Louisiana frost dates

Average last spring and first fall frost dates for Louisiana’s largest cities, with each city’s USDA hardiness zone.

Reviewed October 2026

Among Louisiana’s 20 largest cities, the average last spring frost ranges from Jan 22 in New Orleans to Mar 11 in Ruston. Elevation, distance from the coast and city heat all shift the date, so use your own ZIP code below for the closest match.

City	Average last spring frost	Average first fall frost	Frost-free days	Hardiness zone	Weather station used
New Orleans	Jan 22	Jan 5 (next winter)	348	9b	New Orleans Lakefront Airport, LA, 6 mi
Baton Rouge	Feb 28	Nov 26	271	9a	Lsu Ben-Hur Farm, LA, 6 mi
Shreveport	Mar 9	Nov 18	254	8b	Shreveport, LA, 3 mi
Lafayette	Feb 26	Nov 28	275	9a	Lafayette, LA, 2 mi
Lake Charles	Feb 14	Dec 7	296	9a	Lake Charles, LA, 5 mi
Kenner	Jan 30	Dec 31	335	9b	New Orleans Intl Airport, LA
Bossier City	Feb 28	Nov 24	269	8b	Shreveport Dwtn Airport, LA, 5 mi
Monroe	Mar 8	Nov 15	252	8b	Monroe Rgnl Airport, LA, 2 mi
Alexandria	Feb 27	Nov 27	273	9a	Alexandria, LA, 2 mi
Houma	Feb 5	Dec 17	315	9b	Houma, LA, 8 mi
Central	Feb 25	Nov 26	274	9a	Baton Rouge Ryan Airport, LA, 7 mi
Slidell	Feb 24	Dec 1	280	9a	Slidell, LA, 2 mi
New Iberia	Feb 10	Dec 11	304	9a–9b	New Iberia Acadiana Airport, LA, 4 mi
Hammond	Mar 8	Nov 19	256	9a	Hammond 5 E, LA, 5 mi
Ruston	Mar 11	Nov 16	250	8b	Ruston La Tech, LA, 2 mi
Sulphur	Feb 14	Dec 7	296	9a	Lake Charles, LA, 11 mi
Zachary	Feb 25	Nov 26	274	9a	Baton Rouge Ryan Airport, LA, 9 mi
Youngsville	Feb 19	Dec 1	285	9a	Lafayette 13 Se, LA, 7 mi
Gretna	Feb 1	Dec 31	333	9b	Terrytown 3S, LA
Natchitoches	Feb 28	Dec 1	276	9a	Natchitoches, LA, 3 mi

Frost dates are the dates after (spring) or before (fall) which the chance of a 32°F freeze is below 50%, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals for the weather station nearest each city’s center. Zones are from the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map for the ZIP codes around each city; a range means nearby ZIP codes differ. Cities are the 20 largest by Census Bureau 2024 population estimates.

An average is not a guarantee. There’s still about a 1 in 2 chance of frost after the average last spring date. Many gardeners wait an extra week or two before setting out tomatoes, peppers and basil, and keep covers handy.

Planting dates for New Orleans

Timed from New Orleans’s average last frost of Jan 22, using University of New Hampshire Extension’s planting guidance. For your exact dates, enter your ZIP code in the calendar below.

Crop	Start seeds indoors	Plant outside
Tomatoes	Dec 4 to Dec 18	Jan 29 to Feb 5
Peppers	Nov 27 to Dec 11	Feb 5
Lettuce	Nov 20 to Nov 27	Dec 25 to Jan 1
Broccoli	Nov 13 to Nov 27	Dec 25 to Jan 8
Cucumbers	Jan 1 to Jan 8	Jan 29 to Feb 5
Basil	Dec 11 to Dec 25	Feb 5

When to plant, for your garden

Your seed-starting and planting dates, timed from your last spring frost. Full calendar, 12 crops.

ZIP code

Last frost date

Enter your ZIP code to look up your average last frost date and hardiness zone, or type the date in yourself.

Frost dates: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020. Hardiness zones: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, 2023, ZIP code data from PRISM Group, Oregon State University, prism.oregonstate.edu, accessed Oct. 20, 2026.

More about frost dates

How to find your last frost date, and what your zone means · Full planting calendar · How to start seeds indoors

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