Austin climate

Austin Frost Dates and Growing Season

NOAA 1991-2020 normals for Coudersport 1 Sw, 14.8 km from Austin, elevation 1650 ft

Frost and the growing season

NOAA's 1991-2020 freeze probabilities for Coudersport 1 Sw. A median date has an even chance of a later freeze in spring, or an earlier one in fall.

The last spring freeze typically comes around May 22 and the first fall freeze around October 1, a growing season of about 130 days.

Median at 36°F
last June 3, first September 21
Median at 32°F
last May 22, first October 1
Median at 28°F
last May 9, first October 11

Last freeze in spring

The chance of a later freeze than the date shown. At 10 percent, one spring in ten still freezes after the date; planting after the 10 percent date for 32°F is the cautious choice.

Threshold10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%
36°FJun 28Jun 16Jun 11Jun 7Jun 3May 31May 29May 25May 20
32°FJun 6Jun 1May 29May 26May 22May 19May 15May 10May 6
28°FMay 28May 21May 16May 12May 9May 5May 1Apr 29Apr 24
24°FMay 15May 8May 3Apr 30Apr 26Apr 23Apr 20Apr 17Apr 12
20°FApr 30Apr 23Apr 20Apr 17Apr 15Apr 12Apr 8Apr 4Mar 31
16°FApr 18Apr 12Apr 8Apr 5Apr 2Mar 31Mar 28Mar 24Mar 19

First freeze in fall

The chance of an earlier freeze than the date shown. At 10 percent, one fall in ten freezes before the date.

Threshold10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%
36°FSep 2Sep 8Sep 14Sep 18Sep 21Sep 24Sep 27Sep 30Oct 3
32°FSep 19Sep 23Sep 27Sep 29Oct 1Oct 3Oct 5Oct 9Oct 13
28°FSep 29Oct 2Oct 6Oct 8Oct 11Oct 14Oct 18Oct 22Oct 28
24°FOct 8Oct 14Oct 18Oct 21Oct 25Oct 28Nov 1Nov 3Nov 7
20°FOct 18Oct 25Oct 31Nov 2Nov 5Nov 8Nov 11Nov 15Nov 20
16°FOct 31Nov 4Nov 9Nov 13Nov 16Nov 20Nov 23Nov 28Dec 3

Growing season length

Days between the last spring and first fall freeze at each threshold, with the chance of a season at least that long.

Threshold10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%
36°F128121115111107102968775
32°F152145139135130126122117110
28°F176170165160155150145139131
24°F202194189185180175170164156
20°F227218213209205200195190182
16°F249243237232228223219213206

How often it gets that cold

The share of years with at least one night at or below each temperature.

36°F or colder
100% of years
32°F or colder
100% of years
28°F or colder
100% of years
24°F or colder
100% of years
20°F or colder
100% of years
16°F or colder
100% of years

Degree days

A degree day is one degree of the daily mean temperature beyond a base, for one day. Heating degree days count cold (the fuel a house burns), cooling degree days heat, growing degree days the warmth a crop needs; each crop has its own base.

Heating degree days, base 65°F
7,472
Cooling degree days, base 65°F
249
Growing degree days, base 40°F
3,881
Growing degree days, base 45°F
2,860
Growing degree days, base 50°F
1,974
Growing degree days, base 55°F
1,229
Growing degree days, base 60°F
645

Growing degree days by month, base 50°F

Heating and cooling by month

MonthHeating DDCooling DDGrowing DD 50
January1,33400
February1,15900
March1,02806
April638044
May33012192
June11646382
July4497518
August5872479
September20721273
October546275
November85505
December1,15801

What this means

NOAA computes these from the daily lows at the station over 1991-2020, fitting the dates of each year's last and first freeze to a distribution, so a date can be stated at any level of risk. 36°F is a frost risk for tender plants on a clear, calm night, since the ground cools below the air above it; 32°F is a freeze; 28°F is a hard freeze that kills most annuals.

The station is 14.8 km from Austin. Low ground, valleys and open fields freeze earlier and later than a town center or a hillside.

More

Sources

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991-2020, annual and seasonal normals for station USC00361802 (Coudersport 1 Sw). Public domain.