Frost dates 2026–2027

Frost dates for Petal, Mississippi

Median (50% chance) dates of the last and first 32°F frost, from NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Hattiesburg Chain Municipal Airport, 4.7 mi away (close match).

Last spring frostMar 8
First fall frostNov 15
252 frost-free days
Last spring frostMar 81 year in 10 after Mar 28
First fall frostNov 151 year in 10 by Nov 1
Growing season252 daysbetween median 32°F dates
Hardiness zoneZone 8b15 to 20°F average extreme low

Checking current alerts… View NWS forecast and alerts.

Will it freeze in Petal in the next 7 nights?

No overnight lows at or below 32°F are forecast in Petal during the next 7 nights in the available NWS frost forecast.

Tonight: forecast low 53°F. Above 36°F.

NWS forecast period: Thu, Nov 5, 6:00 PM CST to Fri, Nov 6, 6:00 AM CST.

No nights at or below 36°F in the National Weather Service forecast for the next 7 nights.

Overnight lows from the National Weather Service forecast for this location. This covers the available forecast window, not the first freeze of the whole season. Frost can form above 32°F on clear, calm nights.

Frost and freeze probabilities

Freeze dates shift from year to year. Spring percentages describe the chance of a freeze after the stated date; fall percentages describe the chance of a freeze by that date. The 10% spring date is the cautious one: a later freeze happens about 1 year in 10.

These dates describe historical probabilities, not this year’s forecast or the earliest and latest possible freezes. Different weather stations or probability thresholds can produce different published dates for the same city.

Average first hard freeze in Petal

The median first fall hard-freeze date (28°F) is November 30, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 Climate Normals at Hattiesburg Chain Municipal Airport. This is the 50% probability date, not a forecast for this year.

TemperatureLast spring date
90% · 50% · 10% chance of a later freeze
First fall date
10% · 50% · 90% chance of an earlier freeze
Season
36°F frost possible Mar 3 · Mar 24 · Apr 13 Oct 23 · Nov 4 · Nov 19 226 days
32°F freeze Feb 16 · Mar 8 · Mar 28 Nov 1 · Nov 15 · Dec 4 252 days
28°F hard freeze Jan 26 · Feb 22 · Mar 15 Nov 10 · Nov 30 · Jan 4 285 days
NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USW00013833. How to read these probabilities.

Average high temperature by month

1991–2020 normals at Hattiesburg Chain Municipal Airport

Average low temperature by month

Months with lows near or below freezing carry frost risk

Where these frost dates come from

The frost dates for Petal, MS come from the nearest weather station with freeze statistics in NOAA’s 1991–2020 Climate Normals: Hattiesburg Chain Municipal Airport (station USW00013833, elevation 151 ft), 4.7 mi from Petal. Local conditions (valleys, hilltops, distance to water, city heat) can shift frost dates by days or weeks. The hardiness zone is from the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (USDA ARS and Oregon State University PRISM). See our methodology.

Frost dates near Petal

CityDistanceLast spring frostFirst fall frost
Hattiesburg, MS 5.6 mi Mar 7 Nov 23
Laurel, MS 24 mi Mar 12 Nov 12
Columbia, MS 35 mi Mar 5 Nov 19
Bogalusa, LA 54 mi Mar 2 Nov 23
Picayune, MS 62 mi Mar 9 Nov 18
Gulfport, MS 65 mi Feb 23 Dec 3
D'Iberville, MS 66 mi Feb 12 Dec 14
Biloxi, MS 66 mi Feb 12 Dec 14
Diamondhead, MS 67 mi Feb 21 Dec 3
Long Beach, MS 69 mi Feb 18 Dec 14

Frequently asked questions

When is the last frost in Petal?

On average, the last spring frost (32°F) in Petal is around March 8. In about 1 year in 10 it comes after March 28, and in 9 years in 10 it comes after February 16.

When is the first frost in Petal?

The first fall frost (32°F) usually arrives around November 15. There’s a 10% chance of a freeze by November 1 and a 90% chance by December 4.

Can it frost in Petal after the last frost date?

Yes. Frost can form on clear, calm nights even when the air stays above 32°F. Temperatures of 36°F or lower, cold enough for frost on exposed plants, have a 50% chance of occurring after March 24.

What growing zone is Petal?

Petal is in USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 8b (average annual extreme minimum temperature 15 to 20°F), based on the 2023 USDA map for ZIP code 39465. See growing zones in Mississippi.

More: all Mississippi frost dates · Mississippi growing zones · frost vs. freeze