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USDA Hardiness Zone 8a

Frost Dates for 76905 — San Angelo, Texas

NOAA 1991–2020 normals from San Angelo, TX (1,890 ft), 13 miles southwest.

Updated

In San Angelo, the last spring frost (32°F) is around March 20 in half of years and has passed by April 12 in nine years out of ten. The first fall frost comes around November 10, as early as October 28 one year in ten, leaving a typical freeze-free season of 232 days (NOAA, San Angelo, TX).

Last spring frost
March 20

50% probability

First fall frost
November 10

50% probability

Growing season
232 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
33%

10 of 30 observed

Snow per year
0.6"

NOAA normal

Frost risk by date in San Angelo

Half of springs at San Angelo, TX see their last 32°F night by March 20; only one in ten is past it by March 1, and one in ten still has one after April 12. Planting tender crops after April 1 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after April 5 20%, and after April 12 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 10 in half of years, as early as October 28 one year in ten, and holds off past November 28 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 12 days later, around November 22; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is March 30, 13 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 232 days in a typical year, shorter than at 74% of the 339 Texas stations; it reaches 258 days one year in ten and falls short of 205 one year in ten. On average 49 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 18 days longer, to about April 7, and return around November 1. Nights of 24°F, cold enough to damage hardier plants, come in 100% of winters and 16°F in 56%.

Spring: the chance of another night this cold after the date
Low90%80%70%60%50%40%30%20%10%
36°FMar 18Mar 27Apr 1Apr 4Apr 7Apr 11Apr 14Apr 19Apr 25
32°FMar 1Mar 7Mar 11Mar 16Mar 20Mar 28Apr 1Apr 5Apr 12
28°FFeb 17Feb 24Feb 28Mar 3Mar 6Mar 11Mar 14Mar 19Mar 30
24°FJan 28Feb 4Feb 11Feb 17Feb 23Feb 27Mar 3Mar 7Mar 14
20°F92% of yrsDec 31Jan 14Jan 22Jan 28Feb 3Feb 8Feb 15Feb 24Mar 2
16°F56% of yrsDec 17Dec 30Jan 7Jan 15Jan 21Jan 26Feb 1Feb 7Feb 17
Fall: the chance the first night this cold has come by the date
Low10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%
36°FOct 19Oct 24Oct 27Oct 30Nov 1Nov 4Nov 6Nov 10Nov 14
32°FOct 28Nov 1Nov 4Nov 7Nov 10Nov 13Nov 16Nov 21Nov 28
28°FNov 5Nov 10Nov 14Nov 18Nov 22Nov 26Nov 30Dec 3Dec 8
24°FNov 14Nov 21Nov 26Dec 1Dec 3Dec 6Dec 10Dec 18Dec 28
20°F92% of yrsNov 26Dec 2Dec 7Dec 13Dec 21Dec 28Jan 3Jan 13Jan 26
16°F56% of yrsDec 7Dec 17Dec 28Jan 2Jan 6Jan 13Jan 20Jan 27Feb 8

Freeze probabilities 1991–2020 at San Angelo, 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 76905 →Compare San Angelo with another place →

Weather by month in San Angelo

July is the warmest month at San Angelo, TX, averaging 97°F by day and 72°F at night; January is the coldest at 61°F and 34°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 87% of years and April still brings one in 32% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 6,598 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 58% of the 351 Texas stations. 42% of them (2,796) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 1,080. Precipitation totals 21.0 inches a year, most in May (3.1") and least in January (0.9"); May to September bring 54% of it.

Monthly normals 1991–2020 at San Angelo, TX
MonthHigh °FLow °FPrecip. in32°F nightNights ≤ 32°FGDD 50°F
Jan61340.9100%1576
Feb65381.2100%9130
Mar73461.587%4318
Apr82531.532%1516
May89623.10%0790
Jun94702.30%0966
Jul97721.10%01080
Aug97722.40%01058
Sep89652.50%0810
Oct81542.417%1536
Nov69431.291%6226
Dec62350.9100%1491

Monthly normals 1991–2020 at San Angelo, TX (1,890 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, San Angelo WFO, TX, 13 miles southwest of San Angelo, has a last frost 2 days later (March 22), the same first-frost date, a season 1 day longer.

Frost dates for 76901 (San Angelo) →

When it snows in San Angelo, Texas

Measurable snow is rare here: only 10 of 30 winters from 1991 to 2020 recorded 0.1 inch or more at Ballinger 2 NW, TX, 26.9 miles away, so there is no typical first-snow date to plan around.

Planting calendar for 76905

What to do and when, from the 50% frost dates for San Angelo, 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 18Sow the autumn crop of carrots, beets and brassicasThey need about twelve weeks to size up before growth stops.
by October 27Harvest tender crops, or be ready to cover themA first freeze two weeks early is well within normal variation.
November 10 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 76905 is 13 miles from San Angelo, TX, which stands at 1,890 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. 2 other ZIP codes share the station; its figures are presented in full for 76904 (San Angelo). The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 76905 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.

ZIP codes measured at the same station

Other zone 8a places in Texas