Austin, TX 78722 Frost Dates
When can you plant in Austin, TX?
The last spring frost here typically falls around 02/20, about 176 days from today. The first fall frost typically arrives around 12/03, about 291 frost-free days later.
The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map puts Austin in Zone 9a (20 to 25°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 14 weeks of growing season left in Austin before the first fall frost — a cold frame or row cover can stretch harvest weeks past that date.
Why 02/20 isn't a guarantee
02/20 is the middle of 30 years of NOAA records, not a promise. Plant by 01/23 and you're betting against frost in roughly 9 years out of 10. 03/14 is the safer bet, historically only a 1-in-10 chance of frost that late.
How Austin compares
Austin's growing season runs about 291 days, ranking 4,406 of 40,283 US ZIP codes measured here, longest to shortest. Within TX, it ranks 568 of 2,558.
Learn more
zone vs. frost date covers why Zone 9a and Austin's frost date answer different questions. the frost range covers how to read the range around Austin's dates instead of trusting one.