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USDA Hardiness Zone 8b

Frost Dates for 71060 — Mooringsport, Louisiana

NOAA 1991–2020 normals from Mooringsport 1 N, LA (200 ft), 2 miles northeast.

Updated

In Mooringsport, the last spring frost (32°F) is around March 6 in half of years and has passed by March 27 in nine years out of ten. The first fall frost comes around November 19, as early as November 2 one year in ten, leaving a typical freeze-free season of 257 days (NOAA, Mooringsport 1 N, LA).

Last spring frost
March 6

50% probability

First fall frost
November 19

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
21%

6 of 28 observed

Snow per year
0.1"

NOAA normal

Frost risk by date in Mooringsport

Half of springs at Mooringsport 1 N, LA see their last 32°F night by March 6; only one in ten is past it by February 15, and one in ten still has one after March 27. Planting tender crops after March 14 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after March 19 20%, and after March 27 10%. The 21 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is narrower than at 60% 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 November 19 in half of years, as early as November 2 one year in ten, and holds off past December 9 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 14 days later, around December 3; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is March 13, 14 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 257 days in a typical year, shorter than at 64% of the 88 Louisiana stations; it reaches 283 days one year in ten and falls short of 230 one year in ten. On average 35 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 21, and return around November 7. Nights of 24°F, cold enough to damage hardier plants, come in 93% of winters and 16°F in 28%.

Spring: the chance of another night this cold after the date
Low90%80%70%60%50%40%30%20%10%
36°FFeb 28Mar 7Mar 12Mar 16Mar 21Mar 25Mar 30Apr 3Apr 9
32°FFeb 15Feb 22Feb 27Mar 2Mar 6Mar 10Mar 14Mar 19Mar 27
28°FJan 25Feb 2Feb 9Feb 15Feb 21Feb 27Mar 2Mar 6Mar 13
24°F93% of yrsJan 4Jan 15Jan 23Jan 29Feb 1Feb 8Feb 14Feb 24Mar 3
20°F65% of yrsDec 28Jan 5Jan 11Jan 17Jan 23Jan 28Feb 1Feb 6Feb 18
16°F28% 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 23Oct 29Nov 1Nov 4Nov 7Nov 10Nov 14Nov 19Nov 25
32°FNov 2Nov 7Nov 11Nov 15Nov 19Nov 24Nov 28Dec 1Dec 9
28°FNov 11Nov 18Nov 25Nov 30Dec 3Dec 7Dec 14Dec 23Dec 31
24°F93% of yrsNov 28Dec 4Dec 11Dec 19Dec 26Dec 31Jan 3Jan 9Jan 18
20°F65% of yrsDec 10Dec 22Dec 30Jan 2Jan 6Jan 10Jan 16Jan 22Feb 2
16°F28% of yrstoo rare for a date

Freeze probabilities 1991–2020 at Mooringsport 1 N, LA, 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 71060 →Compare Mooringsport with another place →

Weather by month in Mooringsport

July is the warmest month at Mooringsport 1 N, LA, averaging 94°F by day and 73°F at night; January is the coldest at 56°F and 35°F. A freezing night is all but certain in every month from December to February (a 90% chance or more). From April to October the chance of a 32°F night stays under 10% each month. In spring, March still brings one in 64% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 6,162 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), fewer than at 77% of the 88 Louisiana stations. 40% of them (2,488) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 1,040. Precipitation totals 50.8 inches a year, most in December (5.1") and least in August (3.0"); May to September bring 37% of it.

Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Mooringsport 1 N, LA
MonthHigh °FLow °FPrecip. in32°F nightNights ≤ 32°FGDD 50°F
Jan56354.599%1269
Feb61394.594%7110
Mar68464.764%2260
Apr76544.75%<1448
May83634.10%0710
Jun90704.20%0891
Jul94733.20%01040
Aug94723.00%01029
Sep89654.10%0808
Oct78544.57%<1503
Nov66454.274%4210
Dec58385.198%1083

Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Mooringsport 1 N, LA (200 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, Shreveport Dwtn Airport, LA, 16 miles southeast of Mooringsport, has a last frost 6 days earlier (February 28), a first frost 5 days later (November 24), a season 11 days longer.

Frost dates for 71111 (Bossier City) →

When it snows in Mooringsport, Louisiana

Measurable snow is rare here: only 6 of 28 winters from 1991 to 2020 recorded 0.1 inch or more at Mooringsport 1 N, LA, 2 miles away, so there is no typical first-snow date to plan around.

Planting calendar for 71060

What to do and when, from the 50% frost dates for Mooringsport, Louisiana
WhenWhat to do
December 26 – January 9Start peppers and aubergines indoorsThey need eight to ten weeks under lights before they can go out.
January 9 – January 23Start tomatoes indoorsSix to eight weeks gives a transplant big enough to set fruit early.
February 6 – February 20Sow peas, spinach, lettuce, radish outdoorsThese tolerate light frost and prefer to germinate in cool soil.
March 6 onwardTransplant tomatoes, peppers, basil, squash, cucumbersThe average last freeze has passed — still watch the actual forecast.
by August 27Sow the autumn crop of carrots, beets and brassicasThey need about twelve weeks to size up before growth stops.
by November 5Harvest tender crops, or be ready to cover themA first freeze two weeks early is well within normal variation.
November 19 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 71060 is 2 miles from Mooringsport 1 N, LA, which stands at 200 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. 2 other ZIP codes share the station; its figures are presented in full for 71082 (Vivian). The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 71060 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 Louisiana →

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 Louisiana