Has East Texas Experienced Its Last Freeze for the Winter Season?

For the next 7-day period (2/21 - 2/28), East Texas will be experiencing high temperatures in the 70s and low 80s. That's above normal for this time of year, but not too out of the ordinary.

Will Freezing Temps Return This Season?

Let's start with what we know.

Forecasters are saying that all of East Texas will stay above 32 degrees for the remainder of February. In fact, parts of central Texas and the Texas Hill Country are expecting a heat wave into the mid-80s before the end of the month.

I've also taken a look at the medium-range forecast for the next 14-21 days from various weather computer models, and all of them keep our high temperatures at 60 degrees or higher, and our low temps will stay above 42 degrees.

Those medium-range forecasts take us to about March 10th or later, which is important because...

The Last Freeze Dates of East Texas Cities

Give or take a few days, the usual last day of freezing temps across East Texas happens in mid-March. Here are a few of those dates:

Lufkin - March 14
Tyler - March 24
Longview - March 17
Texarkana - March 21
Beaumont - March 1
Huntsville - March 1

If these forecasters are confident that we will be avoiding a big cold snap through about March 10th, we will be getting close to our average last freezing dates.

This could be another reason to believe that we may have experienced our last 32-degree reading.

But...Remember What Happened Last Year?

Using Lufkin as an example, between February 20 and March 11, 2023, the city experienced 15 days of 80-degree temperatures. Then, on March 19 and 20, the morning lows dipped to 31 degrees.

What about April 7, 2007? Were you in Deep East Texas when this freak Easter snowfall happened?

I Wouldn't Bet The Farm

Temperatures in East Texas have been above normal for a few days and will continue to be so for a while.

A few blossoms, grass growing, and an onslaught of mosquito hawks would make it easy to believe that Spring is here to stay, but keep in mind what the Climate Prediction Center said about March.

NWS

Temperatures are expected to be below normal for most of the state, and all of East Texas.

An Asterisk for the Gardeners

I am basing this story on data concerning the last date of 32 degrees or below. A layer of frost, which many times occurs at 36 degrees, could still happen deeper into March.