Frost Dates for 76240 — Gainesville, Texas

Half of springs at Gainesville 5 ENE, TX see their last 32°F night by March 19; only one in ten is past it by February 28, and one in ten still has one after April 6. Planting tender crops after March 28 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after April 1 20%, and after April 6 10%. The 18 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is narrower than at 75% of the 339 Texas stations behind this site's ZIP pages.

In fall the first 32°F night comes by November 14 in half of years, as early as October 31 one year in ten, and holds off past December 2 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 14 days later, around November 28; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is March 25, 12 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 242 days in a typical year, shorter than at 58% of the 339 Texas stations; it reaches 267 days one year in ten and falls short of 214 one year in ten. On average 50 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 14 days longer, to about April 2, and return around November 5. Nights of 24°F, cold enough to damage hardier plants, come in 100% of winters and 16°F in 74%.

August is the warmest month at Gainesville 5 ENE, TX, averaging 94°F by day and 72°F at night; January is the coldest at 53°F and 32°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 85% of years and April still brings one in 22% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 5,701 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), fewer than at 85% of the 351 Texas stations. 38% of them (2,169) have built up by the end of June, and August adds the most, 1,032. Precipitation totals 42.7 inches a year, most in May (5.6") and least in January (2.2"); May to September bring 46% of it.

The nearest other station, Marietta 5SW, OK, 17 miles north of Gainesville, has a last frost 18 days later (April 6), a first frost 12 days earlier (November 2), a season 31 days shorter.

The first measurable snow (0.1 inch or more) in Gainesville usually arrives around January 3, and the last of the season around February 2. Those are the middle dates across the winters of 1991–2020 at Gainesville 5 ENE, TX, 4.6 miles away: half of years saw snow earlier, half later. Snow fell in 50% of those winters. The last 32°F night of spring typically comes 45 days after the last snow.

ZIP 76240 is 5 miles from Gainesville 5 ENE, TX, which stands at 870 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 76240 in zone 8a, the band where the coldest night of the year averaged 10 to 15°F (-12.2 to -9.4°C) over 1991–2020; a zone describes winter lows, not frost dates.