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USDA Hardiness Zone 8b

Frost Dates for 76825 — Brady, Texas

NOAA 1991–2020 normals from Brady, TX (1,711 ft), 2 miles north.

Updated

In Brady, the last spring frost (32°F) is around March 14 in half of years and has passed by April 6 in nine years out of ten. The first fall frost comes around November 15, as early as October 30 one year in ten, leaving a typical freeze-free season of 244 days (NOAA, Brady, TX).

Last spring frost
March 14

50% probability

First fall frost
November 15

50% probability

Growing season
244 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
20%

6 of 30 observed

Snow per year
0.3"

NOAA normal

Frost risk by date in Brady

Half of springs at Brady, TX see their last 32°F night by March 14; only one in ten is past it by February 25, and one in ten still has one after April 6. Planting tender crops after March 26 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after April 1 20%, and after April 6 10%. The 23 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is wider than at 72% 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 15 in half of years, as early as October 30 one year in ten, and holds off past December 4 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 12 days later, around November 27; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is March 24, 13 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 244 days in a typical year, shorter than at 55% of the 339 Texas stations; it reaches 271 days one year in ten and falls short of 213 one year in ten. On average 43 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 17 days longer, to about March 31, and return around November 6. Nights of 24°F, cold enough to damage hardier plants, come in 99% of winters and 16°F in 42%.

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 26Mar 31Apr 3Apr 7Apr 12Apr 18
32°FFeb 25Mar 2Mar 6Mar 11Mar 14Mar 19Mar 26Apr 1Apr 6
28°FFeb 7Feb 16Feb 24Feb 28Mar 4Mar 7Mar 11Mar 15Mar 24
24°F99% of yrsJan 19Jan 28Feb 4Feb 10Feb 16Feb 23Feb 28Mar 4Mar 11
20°F83% of yrsDec 25Jan 5Jan 15Jan 21Jan 29Feb 4Feb 10Feb 18Mar 1
16°F42% 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 23Oct 29Nov 1Nov 3Nov 6Nov 9Nov 11Nov 16Nov 22
32°FOct 30Nov 4Nov 8Nov 11Nov 15Nov 19Nov 23Nov 29Dec 4
28°FNov 6Nov 12Nov 18Nov 23Nov 27Dec 1Dec 5Dec 11Dec 19
24°F99% of yrsNov 17Nov 25Dec 1Dec 5Dec 11Dec 16Dec 23Dec 31Jan 11
20°F83% of yrsNov 30Dec 7Dec 14Dec 21Dec 28Jan 2Jan 8Jan 18Feb 3
16°F42% of yrstoo rare for a date

Freeze probabilities 1991–2020 at Brady, 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 76825 →Compare Brady with another place →

Weather by month in Brady

August is the warmest month at Brady, TX, averaging 94°F by day and 72°F at night; January is the coldest at 58°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 20% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 6,188 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), fewer than at 60% of the 351 Texas stations. 41% of them (2,544) have built up by the end of June, and August adds the most, 1,012. Precipitation totals 27.4 inches a year, most in May (3.8") and least in January (1.3"); May to September bring 50% of it.

Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Brady, TX
MonthHigh °FLow °FPrecip. in32°F nightNights ≤ 32°FGDD 50°F
Jan58351.3100%1376
Feb62391.797%9121
Mar70462.378%4284
Apr77532.120%<1459
May84633.80%0716
Jun90692.90%0888
Jul93722.10%01008
Aug94722.20%01012
Sep87652.80%0780
Oct78552.713%<1517
Nov67451.981%4233
Dec60371.6100%1295

Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Brady, TX (1,711 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, Mason, TX, 27 miles south of Brady and 180 feet lower, has a last frost 4 days later (March 18), a first frost 2 days earlier (November 13), a season 3 days shorter.

Frost dates for 76856 (Mason) →

When it snows in Brady, Texas

Measurable snow is rare here: only 6 of 30 winters from 1991 to 2020 recorded 0.1 inch or more at Brady, TX, 1.7 miles away, so there is no typical first-snow date to plan around.

Planting calendar for 76825

What to do and when, from the 50% frost dates for Brady, 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 23Sow the autumn crop of carrots, beets and brassicasThey need about twelve weeks to size up before growth stops.
by November 1Harvest tender crops, or be ready to cover themA first freeze two weeks early is well within normal variation.
November 15 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 76825 is 2 miles from Brady, TX, which stands at 1,711 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 76825 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