ALABAMA (NEXSTAR) — With cold fronts hitting southern states and some fall temperatures already here, it’s time to look for that first freeze of the season in Alabama.

A freeze is defined as having a low temperature of 32º or colder. Technically, a hard freeze is when temperatures drop to 28º or below. You can get frost with air temperatures several degrees above freezing.

For the purposes of this, we’ll just look at the average first day with low temperatures of 32º or colder coming after the conclusion of the summer months. The average is over a 30-year period from 1991-2020.

Statewide

As you’d expect, the earliest freezes in Alabama happen in the northern parts of the state. Hamilton has the earliest average first freeze of this list with an October dip to 32º or below.

The latest freezes happen in cities closer to the Gulf of Mexico, especially those farther south. Dauphin Island has the latest first freeze, usually having to wait until January to reach the freezing mark.

Hamilton – Oct. 21

Sylacauga – Oct. 26

Bridgeport – Oct. 27

Decatur – Oct. 31

Scottsboro – Oct. 31

Oneonta – Nov. 2

Russellville – Nov. 2

Athens – Nov. 7

Tuscaloosa – Nov. 8

Gadsden – Nov. 9

Montgomery – Nov. 10

Birmingham – Nov. 11

Fort Payne – Nov. 11

Mobile – Nov. 25

Dauphin Island — Jan. 7

With temperatures hovering around 70 degrees the next few days, we likely won’t see a freeze in Birmingham for some time.