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USDA Hardiness Zone 8a

Frost Dates for 76360 — Electra, Texas

NOAA 1991–2020 normals from Lake Kemp, TX (1,167 ft), 18 miles southwest.

Updated

In Electra, the last spring frost (32°F) is around March 20 in half of years and has passed by April 5 in nine years out of ten. The first fall frost comes around November 13, as early as October 29 one year in ten, leaving a typical freeze-free season of 238 days (NOAA, Lake Kemp, TX).

Last spring frost
March 20

50% probability

First fall frost
November 13

50% probability

Growing season
238 days

freeze-free, 50%

Hardiness zone
8a

10 to 15°F (-12.2 to -9.4°C) coldest night

First snow
Rare

median, 1991–2020

Last snow
Rare

median, 1991–2020

Winters with snow
26%

5 of 19 observed

Snow per year
1.9"

NOAA normal

Frost risk by date in Electra

Half of springs at Lake Kemp, TX see their last 32°F night by March 20; only one in ten is past it by February 28, and one in ten still has one after April 5. Planting tender crops after March 27 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after March 31 20%, and after April 5 10%. The 16 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is narrower than at 91% of the 339 Texas stations behind this site's ZIP pages.

In fall the first 32°F night comes by November 13 in half of years, as early as October 29 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 26; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is March 26, 10 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 238 days in a typical year, shorter than at 65% of the 339 Texas stations; it reaches 263 days one year in ten and falls short of 214 one year in ten. On average 54 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 12 days longer, to about April 1, and return around November 4. Nights of 24°F, cold enough to damage hardier plants, come in 100% of winters and 16°F in 74%.

Spring: the chance of another night this cold after the date
Low90%80%70%60%50%40%30%20%10%
36°FMar 13Mar 20Mar 25Mar 29Apr 1Apr 4Apr 8Apr 12Apr 21
32°FFeb 28Mar 7Mar 12Mar 16Mar 20Mar 23Mar 27Mar 31Apr 5
28°FFeb 18Feb 24Mar 1Mar 4Mar 7Mar 11Mar 15Mar 20Mar 26
24°FJan 31Feb 11Feb 16Feb 21Feb 26Mar 1Mar 4Mar 9Mar 16
20°F96% of yrsJan 10Jan 25Jan 31Feb 6Feb 11Feb 16Feb 22Feb 28Mar 6
16°F74% of yrsDec 25Jan 3Jan 16Jan 25Jan 30Feb 3Feb 8Feb 16Feb 26
Fall: the chance the first night this cold has come by the date
Low10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%
36°FOct 21Oct 26Oct 31Nov 2Nov 4Nov 7Nov 10Nov 14Nov 19
32°FOct 29Nov 3Nov 7Nov 10Nov 13Nov 16Nov 20Nov 25Dec 1
28°FNov 7Nov 12Nov 17Nov 22Nov 26Nov 30Dec 2Dec 6Dec 13
24°FNov 17Nov 25Nov 30Dec 4Dec 7Dec 11Dec 15Dec 21Dec 29
20°F96% of yrsNov 29Dec 6Dec 11Dec 15Dec 21Dec 27Jan 1Jan 9Jan 21
16°F74% of yrsDec 8Dec 15Dec 22Dec 29Jan 2Jan 9Jan 17Jan 27Feb 5

Freeze probabilities 1991–2020 at Lake Kemp, 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 76360 →Compare Electra with another place →

Weather by month in Electra

July is the warmest month at Lake Kemp, TX, averaging 97°F by day and 74°F at night; January is the coldest at 54°F and 31°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 89% of years and April still brings one in 19% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 5,960 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), fewer than at 73% of the 351 Texas stations. 39% of them (2,323) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 1,086. Precipitation totals 25.2 inches a year, most in May (3.6") and least in January (1.1"); May to September bring 54% of it.

Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Lake Kemp, TX
MonthHigh °FLow °FPrecip. in32°F nightNights ≤ 32°FGDD 50°F
Jan54311.1100%1833
Feb58341.4100%1266
Mar67421.889%4210
Apr76501.919%<1400
May84613.60%0693
Jun92693.20%0921
Jul97742.10%01086
Aug96732.10%01065
Sep88652.60%0785
Oct77532.614%<1483
Nov64421.687%5174
Dec55331.2100%1544

Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Lake Kemp, TX (1,167 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, Vernon, TX, 24 miles northwest of Electra, has a last frost 7 days later (March 27), a first frost 4 days earlier (November 9), a season 13 days shorter.

Frost dates for 76384 (Vernon) →

When it snows in Electra, Texas

Measurable snow is rare here: only 5 of 19 winters from 1991 to 2020 recorded 0.1 inch or more at Dundee 6 NNW, TX, 10.4 miles away, so there is no typical first-snow date to plan around.

Planting calendar for 76360

What to do and when, from the 50% frost dates for Electra, Texas
WhenWhat to do
January 9 – January 23Start peppers and aubergines indoorsThey need eight to ten weeks under lights before they can go out.
January 23 – February 6Start tomatoes indoorsSix to eight weeks gives a transplant big enough to set fruit early.
February 20 – March 6Sow peas, spinach, lettuce, radish outdoorsThese tolerate light frost and prefer to germinate in cool soil.
March 20 onwardTransplant tomatoes, peppers, basil, squash, cucumbersThe average last freeze has passed — still watch the actual forecast.
by August 21Sow the autumn crop of carrots, beets and brassicasThey need about twelve weeks to size up before growth stops.
by October 30Harvest tender crops, or be ready to cover themA first freeze two weeks early is well within normal variation.
November 13 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 76360 is 18 miles from Lake Kemp, TX, which stands at 1,167 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 76360 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.

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 8a places in Texas