NOAA station USC00165090 · Louisiana

Frost Dates for Lake Providence, LA

NOAA weather station Lake Providence (USC00165090), Louisiana · elevation 100 ft (31 m) · hardiness zone 8b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter March 22only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMarch 550% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostNovember 2450% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season263 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone8bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Lake Providence, LASpring: a frost after February 13 in 9 years out of 10, after March 5 in half of the years, after March 22 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before November 6 in 1 year out of 10, before November 24 in half of the years, before December 12 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 263 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Mar 5First frost ~Nov 24Frost season at Lake Providence, LASpring: a frost after February 13 in 9 years out of 10, after March 5 in half of the years, after March 22 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before November 6 in 1 year out of 10, before November 24 in half of the years, before December 12 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 263 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Mar 5First 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 29 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)March 22November 6
50% (typical)March 5November 24
90% (likely)February 13December 12
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
263 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
February 21
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
December 7

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost March 3 (2 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 21 (3 days earlier). Frost-free season 264 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 Lake Providence: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% March 22, 20% March 16, 30% March 12, 40% March 9, 50% March 5, 60% March 1, 70% February 27, 80% February 21, 90% February 13.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Feb 1Mar 1Apr 1Mar 22Mar 5Feb 13Fall at Lake Providence: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% November 6, 20% November 12, 30% November 16, 40% November 19, 50% November 24, 60% November 28, 70% December 1, 80% December 5, 90% December 12.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Dec 1Nov 6Nov 24Dec 12
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.

What these dates mean

March 22 is the cautious spring date for light frost (32 °F) and it lets a gardener set out tender crops with only a 10 % chance of a later frost. The earlier spring date, February 13, carries a 90 % chance of frost and is a gamble for tender crops.

The 50% date is March 5, meaning there is a 50 % chance of a frost later than this date, while the 50% date in fall is November 24, indicating a 50 % chance of a frost earlier than this date. For a cautious fall plan the November 6 date is used, offering only a 10 % chance that frost has already arrived, allowing the gardener to finish harvesting tender crops. The 50% hard-frost dates are February 21 and December 7.

A hard frost at 28 °F can damage plants that survive a light frost at 32 °F, so it matters more for garden safety.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after March 22" 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 6" 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 Lake Providence, LANumbered nearest stations: 1 — Portland, AR — 36 mi; 2 — Yazoo City, MS — 46 mi; 3 — Crossett, AR — 50 mi; 4 — Dermott, AR — 53 mi; 5 — Monroe, LA — 54 mi.MSARLA25 mi · 40 km1. Portland, AR — 36 mi12. Yazoo City, MS — 46 mi23. Crossett, AR — 50 mi34. Dermott, AR — 53 mi45. Monroe, LA — 54 mi5
  1. Portland, AR 36 mi (58 km)
  2. Yazoo City, MS 46 mi (75 km)
  3. Crossett, AR 50 mi (80 km)
  4. Dermott, AR 53 mi (86 km)
  5. Monroe, LA 54 mi (87 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 8b: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 32.8067, -91.173.