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USDA Hardiness Zone 8b

Frost Dates for 78633 — Georgetown, Texas

NOAA 1991–2020 normals from Georgetown Lake, TX (874 ft), 2 miles south.

Updated

In Georgetown, the last spring frost (32°F) is around March 6 in half of years and has passed by March 30 in nine years out of ten. The first fall frost comes around November 24, as early as November 5 one year in ten, leaving a typical freeze-free season of 259 days (NOAA, Georgetown Lake, TX).

Last spring frost
March 6

50% probability

First fall frost
November 24

50% probability

Growing season
259 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
0%

0 of 24 observed

Snow per year
0"

NOAA normal

Frost risk by date in Georgetown

Half of springs at Georgetown Lake, TX see their last 32°F night by March 6; only one in ten is past it by February 13, and one in ten still has one after March 30. Planting tender crops after March 15 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after March 22 20%, and after March 30 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 24 in half of years, as early as November 5 one year in ten, and holds off past December 10 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 11 days later, around December 5; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is March 16, 14 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 259 days in a typical year, longer than at 62% of the 339 Texas stations; it reaches 289 days one year in ten and falls short of 231 one year in ten. On average 28 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 March 22, and return around November 13. Nights of 24°F, cold enough to damage hardier plants, come in 93% of winters and 16°F in 28%.

Spring: the chance of another night this cold after the date
Low90%80%70%60%50%40%30%20%10%
36°FMar 1Mar 7Mar 13Mar 18Mar 22Mar 27Mar 31Apr 4Apr 10
32°FFeb 13Feb 22Feb 28Mar 3Mar 6Mar 11Mar 15Mar 22Mar 30
28°FJan 24Feb 2Feb 11Feb 17Feb 23Feb 28Mar 4Mar 9Mar 16
24°F93% of yrsDec 31Jan 13Jan 21Jan 29Feb 3Feb 10Feb 19Feb 27Mar 6
20°F65% of yrsDec 21Dec 31Jan 6Jan 11Jan 19Jan 28Feb 3Feb 13Feb 25
16°F28% 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 31Nov 3Nov 6Nov 9Nov 13Nov 16Nov 20Nov 25Dec 1
32°FNov 5Nov 10Nov 16Nov 20Nov 24Nov 27Dec 1Dec 5Dec 10
28°FNov 15Nov 22Nov 27Dec 1Dec 5Dec 9Dec 14Dec 22Jan 1
24°F93% of yrsNov 27Dec 4Dec 10Dec 16Dec 22Dec 28Jan 3Jan 11Jan 27
20°F65% of yrsDec 11Dec 19Dec 26Jan 1Jan 3Jan 8Jan 16Jan 26Feb 7
16°F28% of yrstoo rare for a date

Freeze probabilities 1991–2020 at Georgetown Lake, 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 78633 →Compare Georgetown with another place →

Weather by month in Georgetown

August is the warmest month at Georgetown Lake, TX, averaging 97°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 April to October the chance of a 32°F night stays under 10% each month. In spring, March still brings one in 65% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 6,670 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 61% of the 351 Texas stations. 41% of them (2,720) have built up by the end of June, and August adds the most, 1,066. Precipitation totals 37.1 inches a year, most in May (4.3") and least in February (2.2"); May to September bring 46% of it.

Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Georgetown Lake, TX
MonthHigh °FLow °FPrecip. in32°F nightNights ≤ 32°FGDD 50°F
Jan60362.599%1088
Feb65402.291%6143
Mar72473.165%2316
Apr79543.07%<1494
May85634.30%0756
Jun92704.00%0922
Jul96722.20%01056
Aug97722.60%01066
Sep90674.00%0849
Oct81573.94%<1593
Nov70462.765%3276
Dec62382.698%8111

Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Georgetown Lake, TX (874 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, Austin Great Hills, TX, 20 miles south of Georgetown, has a last frost 5 days later (March 11), a first frost 4 days earlier (November 20), a season 5 days shorter.

Frost dates for 78660 (Pflugerville) →

When it snows in Georgetown, Texas

Measurable snow is rare here: only 0 of 24 winters from 1991 to 2020 recorded 0.1 inch or more at Georgetown Lake, TX, 1.7 miles away, so there is no typical first-snow date to plan around.

Planting calendar for 78633

What to do and when, from the 50% frost dates for Georgetown, Texas
WhenWhat to do
December 26 – January 9Start peppers and aubergines indoorsThey need eight to ten weeks under lights before they can go out.
January 9 – January 23Start tomatoes indoorsSix to eight weeks gives a transplant big enough to set fruit early.
February 6 – February 20Sow peas, spinach, lettuce, radish outdoorsThese tolerate light frost and prefer to germinate in cool soil.
March 6 onwardTransplant tomatoes, peppers, basil, squash, cucumbersThe average last freeze has passed — still watch the actual forecast.
by September 1Sow the autumn crop of carrots, beets and brassicasThey need about twelve weeks to size up before growth stops.
by November 10Harvest tender crops, or be ready to cover themA first freeze two weeks early is well within normal variation.
November 24 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 78633 is 2 miles from Georgetown Lake, TX, which stands at 874 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 78626 (Georgetown). The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 78633 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