Chill hours by zip code
Published extension values put Gulf South winters at roughly 200 to 1200 chill hours (hours at or below 45°F), lowest on the coast and higher inland and north. Pick varieties that need no more than your zip's low estimate.
Enter a Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida panhandle or Texas Gulf coast zip to see the typical winter chill (hours at or below 45°F, Nov–Feb) and which varieties fit.
How we estimate this
We model each NOAA weather station's 1991–2020 hourly climate normals (including the 10th–90th percentile spread) to estimate expected hours at or below 45°F from November through February, blend the three nearest stations, then calibrate to published LSU AgCenter, Mississippi State and Texas A&M AgriLife chill values. The range shown is ±20%. Warm winters can come in well under the low end, and low spots in a yard can run colder than the estimate.
Chill hour questions
What are chill hours?
Chill hours are the hours of winter cold, usually counted as hours at or below 45°F, that peaches, plums, pears, apples and blueberries need before they bloom and fruit properly. LSU AgCenter, Mississippi State and Texas A&M AgriLife all use this measure.
How many chill hours does New Orleans get?
About 200–300 chill hours a winter, per LSU AgCenter (source).
How many chill hours does Houma get?
About 200–300 chill hours a winter, per LSU AgCenter (source).
How many chill hours does Covington get?
About 400 chill hours a winter, per LSU AgCenter (source).
How many chill hours does Lafayette get?
About 400–650 chill hours a winter, per LSU AgCenter (source).
How many chill hours does Alexandria get?
About 500–600 chill hours a winter, per LSU AgCenter (source).
How many chill hours does Monroe get?
About 700–800 chill hours a winter, per LSU AgCenter (source).
How many chill hours does Hattiesburg MS get?
About 400–600 chill hours a winter, per Mississippi State Extension (source).
How many chill hours does Jackson MS get?
About 600–800 chill hours a winter, per Mississippi State Extension (source).
How accurate is the zip code estimate?
Our estimates model NOAA 1991–2020 hourly climate normals, blended from the three nearest stations and calibrated to LSU AgCenter, Mississippi State and Texas A&M AgriLife values, shown with a ±20% range. Warm winters can fall below the low end.
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