Frost Dates for 71463 — Oakdale, Louisiana

Half of springs at Elizabeth, 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 28. Planting tender crops after March 14 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after March 19 20%, and after March 28 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 November 25 in half of years, as early as November 3 one year in ten, and holds off past December 15 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 15 days later, around December 10; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is March 12, 16 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 268 days in a typical year, longer than at 50% of the 88 Louisiana stations; it reaches 301 days one year in ten and falls short of 235 one year in ten. On average 31 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 20, and return around November 10. Nights of 24°F, cold enough to damage hardier plants, come in 80% of winters and 16°F in 8%.

August is the warmest month at Elizabeth, LA, averaging 93°F by day and 71°F at night; January is the coldest at 61°F and 38°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 54% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 6,526 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), fewer than at 52% of the 88 Louisiana stations. 42% of them (2,752) have built up by the end of June, and August adds the most, 996. Precipitation totals 62.1 inches a year, most in April (6.1") and least in August (4.0"); May to September bring 40% of it.

The nearest other station, Oberlin Fire Twr, LA, 16 miles southwest of Oakdale, has a last frost 2 days earlier (March 1), a first frost 1 day earlier (November 24), a season 1 day shorter.

Measurable snow is rare here: only 0 of 20 winters from 1991 to 2020 recorded 0.1 inch or more at Beaver Fire Twr, LA, 9.4 miles away, so there is no typical first-snow date to plan around.

ZIP 71463 is 8 miles from Elizabeth, LA, which stands at 150 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. 2 other ZIP codes share the station. The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 71463 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.