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USDA Hardiness Zone 8b

Frost Dates for 71220 — Bastrop, Louisiana

NOAA 1991–2020 normals from Bastrop, LA (150 ft), 6 miles south.

Updated

In Bastrop, the last spring frost (32°F) is around March 15 in half of years and has passed by April 3 in nine years out of ten. The first fall frost comes around November 12, as early as October 29 one year in ten, leaving a typical freeze-free season of 241 days (NOAA, Bastrop, LA).

Last spring frost
March 15

50% probability

First fall frost
November 12

50% probability

Growing season
241 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
17%

4 of 23 observed

Snow per year
0"

NOAA normal

Frost risk by date in Bastrop

Half of springs at Bastrop, LA see their last 32°F night by March 15; only one in ten is past it by February 26, and one in ten still has one after April 3. Planting tender crops after March 24 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after March 28 20%, and after April 3 10%. The 19 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is narrower than at 78% of the 88 Louisiana stations behind this site's ZIP pages.

In fall the first 32°F night comes by November 12 in half of years, as early as October 29 one year in ten, and holds off past December 2 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 14 days later, around November 26; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is March 21, 13 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 241 days in a typical year, shorter than at 88% of the 88 Louisiana stations; it reaches 270 days one year in ten and falls short of 215 one year in ten. On average 53 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 31, and return around November 1. Nights of 24°F, cold enough to damage hardier plants, come in 99% of winters and 16°F in 38%.

Spring: the chance of another night this cold after the date
Low90%80%70%60%50%40%30%20%10%
36°FMar 11Mar 17Mar 23Mar 27Mar 31Apr 2Apr 5Apr 10Apr 15
32°FFeb 26Mar 3Mar 7Mar 11Mar 15Mar 20Mar 24Mar 28Apr 3
28°FFeb 4Feb 15Feb 22Feb 27Mar 2Mar 6Mar 10Mar 15Mar 21
24°F99% of yrsJan 15Jan 24Jan 30Feb 3Feb 11Feb 20Feb 27Mar 3Mar 10
20°F79% of yrsDec 30Jan 6Jan 13Jan 20Jan 27Jan 31Feb 3Feb 13Feb 28
16°F38% 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 20Oct 24Oct 27Oct 30Nov 1Nov 4Nov 7Nov 11Nov 18
32°FOct 29Nov 1Nov 5Nov 8Nov 12Nov 16Nov 20Nov 26Dec 2
28°FNov 6Nov 11Nov 16Nov 20Nov 26Dec 1Dec 5Dec 10Dec 20
24°F99% of yrsNov 18Nov 26Dec 1Dec 6Dec 12Dec 20Dec 28Jan 3Jan 13
20°F79% of yrsDec 3Dec 15Dec 23Dec 29Jan 2Jan 6Jan 11Jan 17Feb 1
16°F38% of yrstoo rare for a date

Freeze probabilities 1991–2020 at Bastrop, 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 71220 →Compare Bastrop with another place →

Weather by month in Bastrop

July is the warmest month at Bastrop, LA, averaging 91°F by day and 72°F at night; January is the coldest at 54°F and 34°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 82% of years and April still brings one in 12% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 5,606 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), fewer than at 98% of the 88 Louisiana stations. 40% of them (2,253) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 962. Precipitation totals 58.3 inches a year, most in April (6.1") and least in September (3.4"); May to September bring 38% of it.

Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Bastrop, LA
MonthHigh °FLow °FPrecip. in32°F nightNights ≤ 32°FGDD 50°F
Jan54345.7100%1655
Feb58374.997%1182
Mar67444.982%5222
Apr74526.112%<1394
May81615.20%0651
Jun88694.10%0850
Jul91724.60%0962
Aug91704.70%0944
Sep86643.40%0756
Oct76525.115%1448
Nov64424.484%6167
Dec56365.299%1576

Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Bastrop, LA (150 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, Monroe 26 N, LA, 13 miles west of Bastrop, has a last frost 10 days later (March 25), a first frost 7 days earlier (November 5), a season 15 days shorter.

Frost dates for 71260 (Marion) →

When it snows in Bastrop, Louisiana

Measurable snow is rare here: only 4 of 23 winters from 1991 to 2020 recorded 0.1 inch or more at Bastrop, LA, 5.8 miles away, so there is no typical first-snow date to plan around.

Planting calendar for 71220

What to do and when, from the 50% frost dates for Bastrop, Louisiana
WhenWhat to do
January 4 – January 18Start peppers and aubergines indoorsThey need eight to ten weeks under lights before they can go out.
January 18 – February 1Start tomatoes indoorsSix to eight weeks gives a transplant big enough to set fruit early.
February 15 – March 1Sow peas, spinach, lettuce, radish outdoorsThese tolerate light frost and prefer to germinate in cool soil.
March 15 onwardTransplant tomatoes, peppers, basil, squash, cucumbersThe average last freeze has passed — still watch the actual forecast.
by August 20Sow the autumn crop of carrots, beets and brassicasThey need about twelve weeks to size up before growth stops.
by October 29Harvest tender crops, or be ready to cover themA first freeze two weeks early is well within normal variation.
November 12 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 71220 is 6 miles from Bastrop, LA, which stands at 150 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 71220 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