When to plant in Opelousas, LA
USDA Zone 9aOpelousas, Louisiana frost dates, USDA zone, and a full-year planting calendar, drawn from the nearest NOAA station and tuned to the local season.
With about 268 frost-free days, Opelousas supports back-to-back plantings; stagger sowings every few weeks to keep beds productive spring through fall. In zone 9a, frost is a minor factor for Opelousas — most perennials thrive, and annual vegetables can go out early and stay late.
The average first fall frost in Opelousas is now 5 days earlier than in the 1981–2010 normals. See how frost dates are shifting nationwide →
Frost probability
GRAND COTEAU · 1991–2020The date the last spring and first fall frost occur, by threshold and probability. A 90% date is later in spring — and earlier in fall — than a 10% date; the 50% · 32°F row is what most gardeners plan around. These are Opelousas’s own odds, recorded at GRAND COTEAU.
| Threshold | SPRING 10% | SPRING 50% | SPRING 90% | FALL 10% | FALL 50% | FALL 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Apr 7 | Mar 18 | Feb 24 | Oct 30 | Nov 13 | Dec 1 |
| 32°F | Mar 25 | Feb 28 | Jan 31 | Nov 5 | Nov 23 | Dec 16 |
| 28°F | Mar 8 | Feb 6 | Jan 5 | Nov 14 | Dec 8 | Jan 11 |
Download this table as CSV ↓ — every threshold and probability, plus this city’s planting-window dates.
What to plant now
TODAY · JULY 19Full-year planting calendar
Each bar is the exact window to take a planting action in Opelousas, drawn to the day from the local frost dates. The dashed line is today.
Nearby weather stations
3 within 34 km · complete 32°F normalsWhen stations disagree by more than a few days, that spread is real microclimate variation — elevation, water, urban heat. Judge which station best matches your own yard.
Opelousas planting FAQ
When is the last spring frost in Opelousas, LA?
Plan for the last spring frost in Opelousas around February 28 (the date it has a 50% chance of a 32°F freeze). Anything frost-sensitive should go out after it.
When is the first fall frost in Opelousas, LA?
Expect Opelousas's first fall frost near November 23 — a 50% chance of 32°F by that date. Bring in or cover tender crops ahead of it.
What hardiness zone is Opelousas in?
Opelousas is in USDA hardiness zone 9a. In zone 9a, winters are mild — many tender perennials overwinter here.
How long is the growing season in Opelousas?
Opelousas has about 268 frost-free days — a long growing season — between the average last spring frost (February 28) and first fall frost (November 23).
When should I plant tomatoes in Opelousas?
For Opelousas, sow tomatoes indoors about January 3–January 17 and move the seedlings out around March 7, after the last spring frost.
Never miss a window in Opelousas
An email when it’s time to start seeds, transplant, and sow — timed to Opelousas’s frost dates. Double opt-in, one-click unsubscribe, no spam.
Nearby cities
8 within reach- Carencro · 24 km
- Lafayette · 36 km
- Crowley · 44 km
- Broussard · 45 km
- Youngsville · 48 km
- Abbeville · 61 km
- New Iberia · 63 km
- Baker · 89 km
Frost dates recorded at GRAND COTEAU, 12 km from the city center · 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals · zone from the USDA/PRISM 2023 map. How we compute this.
BlissGarden. "When to Plant in Opelousas, LA — Frost Dates & Zone 9a." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00163800. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/louisiana/opelousas.