Skip to content

USDA Hardiness Zone 9a

Frost Dates for 76554 — Little River Academy, Texas

NOAA 1991–2020 normals from Stillhouse Hollow Dam, TX (706 ft), 11 miles west.

Updated

In Little River Academy, the last spring frost (32°F) is around March 14 in half of years and has passed by April 4 in nine years out of ten. The first fall frost comes around November 20, as early as October 29 one year in ten, leaving a typical freeze-free season of 251 days (NOAA, Stillhouse Hollow Dam, TX).

Last spring frost
March 14

50% probability

First fall frost
November 20

50% probability

Growing season
251 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 Little River Academy

Half of springs at Stillhouse Hollow Dam, TX see their last 32°F night by March 14; only one in ten is past it by February 22, and one in ten still has one after April 4. Planting tender crops after March 22 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after March 29 20%, and after April 4 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 20 in half of years, as early as October 29 one year in ten, and holds off past December 9 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 11 days later, around December 1; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is March 21, 14 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 251 days in a typical year, longer than at 53% of the 339 Texas stations; it reaches 276 days one year in ten and falls short of 218 one year in ten. On average 33 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 13 days longer, to about March 27, and return around November 8. Nights of 24°F, cold enough to damage hardier plants, come in 95% of winters and 16°F in 31%.

Spring: the chance of another night this cold after the date
Low90%80%70%60%50%40%30%20%10%
36°FMar 7Mar 14Mar 19Mar 23Mar 27Apr 2Apr 4Apr 9Apr 19
32°FFeb 22Feb 28Mar 5Mar 10Mar 14Mar 17Mar 22Mar 29Apr 4
28°FJan 31Feb 12Feb 20Feb 25Mar 1Mar 4Mar 9Mar 14Mar 21
24°F95% of yrsJan 9Jan 22Jan 30Feb 4Feb 12Feb 19Feb 25Mar 3Mar 10
20°F68% of yrsDec 22Jan 3Jan 14Jan 22Jan 30Feb 3Feb 11Feb 19Mar 1
16°F31% 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 21Oct 29Nov 1Nov 5Nov 8Nov 12Nov 17Nov 22Nov 28
32°FOct 29Nov 5Nov 11Nov 15Nov 20Nov 24Nov 28Dec 3Dec 9
28°FNov 10Nov 18Nov 23Nov 28Dec 1Dec 6Dec 12Dec 20Dec 28
24°F95% of yrsNov 23Dec 1Dec 8Dec 15Dec 21Dec 26Jan 2Jan 10Jan 24
20°F68% of yrsDec 5Dec 15Dec 23Dec 30Jan 3Jan 9Jan 17Jan 29Feb 7
16°F31% of yrstoo rare for a date

Freeze probabilities 1991–2020 at Stillhouse Hollow Dam, 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 76554 →Compare Little River Academy with another place →

Weather by month in Little River Academy

August is the warmest month at Stillhouse Hollow Dam, TX, averaging 96°F by day and 72°F at night; January is the coldest at 60°F and 36°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 75% of years and April still brings one in 15% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 6,498 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 56% of the 351 Texas stations. 40% of them (2,629) have built up by the end of June, and August adds the most, 1,051. Precipitation totals 37.1 inches a year, most in May (4.9") and least in July (1.9"); May to September bring 44% of it.

Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Stillhouse Hollow Dam, TX
MonthHigh °FLow °FPrecip. in32°F nightNights ≤ 32°FGDD 50°F
Jan60362.6100%1286
Feb64392.397%7132
Mar71463.375%2291
Apr78543.115%<1480
May85634.92%0730
Jun91703.40%0910
Jul95721.90%01043
Aug96722.50%01051
Sep90663.70%0837
Oct81564.013%<1569
Nov69462.672%3261
Dec61382.899%9109

Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Stillhouse Hollow Dam, TX (706 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, Granger Dam, TX, 19 miles south of Little River Academy and 151 feet lower, has a last frost 9 days earlier (March 5), a first frost 2 days later (November 22), a season 10 days longer.

Frost dates for 76577 (Thorndale) →

When it snows in Little River Academy, Texas

Measurable snow is rare here: only 0 of 20 winters from 1991 to 2020 recorded 0.1 inch or more at Stillhouse Hollow Dam, TX, 10.9 miles away, so there is no typical first-snow date to plan around.

Planting calendar for 76554

What to do and when, from the 50% frost dates for Little River Academy, Texas
WhenWhat to do
January 3 – January 17Start peppers and aubergines indoorsThey need eight to ten weeks under lights before they can go out.
January 17 – January 31Start tomatoes indoorsSix to eight weeks gives a transplant big enough to set fruit early.
February 14 – February 28Sow peas, spinach, lettuce, radish outdoorsThese tolerate light frost and prefer to germinate in cool soil.
March 14 onwardTransplant tomatoes, peppers, basil, squash, cucumbersThe average last freeze has passed — still watch the actual forecast.
by August 28Sow the autumn crop of carrots, beets and brassicasThey need about twelve weeks to size up before growth stops.
by November 6Harvest tender crops, or be ready to cover themA first freeze two weeks early is well within normal variation.
November 20 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 76554 is 11 miles from Stillhouse Hollow Dam, TX, which stands at 706 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. 5 other ZIP codes share the station; its figures are presented in full for 76502 (Temple). The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 76554 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 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 9a places in Texas