Frost Dates for 71483 — Winnfield, Louisiana

Half of springs at Winnfield 3 N, LA see their last 32°F night by March 13; only one in ten is past it by February 23, and one in ten still has one after April 5. Planting tender crops after March 23 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after March 29 20%, and after April 5 10%. The 23 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is wider than at 52% 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 10 in half of years, as early as October 27 one year in ten, and holds off past December 1 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 13 days later, around November 23; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is March 20, 16 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 242 days in a typical year, shorter than at 86% of the 88 Louisiana stations; it reaches 268 days one year in ten and falls short of 213 one year in ten. On average 45 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 28, and return around November 1. Nights of 24°F, cold enough to damage hardier plants, come in 97% of winters and 16°F in 35%.

July is the warmest month at Winnfield 3 N, LA, averaging 93°F by day and 72°F at night; January is the coldest at 57°F and 36°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 72% of years and April still brings one in 16% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 6,116 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), fewer than at 81% of the 88 Louisiana stations. 41% of them (2,518) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 995. Precipitation totals 57.6 inches a year, most in April (6.3") and least in August (3.4"); May to September bring 35% of it.

The nearest other station, Natchitoches #2, LA, 27 miles west of Winnfield, has a last frost 8 days earlier (March 5), a first frost 7 days later (November 17), a season 15 days longer.

Measurable snow is rare here: only 5 of 16 winters from 1991 to 2020 recorded 0.1 inch or more at Winnfield 3 N, LA, 3.3 miles away, so there is no typical first-snow date to plan around.

ZIP 71483 is 3 miles from Winnfield 3 N, LA, which stands at 160 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 71483 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.