Frost Dates for 79601 — Abilene, Texas

Half of springs at Abilene 6ESE, TX see their last 32°F night by April 1; only one in ten is past it by March 10, and one in ten still has one after April 19. Planting tender crops after April 7 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after April 13 20%, and after April 19 10%. The 18 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is narrower than at 75% of the 339 Texas stations behind this site's ZIP pages.

In fall the first 32°F night comes by November 5 in half of years, as early as October 21 one year in ten, and holds off past November 22 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 11 days later, around November 16; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is April 5, 14 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 218 days in a typical year, shorter than at 88% of the 339 Texas stations; it reaches 245 days one year in ten and falls short of 194 one year in ten. On average 59 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 11 days longer, to about April 12, and return around October 29. Nights of 24°F, cold enough to damage hardier plants, come in 100% of winters and 16°F in 84%.

July is the warmest month at Abilene 6ESE, TX, averaging 95°F by day and 70°F at night; January is the coldest at 58°F and 30°F. A freezing night is all but certain in every month from November to March (a 90% chance or more). From May to September the chance of a 32°F night stays under 10% each month. In spring, April still brings one in 51% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 5,801 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), fewer than at 81% of the 351 Texas stations. 40% of them (2,330) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 1,009. Precipitation totals 27.8 inches a year, most in May (3.7") and least in January (1.1"); May to September bring 57% of it.

The nearest other station, Abilene Regional Airport, TX, 6 miles south of Abilene, has a last frost 12 days earlier (March 20), a first frost 5 days later (November 10), a season 18 days longer.

The first measurable snow (0.1 inch or more) in Abilene usually arrives around December 23, and the last of the season around February 8. Those are the middle dates across the winters of 1991–2020 at Abilene 6ESE, TX, 6.1 miles away: half of years saw snow earlier, half later. Snow fell in 82% of those winters. The last 32°F night of spring typically comes 52 days after the last snow.

ZIP 79601 is 6 miles from Abilene 6ESE, TX, which stands at 1,802 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. 1 other ZIP code shares the station. The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 79601 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.