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USDA Hardiness Zone 8b

Frost Dates for 75969 — Pollok, Texas

NOAA 1991–2020 normals from Lufkin 11 NW, TX (350 ft), 1 miles southwest.

Updated

In Pollok, the last spring frost (32°F) is around March 19 in half of years and has passed by April 9 in nine years out of ten. The first fall frost comes around November 10, as early as October 28 one year in ten, leaving a typical freeze-free season of 239 days (NOAA, Lufkin 11 NW, TX).

Last spring frost
March 19

50% probability

First fall frost
November 10

50% probability

Growing season
239 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
14%

3 of 22 observed

Snow per year
0.2"

NOAA normal

Frost risk by date in Pollok

Half of springs at Lufkin 11 NW, TX see their last 32°F night by March 19; only one in ten is past it by February 25, and one in ten still has one after April 9. Planting tender crops after March 31 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after April 3 20%, and after April 9 10%. The 21 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is wider than at 50% of the 339 Texas 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 28 one year in ten, and holds off past December 1 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 14 days later, around November 24; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is March 28, 12 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 239 days in a typical year, shorter than at 62% of the 339 Texas stations; it reaches 266 days one year in ten and falls short of 212 one year in ten. On average 52 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 April 3, and return around November 1. Nights of 24°F, cold enough to damage hardier plants, come in 99% of winters and 16°F in 29%.

Spring: the chance of another night this cold after the date
Low90%80%70%60%50%40%30%20%10%
36°FMar 11Mar 20Mar 26Mar 31Apr 3Apr 6Apr 11Apr 15Apr 22
32°FFeb 25Mar 2Mar 9Mar 14Mar 19Mar 24Mar 31Apr 3Apr 9
28°FFeb 4Feb 16Feb 22Feb 28Mar 3Mar 8Mar 13Mar 19Mar 28
24°F99% of yrsJan 13Jan 23Jan 31Feb 5Feb 13Feb 20Feb 28Mar 6Mar 14
20°F76% of yrsDec 24Jan 3Jan 11Jan 18Jan 26Jan 31Feb 5Feb 16Mar 2
16°F29% 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 25Oct 28Oct 31Nov 1Nov 5Nov 7Nov 11Nov 17
32°FOct 28Nov 1Nov 4Nov 7Nov 10Nov 13Nov 18Nov 23Dec 1
28°FNov 5Nov 10Nov 14Nov 20Nov 24Nov 28Dec 1Dec 5Dec 13
24°F99% of yrsNov 14Nov 22Nov 28Dec 3Dec 7Dec 15Dec 24Jan 1Jan 11
20°F76% of yrsNov 28Dec 8Dec 17Dec 25Dec 31Jan 3Jan 8Jan 17Feb 1
16°F29% of yrstoo rare for a date

Freeze probabilities 1991–2020 at Lufkin 11 NW, TX, 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 75969 →Compare Pollok with another place →

Weather by month in Pollok

July is the warmest month at Lufkin 11 NW, TX, averaging 92°F by day and 71°F at night; January is the coldest at 59°F and 35°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 78% of years and April still brings one in 26% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 5,918 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), fewer than at 75% of the 351 Texas stations. 41% of them (2,409) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 972. Precipitation totals 50.1 inches a year, most in October (4.8") and least in July (2.8"); May to September bring 39% of it.

Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Lufkin 11 NW, TX
MonthHigh °FLow °FPrecip. in32°F nightNights ≤ 32°FGDD 50°F
Jan59354.5100%1678
Feb62394.096%11115
Mar69454.278%4260
Apr76524.026%1427
May82624.60%0677
Jun88694.20%0852
Jul92712.80%0972
Aug93703.80%0970
Sep88643.90%0778
Oct78534.817%1489
Nov68434.788%6207
Dec60374.699%1593

Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Lufkin 11 NW, TX (350 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, Lufkin Angelina Co Airport, TX, 16 miles southeast of Pollok, has a last frost 8 days earlier (March 11), a first frost 5 days later (November 15), a season 8 days longer.

Frost dates for 75904 (Lufkin) →

When it snows in Pollok, Texas

Measurable snow is rare here: only 3 of 22 winters from 1991 to 2020 recorded 0.1 inch or more at Lufkin 11 NW, TX, 1.2 miles away, so there is no typical first-snow date to plan around.

Planting calendar for 75969

What to do and when, from the 50% frost dates for Pollok, Texas
WhenWhat to do
January 8 – January 22Start peppers and aubergines indoorsThey need eight to ten weeks under lights before they can go out.
January 22 – February 5Start tomatoes indoorsSix to eight weeks gives a transplant big enough to set fruit early.
February 19 – March 5Sow peas, spinach, lettuce, radish outdoorsThese tolerate light frost and prefer to germinate in cool soil.
March 19 onwardTransplant tomatoes, peppers, basil, squash, cucumbersThe average last freeze has passed — still watch the actual forecast.
by August 18Sow the autumn crop of carrots, beets and brassicasThey need about twelve weeks to size up before growth stops.
by October 27Harvest tender crops, or be ready to cover themA first freeze two weeks early is well within normal variation.
November 10 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 75969 is 1 mile from Lufkin 11 NW, TX, which stands at 350 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 75969 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 Texas →

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.

Other zone 8b places in Texas