Frost Dates for 70582 — Saint Martinville, Louisiana

Half of springs at Lafayette 13 SE, LA see their last 32°F night by February 19; only one in ten is past it by January 17, and one in ten still has one after March 16. Planting tender crops after March 3 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after March 9 20%, and after March 16 10%. The 25 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is wider than at 69% 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 1 in half of years, as early as November 9 one year in ten, and holds off past January 2 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 18 days later, around December 19; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is March 2, 14 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 289 days in a typical year, longer than at 69% of the 88 Louisiana stations; it reaches 328 days one year in ten and falls short of 253 one year in ten. On average 14 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 March 8, and return around November 16. Nights of 24°F, cold enough to damage hardier plants, come in 52% of winters and 16°F in 3%.

August is the warmest month at Lafayette 13 SE, LA, averaging 90°F by day and 73°F at night; January is the coldest at 62°F and 43°F. From April to October the chance of a 32°F night stays under 10% each month. In spring, February still brings one in 60% of years and March still brings one in 34% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 6,755 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 63% of the 88 Louisiana stations. 43% of them (2,912) have built up by the end of June, and August adds the most, 972. Precipitation totals 67.0 inches a year, most in June (8.1") and least in March (3.9"); May to September bring 49% of it.

The nearest other station, New Iberia Acadiana Airport, LA, 9 miles southwest of Saint Martinville, has a last frost 9 days earlier (February 10), a first frost 10 days later (December 11), a season 16 days longer.

Measurable snow is rare here: only 0 of 20 winters from 1991 to 2020 recorded 0.1 inch or more at St Martinville 3 SW, LA, 6 miles away, so there is no typical first-snow date to plan around.

ZIP 70582 is 6 miles from Lafayette 13 SE, LA, which stands at 35 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 70582 in zone 9a, the band where the coldest night of the year averaged 20 to 25°F (-6.7 to -3.9°C) over 1991–2020; a zone describes winter lows, not frost dates.