Skip to content

USDA Hardiness Zone 8b

Frost Dates for 76877 — San Saba, Texas

NOAA 1991–2020 normals from San Saba 7NW, TX (1,330 ft), 7 miles north.

Updated

In San Saba, the last spring frost (32°F) is around March 16 in half of years and has passed by April 8 in nine years out of ten. The first fall frost comes around November 13, as early as October 30 one year in ten, leaving a typical freeze-free season of 239 days (NOAA, San Saba 7NW, TX).

Last spring frost
March 16

50% probability

First fall frost
November 13

50% probability

Growing season
239 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
22%

4 of 18 observed

Snow per year
—

NOAA normal

Frost risk by date in San Saba

Half of springs at San Saba 7NW, TX see their last 32°F night by March 16; only one in ten is past it by February 26, and one in ten still has one after April 8. Planting tender crops after March 27 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after April 1 20%, and after April 8 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 13 in half of years, as early as October 30 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 24; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is March 23, 16 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 239 days in a typical year, shorter than at 62% of the 339 Texas stations; it reaches 265 days one year in ten and falls short of 214 one year in ten. On average 51 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 16 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 48%.

Spring: the chance of another night this cold after the date
Low90%80%70%60%50%40%30%20%10%
36°FMar 10Mar 17Mar 23Mar 29Apr 1Apr 5Apr 9Apr 15Apr 20
32°FFeb 26Mar 3Mar 8Mar 12Mar 16Mar 21Mar 27Apr 1Apr 8
28°FFeb 12Feb 20Feb 25Mar 1Mar 4Mar 7Mar 11Mar 15Mar 23
24°FJan 23Jan 31Feb 7Feb 13Feb 18Feb 25Mar 1Mar 5Mar 10
20°F86% of yrsDec 28Jan 6Jan 18Jan 25Jan 31Feb 5Feb 12Feb 22Mar 3
16°F48% 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 27Oct 31Nov 2Nov 4Nov 7Nov 10Nov 13Nov 18
32°FOct 30Nov 3Nov 7Nov 10Nov 13Nov 16Nov 19Nov 23Nov 29
28°FNov 6Nov 12Nov 17Nov 20Nov 24Nov 28Dec 1Dec 5Dec 13
24°FNov 17Nov 24Nov 29Dec 4Dec 8Dec 13Dec 19Dec 28Jan 5
20°F86% of yrsDec 1Dec 9Dec 15Dec 22Dec 28Jan 1Jan 5Jan 14Feb 1
16°F48% of yrstoo rare for a date

Freeze probabilities 1991–2020 at San Saba 7NW, 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 76877 →Compare San Saba with another place →

Weather by month in San Saba

August is the warmest month at San Saba 7NW, TX, averaging 96°F by day and 71°F at night; January is the coldest at 59°F and 33°F. A freezing night is all but certain in every month from November 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 82% of years and April still brings one in 20% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 6,205 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), fewer than at 59% of the 351 Texas stations. 41% of them (2,514) have built up by the end of June, and August adds the most, 1,038. Precipitation totals 28.6 inches a year, most in May (3.9") and least in December (1.6"); May to September bring 49% of it.

Monthly normals 1991–2020 at San Saba 7NW, TX
MonthHigh °FLow °FPrecip. in32°F nightNights ≤ 32°FGDD 50°F
Jan59331.7100%1766
Feb64372.099%10118
Mar70442.682%4263
Apr78521.920%<1453
May85623.90%0716
Jun92683.50%0897
Jul95712.00%01028
Aug96712.00%01038
Sep88642.50%0792
Oct80543.112%<1522
Nov69431.891%5226
Dec61351.6100%1585

Monthly normals 1991–2020 at San Saba 7NW, TX (1,330 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, Goldthwaite 1 WSW, TX, 19 miles northeast of San Saba and 177 feet higher, has a last frost 7 days later (March 23), a first frost 2 days earlier (November 11), a season 5 days shorter.

Frost dates for 76844 (Goldthwaite) →

When it snows in San Saba, Texas

Measurable snow is rare here: only 4 of 18 winters from 1991 to 2020 recorded 0.1 inch or more at San Saba 7NW, TX, 6.5 miles away, so there is no typical first-snow date to plan around.

Planting calendar for 76877

What to do and when, from the 50% frost dates for San Saba, Texas
WhenWhat to do
January 5 – January 19Start peppers and aubergines indoorsThey need eight to ten weeks under lights before they can go out.
January 19 – February 2Start tomatoes indoorsSix to eight weeks gives a transplant big enough to set fruit early.
February 16 – March 2Sow peas, spinach, lettuce, radish outdoorsThese tolerate light frost and prefer to germinate in cool soil.
March 16 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 76877 is 7 miles from San Saba 7NW, TX, which stands at 1,330 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 76877 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