Frost Dates for 79735 — Fort Stockton, Texas

Half of springs at Fort Stockton, TX see their last 32°F night by March 8; only one in ten is past it by February 16, and one in ten still has one after April 1. Planting tender crops after March 17 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after March 22 20%, and after April 1 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 20 in half of years, as early as November 3 one year in ten, and holds off past December 7 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 11 days later, around December 1; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is March 16, 16 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 254 days in a typical year, longer than at 58% of the 339 Texas stations; it reaches 282 days one year in ten and falls short of 227 one year in ten. On average 40 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 March 26, and return around November 9. Nights of 24°F, cold enough to damage hardier plants, come in 93% of winters and 16°F in 19%.

July is the warmest month at Fort Stockton, TX, averaging 94°F by day and 71°F at night; January is the coldest at 61°F and 36°F. A freezing night is all but certain in every month from December to February (a 90% chance or more). From May to October the chance of a 32°F night stays under 10% each month. In spring, March still brings one in 64% of years and April still brings one in 11% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 6,479 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 54% of the 351 Texas stations. 43% of them (2,789) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 1,014. Precipitation totals 13.9 inches a year, most in September (2.0") and least in February (0.5"); May to September bring 64% of it.

Measurable snow is rare here: only 10 of 26 winters from 1991 to 2020 recorded 0.1 inch or more at Fort Stockton, TX, 4.3 miles away, so there is no typical first-snow date to plan around.

ZIP 79735 is 4 miles from Fort Stockton, TX, which stands at 3,038 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 79735 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.