Frost Dates
Frost Dates · Texas

Frost dates for Houston, Texas

Texas · first & last freeze, from NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals

Typical last spring freeze (32°F)
February 2
median date, 1991–2020
Typical first fall freeze (32°F)
December 25
median date, 1991–2020
Typical frost-free season
326 days
between the median dates

In a typical year, the last spring freeze around Houston comes near February 2 and the first fall freeze near December 25. One year in ten, a freeze still arrives after March 5 in spring — and one year in ten, the first fall freeze has already landed by November 27. NCEI's own growing-season statistic (days between freezes, percentiled per year) puts the median at 327 days.

JFMAMJJASONDFebruary 2December 25
The year at a glance: blue bands span the 9-in-10 to 1-in-10 range where the last spring / first fall 32°F freeze lands; the green band is the typical frost-free window between the median dates. Measured at Houston-Port, TX (USC00414326), 7.1 mi from the city's census reference point, elev. 19 ft. NOAA/NCEI 1991–2020 normals.

Freeze-date probabilities, three thresholds

ThresholdLast spring — 9 in 10 years past byLast spring — typical (median)Last spring — 1 in 10 years later thanFirst fall — 1 in 10 years byFirst fall — typical (median)First fall — 9 in 10 years by
36°F — near-freezing (frost can occur)January 22February 24March 16November 12December 2January 1
32°F — freezingDecember 31February 2March 5November 27December 25January 21
28°F — hard freezeDecember 24January 23February 25December 8January 5February 9

Measured at Houston-Port, TX (USC00414326), 7.1 mi from the city's census reference point, elev. 19 ft. NOAA/NCEI 1991–2020 normals. Read each date column as odds over the 30-year record — e.g. "9 in 10 years past by" means only one spring in ten saw a later freeze than that date.

Frost-free windows (computed)

Window (32°F ends)OpensClosesLength
Cautious (1-in-10 freeze risk at each end)March 5November 27267 days
Typical (median freeze dates)February 2December 25326 days
Gambler's (9-in-10 freeze risk at each end)December 31January 21365 days (effectively year-round at this risk level)

Pure arithmetic on the freeze-date percentiles above — the "cautious" window opens on the date only 1 year in 10 still sees a later spring freeze, and closes on the date by which only 1 year in 10 has already frozen.

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