U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00161287 · Louisiana

Frost Dates for Bunkie, LA

NOAA weather station Bunkie (USC00161287), Louisiana · elevation 80 ft (24 m) · hardiness zone 9a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter March 21only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostFebruary 2850% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostNovember 2450% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season270 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone9acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Bunkie, LASpring: a frost after January 31 in 9 years out of 10, after February 28 in half of the years, after March 21 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before November 5 in 1 year out of 10, before November 24 in half of the years, before December 18 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 270 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Feb 28First frost ~Nov 24Frost season at Bunkie, LASpring: a frost after January 31 in 9 years out of 10, after February 28 in half of the years, after March 21 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before November 5 in 1 year out of 10, before November 24 in half of the years, before December 18 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 270 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Feb 28First frost ~Nov 24
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 27 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)March 21November 5
50% (typical)February 28November 24
90% (likely)January 31December 18
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
270 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
February 7
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
December 12

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost February 27 (1 day earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 19 (5 days earlier). Frost-free season 268 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 Bunkie: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% March 21, 20% March 14, 30% March 8, 40% March 3, 50% February 28, 60% February 24, 70% February 18, 80% February 9, 90% January 31. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 February 21, 2022 March 14, 2023 March 21, 2024 February 19, 2025 February 23.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Feb 1Mar 1Apr 1Mar 21Feb 28Jan 312021: February 212022: March 142023: March 212024: February 192025: February 23Fall at Bunkie: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% November 5, 20% November 11, 30% November 16, 40% November 19, 50% November 24, 60% November 29, 70% December 3, 80% December 8, 90% December 18. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 January 3, 2022 October 19, 2023 November 2, 2025 November 11.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Dec 1Jan 1Nov 5Nov 24Dec 182021: January 32022: October 192023: November 22025: November 11
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 21January 3
2022March 14October 19
2023March 21November 2
2024February 19incomplete record
2025February 23November 11
2026incomplete recordseason not over yet

What these dates mean

November 5 is the cautious fall date in Bunkie for finishing the harvest. This date carries a 10% chance that a light frost has arrived earlier, making it a low-risk point to pull tender crops from the field. The 50% date of November 24 marks the median odds for a light frost, so a gardener should expect an even chance of frost on that day. The hard-frost 50% date is December 12.

In spring, the cautious date for setting out tender crops is March 21, when there is only a 10% chance of a light frost later. The 50% date is February 28, which does not itself represent a frost but indicates a 50% odds split for a frost after that point. The hard-frost 50% date of February 7 signals the median risk for a 28 °F event, while a January 31 planting would be a gamble with a 90% chance of frost later.

A hard frost at 28 °F can damage tender crops more severely than a light frost at 32 °F.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after March 21" 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 5" 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 Bunkie, LANumbered nearest stations: 1 — Alexandria, LA — 30 mi; 2 — near Jonesville, LA — 41 mi; 3 — Boyce, LA — 44 mi; 4 — Jena, LA — 50 mi; 5 — Leesville, LA — 64 mi.25 mi · 40 km1. Alexandria, LA — 30 mi12. near Jonesville, LA — 41 mi23. Boyce, LA — 44 mi34. Jena, LA — 50 mi45. Leesville, LA — 64 mi5
  1. Alexandria, LA 30 mi (48 km)
  2. near Jonesville, LA 41 mi (65 km)
  3. Boyce, LA 44 mi (70 km)
  4. Jena, LA 50 mi (80 km)
  5. Leesville, LA 64 mi (103 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: 30.9594, -92.1786.