FrostDateCheck

Columbus, TX 78951 Frost Dates

When can you plant in Columbus, TX?

Zone 9a

Around 03/09 is the usual last spring frost, about 193 days away. The first fall frost typically arrives around 11/20, about 255 frost-free days later.

The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map puts Columbus 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 12 weeks of growing season left in Columbus before the first fall frost — a cold frame or row cover can stretch harvest weeks past that date.

Why 03/09 isn't a guarantee

03/09 is the middle of 30 years of NOAA records, not a promise. Plant by 02/13 and you're betting against frost in roughly 9 years out of 10. 03/31 is the safer bet, historically only a 1-in-10 chance of frost that late.

How Columbus compares

Columbus's growing season runs about 255 days, ranking 6,932 of 40,283 US ZIP codes measured here, longest to shortest. Within TX, it ranks 1,505 of 2,558.

Learn more

zone vs. frost date covers why Zone 9a and Columbus's frost date answer different questions. the frost range covers how to read the range around Columbus's dates instead of trusting one.