U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00160098 · Louisiana

Frost Dates for Alexandria, LA

NOAA weather station Alexandria (USC00160098), Louisiana · elevation 87 ft (27 m) · hardiness zone 9a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter March 18only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostFebruary 2750% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostNovember 2750% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season274 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone9acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Alexandria, LASpring: a frost after January 31 in 9 years out of 10, after February 27 in half of the years, after March 18 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before November 7 in 1 year out of 10, before November 27 in half of the years, before December 19 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 274 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Feb 27First frost ~Nov 27Frost season at Alexandria, LASpring: a frost after January 31 in 9 years out of 10, after February 27 in half of the years, after March 18 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before November 7 in 1 year out of 10, before November 27 in half of the years, before December 19 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 274 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Feb 27First frost ~Nov 27
frost likely chance fading 90% → 10% frost-free in a typical yearThe year at a glance. Blue: frost is likely; the gradient fades as the chance drops from 90% to 10%; green: the frost-free part of a typical year.

Frost dates (32°F)

Probability of frost, based on 28 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)March 18November 7
50% (typical)February 27November 27
90% (likely)January 31December 19
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
274 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
February 8
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
December 13

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost February 27 (same as the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 26 (1 day earlier). Frost-free season 270 days.

A shorter, more recent NOAA period. The 30-year normals above remain the main reference: 15 years carry more year-to-year noise.

Add these dates to your calendar Yearly reminders for the typical last frost, the lower-risk planting date and the typical first fall frost (.ics).

How the chance of frost changes with the date

Spring at Alexandria: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% March 18, 20% March 11, 30% March 6, 40% March 2, 50% February 27, 60% February 24, 70% February 19, 80% February 11, 90% January 31. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 February 21, 2022 March 14, 2023 March 21, 2024 February 20, 2026 March 18.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Feb 1Mar 1Apr 1Mar 18Feb 27Jan 312021: February 212022: March 142023: March 212024: February 202026: March 18Fall at Alexandria: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% November 7, 20% November 13, 30% November 18, 40% November 22, 50% November 27, 60% December 1, 70% December 4, 80% December 8, 90% December 19. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 December 22, 2022 November 15, 2023 December 11, 2024 November 30, 2025 November 10.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Dec 1Jan 1Nov 7Nov 27Dec 192021: December 222022: November 152023: December 112024: November 302025: November 10
Two charts, because spring and fall answer different questions: in spring, the chance that a frost still comes after a date; in fall, the chance that the first frost has already come before it. NOAA publishes these odds from 10% to 90%, so the lines stop there. ◆ marks the actual date in each recent year.

What actually happened in recent years

Observed dates of the last spring and first fall frost (32°F) at this station; ◆ marks them on the charts above
YearLast spring frostFirst fall frost
2021February 21December 22
2022March 14November 15
2023March 21December 11
2024February 20November 30
2025incomplete recordNovember 10
2026March 18season not over yet

What these dates mean

274 days separate the 50% light-frost dates of February 27 and November 27, framing the window in which tender crops can be grown in Alexandria. The February 27 date marks the median point when a light frost is equally likely to have occurred or not; the November 27 date marks the median point when a light frost is equally likely to arrive later or earlier. These dates are not frost dates themselves but give a balanced reference for planning.

For a cautious spring schedule, the 10 %-chance date of March 18 is used to set out tender seedlings, while in the fall the 10 %-chance date of November 7 signals when to finish harvesting those crops. The hard-frost median dates are February 8 and December 13, and a hard frost at 28 °F can damage or kill plants that survive a light 32 °F frost, making it a more serious risk.

How to read the probabilities

The dates are probabilities from 30 years of weather, not a forecast for this year.

  • Spring: "10% after March 18" means that in about one spring out of ten a frost still happens after that date. The 90% date is the earliest: a frost after it happens in most years.
  • Fall: "10% before November 7" means that in about one fall out of ten the first frost arrives before that date.
  • 50% is the typical date: half of the years are earlier, half are later.
  • A light frost (32°F) damages tender plants; a hard frost (28°F) also stops most hardy vegetables.

Nearby weather stations

Map of weather stations near Alexandria, LANumbered nearest stations: 1 — Boyce, LA — 16 mi; 2 — Bunkie, LA — 30 mi; 3 — Jena, LA — 32 mi; 4 — near Jonesville, LA — 37 mi; 5 — Leesville, LA — 48 mi.25 mi · 40 km1. Boyce, LA — 16 mi12. Bunkie, LA — 30 mi23. Jena, LA — 32 mi34. near Jonesville, LA — 37 mi45. Leesville, LA — 48 mi5
  1. Boyce, LA 16 mi (26 km)
  2. Bunkie, LA 30 mi (48 km)
  3. Jena, LA 32 mi (51 km)
  4. near Jonesville, LA 37 mi (60 km)
  5. Leesville, LA 48 mi (77 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 9a: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 31.3206, -92.4611.