Texas Frost Dates and Planting Zones
Across 2,520 ZIP codes we matched to a NOAA weather station, Texas’s last spring frost (50% risk, 32°F) ranges from Apr 28 near Dalhart to Jan 3 near Port Isabel. First fall frost runs from Oct 15 near Lipscomb to Jan 8 near Corpus Christi Nas. Look up your exact ZIP code on the frost date tool for a station-matched result and hardiness zone.
Frost dates by city in Texas
The 12 weather stations covering the most TX ZIP codes, at the 50% and 10% probability levels (32°F threshold). The 10% date is later and safer to plant after; the 50% date is the typical planning date.
| Station | Last frost (50%) | Last frost (10%) | First frost (50%) | First frost (10%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston-port | Feb 2 | Mar 5 | Dec 25 | Nov 27 |
| Dallas Love Fld | Mar 2 | Mar 19 | Nov 29 | Nov 10 |
| el Paso Intl ap | Mar 2 | Mar 19 | Nov 20 | Nov 6 |
| Richardson | Mar 7 | Mar 29 | Nov 21 | Nov 2 |
| Austin-camp Mabry | Feb 20 | Mar 14 | Dec 3 | Nov 15 |
| San Antonio Incarnate Word | Feb 25 | Mar 19 | Nov 28 | Nov 7 |
| Houston Sugarland Mem | Feb 2 | Mar 7 | Dec 11 | Nov 20 |
| ft Worth Meacham Fld Naaf | Mar 5 | Mar 25 | Nov 24 | Nov 3 |
| Lubbock Wfo | Mar 24 | Apr 15 | Nov 11 | Oct 28 |
| Houston Intercont ap | Feb 13 | Mar 12 | Dec 9 | Nov 17 |
| Houston Nwso | Jan 31 | Mar 5 | Dec 14 | Nov 19 |
| College Stn | Feb 27 | Mar 18 | Nov 30 | Nov 10 |
USDA hardiness zones in Texas
Share of Texas ZIP codes in each 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone. 65.3% of TX ZIP codes moved to a different zone between the 2012 and 2023 maps, mostly warming as winter lows trended up.
| Zone (2023) | Share of TX ZIPs |
|---|---|
| 6b | 0.2% |
| 7a | 3.8% |
| 7b | 3.5% |
| 8a | 13.4% |
| 8b | 36.2% |
| 9a | 22.1% |
| 9b | 17% |
| 10a | 3.8% |
| 10b | 0% |
Climate is shifting
Averaged across TX stations with both normals periods, the last spring frost now lands about 2 days earlier than the 1981–2010 normal. First fall frost now lands about 0 days later, stretching or shrinking the frost-free season depending on the station.
Plan around your Texas frost dates
Once you know your local last and first frost, these guides help you time the work around them: