Frost Dates for 71302 — Alexandria, Louisiana

Half of springs at Alexandria 5 SSE, LA see their last 32°F night by March 3; only one in ten is past it by February 4, and one in ten still has one after March 24. Planting tender crops after March 12 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after March 17 20%, and after March 24 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 22 in half of years, as early as November 3 one year in ten, and holds off past December 11 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 15 days later, around December 7; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is March 13, 11 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 263 days in a typical year, shorter than at 58% of the 88 Louisiana stations; it reaches 297 days one year in ten and falls short of 236 one year in ten. On average 34 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 19, and return around November 8. Nights of 24°F, cold enough to damage hardier plants, come in 85% of winters and 16°F in 12%.

August is the warmest month at Alexandria 5 SSE, LA, averaging 93°F by day and 73°F at night; January is the coldest at 59°F and 39°F. A freezing night is all but certain in every month from December to January (a 90% chance or more). From April to October the chance of a 32°F night stays under 10% each month. In spring, February still brings one in 83% of years and March still brings one in 56% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 6,563 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 51% of the 88 Louisiana stations. 42% of them (2,752) have built up by the end of June, and August adds the most, 1,015. Precipitation totals 57.7 inches a year, most in January (5.7") and least in July (3.6"); May to September bring 38% of it.

The nearest other station, Alexandria, LA, 5 miles northwest of Alexandria, has a last frost 4 days earlier (February 27), a first frost 5 days later (November 27), a season 11 days longer.

Measurable snow is rare here: only 2 of 18 winters from 1991 to 2020 recorded 0.1 inch or more at Alexandria 5 SSE, LA, 1.7 miles away, so there is no typical first-snow date to plan around.

ZIP 71302 is 2 miles from Alexandria 5 SSE, LA, which stands at 85 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 71302 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.