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USDA Hardiness Zone 9a

Frost Dates for 71485 — Woodworth, Louisiana

NOAA 1991–2020 normals from Lsu Dean Lee Rsch Stn, LA (70 ft), 6 miles east.

Updated

In Woodworth, the last spring frost (32°F) is around March 1 in half of years and has passed by March 22 in nine years out of ten. The first fall frost comes around November 22, as early as November 2 one year in ten, leaving a typical freeze-free season of 267 days (NOAA, Lsu Dean Lee Rsch Stn, LA).

Last spring frost
March 1

50% probability

First fall frost
November 22

50% probability

Growing season
267 days

freeze-free, 50%

Hardiness zone
9a

20 to 25°F (-6.7 to -3.9°C) coldest night

First snow
Rare

median, 1991–2020

Last snow
Rare

median, 1991–2020

Winters with snow
0%

0 of 20 observed

Snow per year
0"

NOAA normal

Frost risk by date in Woodworth

Half of springs at Lsu Dean Lee Rsch Stn, LA see their last 32°F night by March 1; only one in ten is past it by February 1, and one in ten still has one after March 22. Planting tender crops after March 10 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after March 15 20%, and after March 22 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 2 one year in ten, and holds off past December 13 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 9, 13 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 267 days in a typical year, shorter than at 51% of the 88 Louisiana stations; it reaches 300 days one year in ten and falls short of 237 one year in ten. On average 28 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 16, and return around November 8. Nights of 24°F, cold enough to damage hardier plants, come in 74% of winters and 16°F in 7%.

Spring: the chance of another night this cold after the date
Low90%80%70%60%50%40%30%20%10%
36°FFeb 24Mar 2Mar 7Mar 12Mar 16Mar 20Mar 25Mar 31Apr 6
32°FFeb 1Feb 15Feb 20Feb 26Mar 1Mar 5Mar 10Mar 15Mar 22
28°F97% of yrsJan 10Jan 23Jan 29Feb 3Feb 10Feb 18Feb 26Mar 2Mar 9
24°F74% of yrsDec 25Jan 4Jan 12Jan 19Jan 25Jan 30Feb 2Feb 11Feb 25
20°F31% of yrstoo rare for a date
16°F7% 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 30Nov 2Nov 5Nov 8Nov 12Nov 16Nov 21Nov 29
32°FNov 2Nov 8Nov 13Nov 18Nov 22Nov 26Dec 1Dec 4Dec 13
28°F97% of yrsNov 14Nov 23Nov 28Dec 3Dec 7Dec 14Dec 23Jan 1Jan 11
24°F74% of yrsNov 30Dec 8Dec 17Dec 24Dec 31Jan 3Jan 9Jan 19Feb 1
20°F31% of yrstoo rare for a date
16°F7% of yrstoo rare for a date

Freeze probabilities 1991–2020 at Lsu Dean Lee Rsch Stn, 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 71485 →Compare Woodworth with another place →

Weather by month in Woodworth

August is the warmest month at Lsu Dean Lee Rsch Stn, LA, averaging 93°F by day and 73°F at night; January is the coldest at 60°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 80% of years and March still brings one in 50% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 6,556 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 50% 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 60.2 inches a year, most in January (6.0") and least in August (3.6"); May to September bring 39% of it.

Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Lsu Dean Lee Rsch Stn, LA
MonthHigh °FLow °FPrecip. in32°F nightNights ≤ 32°FGDD 50°F
Jan60396.095%10110
Feb64435.080%6154
Mar71494.550%1316
Apr77564.83%0494
May85654.90%0763
Jun90716.00%0916
Jul93734.10%01014
Aug93733.60%01015
Sep89664.80%0831
Oct80555.58%<1549
Nov70465.667%3259
Dec62405.491%9136

Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Lsu Dean Lee Rsch Stn, LA (70 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, Alexandria 5 SSE, LA, 7 miles northeast of Woodworth, has a last frost 2 days later (March 3), the same first-frost date, a season 4 days shorter.

Frost dates for 71302 (Alexandria) →

When it snows in Woodworth, Louisiana

Measurable snow is rare here: only 0 of 20 winters from 1991 to 2020 recorded 0.1 inch or more at Lsu Dean Lee Rsch Stn, LA, 5.5 miles away, so there is no typical first-snow date to plan around.

Planting calendar for 71485

What to do and when, from the 50% frost dates for Woodworth, Louisiana
WhenWhat to do
December 21 – January 4Start peppers and aubergines indoorsThey need eight to ten weeks under lights before they can go out.
January 4 – January 18Start tomatoes indoorsSix to eight weeks gives a transplant big enough to set fruit early.
February 1 – February 15Sow peas, spinach, lettuce, radish outdoorsThese tolerate light frost and prefer to germinate in cool soil.
March 1 onwardTransplant tomatoes, peppers, basil, squash, cucumbersThe average last freeze has passed — still watch the actual forecast.
by August 30Sow the autumn crop of carrots, beets and brassicasThey need about twelve weeks to size up before growth stops.
by November 8Harvest tender crops, or be ready to cover themA first freeze two weeks early is well within normal variation.
November 22 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 71485 is 6 miles from Lsu Dean Lee Rsch Stn, LA, which stands at 70 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 71485 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.

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 9a places in Louisiana