Jackson, MS 39203 Frost Dates
When can you plant in Jackson, MS?
Typically, the last spring freeze lands around 03/06, roughly 190 days out. The first fall frost typically arrives around 11/19, about 258 frost-free days later.
The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map puts Jackson in Zone 8b (15 to 20°F average annual minimum); frost dates are NOAA's 1991-2020 station normal, not this year's forecast.
What to do before the first frost
About 12 weeks of growing season left in Jackson before the first fall frost — a cold frame or row cover can stretch harvest weeks past that date.
Why 03/06 isn't a guarantee
03/06 is the middle of 30 years of NOAA records, not a promise. Plant by 02/15 and you're betting against frost in roughly 9 years out of 10. 03/24 is the safer bet, historically only a 1-in-10 chance of frost that late.
How Jackson compares
Jackson's growing season runs about 258 days, ranking 6,622 of 40,283 US ZIP codes measured here, longest to shortest. Within MS, it ranks 73 of 523.
Learn more
the frost range covers how to read the range around Jackson's dates instead of trusting one. local microclimates covers what one yard in Jackson can differ from the 39203 normal.