Houston's winter woes may be temporarily over, but don't count on it just yet. The city recently endured two intense Arctic blasts that brought sleet and freezing rain to the area, prompting many to wonder if Southeast Texas is done with the cold weather for good.
Not so fast. Climatologists say the average last day with freezing temperatures in Houston is around February 13th, a date that's still weeks away. While recent temperatures have soared into the 80s and approached record levels for early February, there's still plenty of winter left to come.
The region's history suggests this isn't unprecedented. In April 1973, a low of 31 degrees was recorded, while just three years ago in 2023, the area experienced frosts in mid-March during spring break. Frost can even form when temperatures are above freezing, between 33 and 36 degrees, making it crucial for gardeners to be aware of this phenomenon before planting their seasonal gardens.
The typical frost date for Houston is March 3rd, but it's not uncommon for the last freeze to occur as late as early April. And while the forecast looks favorable for the next two weeks with well-above-normal temperatures, predicting a complete absence of freezing weather is still a stretch.
In fact, just one week before a major winter storm brought freezing rain to Houston in January, afternoon highs were already reaching the mid-70s. It's a reminder that Houston's climate can be unpredictable, and even the most favorable forecasts aren't always foolproof.
Not so fast. Climatologists say the average last day with freezing temperatures in Houston is around February 13th, a date that's still weeks away. While recent temperatures have soared into the 80s and approached record levels for early February, there's still plenty of winter left to come.
The region's history suggests this isn't unprecedented. In April 1973, a low of 31 degrees was recorded, while just three years ago in 2023, the area experienced frosts in mid-March during spring break. Frost can even form when temperatures are above freezing, between 33 and 36 degrees, making it crucial for gardeners to be aware of this phenomenon before planting their seasonal gardens.
The typical frost date for Houston is March 3rd, but it's not uncommon for the last freeze to occur as late as early April. And while the forecast looks favorable for the next two weeks with well-above-normal temperatures, predicting a complete absence of freezing weather is still a stretch.
In fact, just one week before a major winter storm brought freezing rain to Houston in January, afternoon highs were already reaching the mid-70s. It's a reminder that Houston's climate can be unpredictable, and even the most favorable forecasts aren't always foolproof.
! As someone who loves gardening, it's super frustrating to think we might have to wait till Feb 13th for winter to finally leave us alone 
. But I guess that's just the unpredictable nature of Houston's climate - one week it's freezing rain, next it's sunny days in the 80s 
. I swear, gardeners in this city need to be super prepared and have a backup plan if they want to grow anything seasonal 
.
. i'm not surprised though, texas weather is always unpredictable 
. remember that april 1973 day when it got down to 31 degrees? or how about march '23 when we had frost during spring break? frost can happen even if the temps are above freezing (33-36 degrees) - gotta keep an eye on those gardeners! 
.
! I mean, one day it's freezing rain, next day it's like "oh, we're good" 
. Can't the weather just make up its mind?! And don't even get me started on frost in the 70s... what's next? Summer snow 
?! As a gardener, I'm definitely keeping an eye out for those tricky temps. Anyone else getting anxious about planting their spring gardens yet?
. frost can still form even when temps are above freezing, thats so cool (pun intended) 
I'm still not buying it! We just got done dealing with sleet and freezing rain, now we're supposed to forget it happened? The last time frost was this late, it was in 2023 - so yeah right 
. I love that climatologists are trying to give us a timeline, but let's be real, Houston's weather is as unpredictable as my aunt after the holidays 
. I mean, I get it, we're in the part of the year where it's supposed to start warming up, but like, come on Houston! Can't we just chill out for a sec? 
. And those frost dates? Like, anyone can just Google that stuff and still manage to be surprised 
. Anyways, I'm over here counting down the days till spring break... or like, whenever we get our first decent warm day 
!
. I'm just glad gardeners can look up those dates online, 'cause if they had to memorize everything, they'd be stuck in the snow...literally 
One day it's sleet and freezing rain, next thing you know it's 80s and record-breaking temps 
!
. Climatologists are saying we're not out of the woods yet (literally) and that Houston still has weeks to go before the last frost date 
. Like, come on, can't we just get a straight weather forecast for once? It's already crazy unpredictable. And don't even get me started on gardeners who need to be aware of those super-low temps above freezing... it's like, hello, frost is real, people! 
! I mean, sure, it's weird for temperatures to swing from freezing to 80+ in like two weeks, but that's just how Houston's climate works, right? We've had frosts in mid-March before and we can do it again. And let's be real, those gardeners are gonna make the most of it, planting their gardens anyway 
And don't even get me started on frost forming at all these weird temps... 33-36 degrees? Like, how do plants even deal with that? 
. Anyway, just because it's supposed to be warm for the next two weeks doesn't mean we're off the hook yet! 
. i've been saying this for ages, climate change is real, and it's only gonna get worse. don't think you're off the hook just 'cause you had 80s temps last week. what's next? summer in march? 
. I want to see some real data before I start planning my gardening schedule or whatever. March 3rd, schmarch 3rd... what if we hit another cold snap like that January storm?