77% of the 88 Louisiana stations; it reaches 334 days one year in ten and falls short of 258 one year in ten. On average 10 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 16 days longer, to about March 5, and return around November 21. Nights of 24°F, cold enough to damage hardier plants, come in 57% of winters and 16°F in 4%.

July is the warmest month at Leland Bowman Lock, LA, averaging 90°F by day and 73°F at night; January is the coldest at 60°F and 41°F. From April to October the chance of a 32°F night stays under 10% each month. In spring, February still brings one in 63% of years and March still brings one in 29% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 6,576 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 52% of the 88 Louisiana stations. 42% of them (2,748) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 975. Precipitation totals 64.2 inches a year, most in July (8.1") and least in March (3.6"); May to September bring 50% of it.

The nearest other station, Crowley 2 NE, LA, 18 miles north of Kaplan, has a last frost 3 days later (February 20), a first frost 1 day earlier (December 4), a season 7 days shorter.

Measurable snow is rare here: only 0 of 20 winters from 1991 to 2020 recorded 0.1 inch or more at Abbeville, LA, 12.2 miles away, so there is no typical first-snow date to plan around.

ZIP 70548 is 15 miles from Leland Bowman Lock, LA, which stands at 40 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 70510 (Abbeville). The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 70548 in zone 9b, the band where the coldest night of the year averaged 25 to 30°F (-3.9 to -1.1°C) over 1991–2020; a zone describes winter lows, not frost dates.