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USDA Hardiness Zone 8b

Frost Dates for 76476 — Tolar, Texas

NOAA 1991–2020 normals from Granbury 5N, TX (779 ft), 12 miles northeast.

Updated

In Tolar, the last spring frost (32°F) is around March 24 in half of years and has passed by April 17 in nine years out of ten. The first fall frost comes around November 9, as early as October 25 one year in ten, leaving a typical freeze-free season of 228 days (NOAA, Granbury 5N, TX).

Last spring frost
March 24

50% probability

First fall frost
November 9

50% probability

Growing season
228 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
40%

8 of 20 observed

Snow per year
1"

NOAA normal

Frost risk by date in Tolar

Half of springs at Granbury 5N, TX see their last 32°F night by March 24; only one in ten is past it by March 2, and one in ten still has one after April 17. Planting tender crops after April 2 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after April 8 20%, and after April 17 10%. The 24 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is wider than at 76% 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 9 in half of years, as early as October 25 one year in ten, and holds off past November 29 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 11 days later, around November 20; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is April 2, 15 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 228 days in a typical year, shorter than at 78% of the 339 Texas stations; it reaches 255 days one year in ten and falls short of 203 one year in ten. On average 58 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 5, and return around November 1. 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 16Mar 23Mar 29Apr 2Apr 5Apr 9Apr 14Apr 19Apr 25
32°FMar 2Mar 9Mar 14Mar 19Mar 24Mar 29Apr 2Apr 8Apr 17
28°FFeb 19Feb 25Mar 2Mar 6Mar 10Mar 13Mar 18Mar 25Apr 2
24°FJan 31Feb 8Feb 16Feb 22Feb 27Mar 2Mar 6Mar 11Mar 17
20°F96% of yrsJan 6Jan 20Jan 28Feb 2Feb 8Feb 14Feb 20Mar 1Mar 6
16°F74% of yrsDec 22Jan 2Jan 10Jan 16Jan 23Jan 29Feb 3Feb 11Feb 23
Fall: the chance the first night this cold has come by the date
Low10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%
36°FOct 18Oct 23Oct 26Oct 29Nov 1Nov 3Nov 6Nov 10Nov 16
32°FOct 25Oct 30Nov 2Nov 5Nov 9Nov 12Nov 16Nov 21Nov 29
28°FNov 2Nov 7Nov 12Nov 15Nov 20Nov 24Nov 29Dec 3Dec 8
24°FNov 12Nov 18Nov 24Nov 29Dec 3Dec 6Dec 11Dec 19Dec 27
20°F96% of yrsNov 24Dec 2Dec 8Dec 13Dec 19Dec 25Jan 1Jan 6Jan 18
16°F74% of yrsDec 7Dec 13Dec 20Dec 26Jan 1Jan 4Jan 12Jan 18Feb 1

Freeze probabilities 1991–2020 at Granbury 5N, 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 76476 →Compare Tolar with another place →

Weather by month in Tolar

July is the warmest month at Granbury 5N, TX, averaging 97°F by day and 74°F at night; January is the coldest at 57°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 88% of years and April still brings one in 33% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 6,166 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), fewer than at 61% of the 351 Texas stations. 40% of them (2,448) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 1,088.

Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Granbury 5N, TX
MonthHigh °FLow °F32°F nightNights ≤ 32°FGDD 50°F
Jan5731100%1852
Feb623699%11107
Mar694488%4250
Apr775133%1428
May83610%0690
Jun92700%0921
Jul97740%01088
Aug96720%01057
Sep89650%0811
Oct795325%1491
Nov674290%6199
Dec5833100%1672

Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Granbury 5N, TX (779 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, Rainbow, TX, 16 miles southeast of Tolar, has a last frost 4 days later (March 28), a first frost 2 days earlier (November 7), a season 3 days shorter.

Frost dates for 76043 (Glen Rose) →

When it snows in Tolar, Texas

Measurable snow is rare here: only 8 of 20 winters from 1991 to 2020 recorded 0.1 inch or more at Morgan Mill, TX, 13.5 miles away, so there is no typical first-snow date to plan around.

Planting calendar for 76476

What to do and when, from the 50% frost dates for Tolar, Texas
WhenWhat to do
January 13 – January 27Start peppers and aubergines indoorsThey need eight to ten weeks under lights before they can go out.
January 27 – February 10Start tomatoes indoorsSix to eight weeks gives a transplant big enough to set fruit early.
February 24 – March 10Sow peas, spinach, lettuce, radish outdoorsThese tolerate light frost and prefer to germinate in cool soil.
March 24 onwardTransplant tomatoes, peppers, basil, squash, cucumbersThe average last freeze has passed — still watch the actual forecast.
by August 17Sow the autumn crop of carrots, beets and brassicasThey need about twelve weeks to size up before growth stops.
by October 26Harvest tender crops, or be ready to cover themA first freeze two weeks early is well within normal variation.
November 9 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 76476 is 12 miles from Granbury 5N, TX, which stands at 779 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. 4 other ZIP codes share the station; its figures are presented in full for 76049 (Granbury). The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 76476 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.

ZIP codes measured at the same station

Other zone 8b places in Texas