Frost dates for Birmingham Airport, AL
At Birmingham Airport, the median last spring frost (32°F) is Mar 21 and the median first fall frost is Nov 11, for a typical growing season of 236 days. For a 90% chance that the last frost has passed, wait until Apr 8. Nearby ZIP codes are in USDA hardiness zones 8a to 8b.
- Mar 21Last spring frost (median)50% chance of 32°F after this date
- Apr 8Safer planting date10% chance of 32°F after this date
- Nov 11First fall frost (median)50% chance of 32°F by this date
- 236 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 16 | Apr 3 | Apr 20 |
| 32°F | Feb 28 | Mar 21 | Apr 8 |
| 28°F | Feb 14 | Mar 7 | Mar 26 |
| 24°F | Jan 26 | Feb 20 | Mar 14 |
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 21 | Nov 2 | Nov 17 |
| 32°F | Oct 30 | Nov 11 | Dec 1 |
| 28°F | Nov 6 | Nov 24 | Dec 15 |
| 24°F | Nov 16 | Dec 9 | Jan 9 |
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 | 192 days | 212 days | 234 days |
| 32°F | 211 days | 236 days | 262 days |
| 28°F | 235 days | 262 days | 293 days |
| 24°F | 258 days | 291 days | 328 days |
Chance of a freeze in any year
| Temperature | Chance per year |
|---|---|
| 36°F | 100% |
| 32°F | 100% |
| 28°F | 100% |
| 24°F | 99% |
ZIP codes whose closest station is this one
| ZIP | Hardiness zone | Avg. extreme low | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 35212 | 8a | 10 to 15°F | 2 km |
| 35206 | 8a | 10 to 15°F | 3 km |
| 35217 | 8a | 10 to 15°F | 5 km |
| 35222 | 8a | 10 to 15°F | 5 km |
| 35234 | 8a | 10 to 15°F | 6 km |
| 35213 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 7 km |
| 35207 | 8a | 10 to 15°F | 7 km |
| 35210 | 8a | 10 to 15°F | 8 km |
| 35203 | 8a | 10 to 15°F | 8 km |
| 35233 | 8a | 10 to 15°F | 8 km |
| 35223 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 8 km |
| 35249 | 8a | 10 to 15°F | 8 km |
| 35119 | 8a | 10 to 15°F | 9 km |
| 35068 | 8a | 10 to 15°F | 9 km |
| 35205 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 10 km |
| 35204 | 8a | 10 to 15°F | 10 km |
| 35229 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 12 km |
| 35209 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 13 km |
| 35214 | 8a | 10 to 15°F | 14 km |
| 35243 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 14 km |
| 35181 | 8a | 10 to 15°F | 14 km |
| 35208 | 8a | 10 to 15°F | 15 km |
| 35218 | 8a | 10 to 15°F | 15 km |
| 35216 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 17 km |
| 35060 | 8a | 10 to 15°F | 17 km |
| 35094 | 8a | 10 to 15°F | 17 km |
| 35242 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 17 km |
| 35117 | 8a | 10 to 15°F | 18 km |
| 35036 | 8a | 10 to 15°F | 18 km |
| 35176 | 8a | 10 to 15°F | 24 km |
| 35073 | 8a | 10 to 15°F | 24 km |
| 35062 | 8a | 10 to 15°F | 30 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 USW00013876, at 33.5656, -86.7450, elevation 188 m (615 ft).
- Data quality: Standard (24+ years of data), 28 years of freeze data.
- Average days per year at or below 32°F: 47.
- Frost risk changes over short distances. Valleys and low spots freeze earlier than hillsides and city centers.
Nearby weather stations
- Pinson (15 km)
- Bessemer 3 WSW (31 km)
- Helena (34 km)
- Alabaster Shelby Co Airport (43 km)
- Childersburg Water Plant (49 km)
- Oneonta (50 km)
- Hanceville (56 km)
- Bankhead L&d (58 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.