Frost dates for Opelika, AL
At Opelika, the median last spring frost (32°F) is Mar 29 and the median first fall frost is Nov 5, for a typical growing season of 223 days. For a 90% chance that the last frost has passed, wait until Apr 15. Nearby ZIP codes are in USDA hardiness zone 8a.
- Mar 29Last spring frost (median)50% chance of 32°F after this date
- Apr 15Safer planting date10% chance of 32°F after this date
- Nov 5First fall frost (median)50% chance of 32°F by this date
- 223 daysGrowing season (median)between 32°F freezes
Last spring frost dates
The chance that the temperature drops to the threshold after each date.
| Temperature | 90% chance later | 50% chance later | 10% chance later |
|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Mar 24 | Apr 10 | Apr 25 |
| 32°F | Mar 6 | Mar 29 | Apr 15 |
| 28°F | Feb 19 | Mar 13 | Apr 1 |
| 24°F | Jan 31 | Feb 27 | Mar 16 |
First fall frost dates
The chance that the temperature has dropped to the threshold by each date.
| Temperature | 10% chance by | 50% chance by | 90% chance by |
|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Oct 12 | Oct 27 | Nov 9 |
| 32°F | Oct 22 | Nov 5 | Nov 22 |
| 28°F | Nov 1 | Nov 18 | Dec 7 |
| 24°F | Nov 14 | Dec 2 | Jan 2 |
Growing season length
Days between the last spring and first fall freeze, as the length reached in 9, 5 and 1 out of 10 years.
| Temperature | 9 in 10 years at least | 5 in 10 years at least | 1 in 10 years at least |
|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | 180 days | 199 days | 222 days |
| 32°F | 200 days | 223 days | 250 days |
| 28°F | 225 days | 251 days | 284 days |
| 24°F | 251 days | 283 days | 320 days |
Chance of a freeze in any year
| Temperature | Chance per year |
|---|---|
| 36°F | 100% |
| 32°F | 100% |
| 28°F | 100% |
| 24°F | 100% |
ZIP codes whose closest station is this one
| ZIP | Hardiness zone | Avg. extreme low | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 36801 | 8a | 10 to 15°F | 8 km |
| 36879 | 8a | 10 to 15°F | 12 km |
Not the official USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Zones shown here are the values published in the USDA-ARS / Oregon State University PRISM Group 2023 ZIP code tables, shown unaltered. For the official interactive map, visit planthardiness.ars.usda.gov.
About this station
- NOAA station ID USC00016129, at 32.6592, -85.4492, elevation 195 m (640 ft).
- Data quality: Representative (10+ years), 21 years of freeze data.
- Average days per year at or below 32°F: 60.
- Frost risk changes over short distances. Valleys and low spots freeze earlier than hillsides and city centers.
Nearby weather stations
- Auburn No.2 (7 km)
- Camp Hill 2nw (27 km)
- Lafayette 2w (28 km)
- Milstead (48 km)
- Alexander City (56 km)
- Rock Mills (57 km)
- Rockford 3 ESE (72 km)
- Union Springs 9 S (77 km)
Sources
- NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, annual/seasonal normals by station (version 1.0.1), file dated June 27, 2023; documentation.
- USDA Agricultural Research Service and PRISM Group, Oregon State University, 2023 Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP code tables (CONUS, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico), files dated November 17, 2023. Data © PRISM Group, Oregon State University, https://prism.oregonstate.edu, accessed November 1, 2026. Official map: planthardiness.ars.usda.gov.
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer ZIP Code Tabulation Areas file, dated August 30, 2024 (ZIP centroids used to find the nearest station).
Freeze dates are 30-year probabilities, not forecasts. Check your local forecast before planting tender plants.