Few U.S. towns get more rain and snow than Central Gardens: 61 inches a year
Midwinter brings lows of about 43°. Seasons differ by 49°, from the coldest nights to the warmest afternoons. Winters are mild: January nights here are milder than in 92% of U.S. towns. Picnics, hikes and garden evenings come into their own from October to April, with highs of 62–81°.
A year in Central Gardens at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Central Gardens’ climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Central Gardens’ place in Texas beside it.
What a year in Central Gardens feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 301 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by February 14 and the first by December 7. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Port Arthur Se Tx Airport, 2.6 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Central Gardens’ center in zone 9b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 26°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
About 61 inches of rain a year
June is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain falls on about 100 days a year. Snow is rare: about 0.0" in a normal year at Port Arthur City, TX, so most winters see none.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Central Gardens
29% of the work is heating, so air conditioning is the bigger bill. Months averaging under 55°: December and January.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Port Arthur Se Tx Airport.
Living with Central Gardens’ climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
301 frost-free days in zone 9b. The last frost comes by Feb 14 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Dec 7.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: January, February, March, April, October, November and December.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Central Gardens from natural hazards, hurricanes are the largest share (41%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 10%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Central Gardens and its neighbors
Every town next door is within a degree of Central Gardens in January and July, closer than the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
Climates most like Central Gardens’, farther away
TownRatings’ own comparison of NOAA 1991–2020 normals, not a NOAA product: places of 5,000+ at least 150 miles away, one per state, closest on January low, July high, precipitation and snow.
| Town | Jan. low | July high | Precip. | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Gardens, TX | 43° | 92° | 61" | 0.0" |
| Schriever, LA | 44° | 91° | 63" | 0.0" |
| Brent, FL | 42° | 91° | 63" | 0.0" |
| Foley, AL | 42° | 91° | 63" | 0.1" |
| Picayune, MS | 40° | 91° | 65" | 0.0" |
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value. Snow and frost-free days come from the nearest weather station, so neighbors often share them.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Central Gardens averaged 1.2° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in February (+2.1°).
A smaller shift than in 65% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
The two periods overlap (1991–2000 is in both), which makes the gap a little smaller than it would be between separate periods.
How Central Gardens compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Central Gardens’ place among Texas’.
Central Gardens weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Central Gardens’ center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Port Arthur City, TX. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 62° | 43° | 5.3" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 47° – 60° |
| February | 66° | 47° | 3.4" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 47° – 65° |
| March | 72° | 53° | 3.7" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 56° – 69° |
| April | 78° | 59° | 4.0" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 64° – 72° |
| May | 85° | 67° | 4.7" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 73° – 79° |
| June | 90° | 73° | 6.5" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 79° – 84° |
| July | 92° | 74° | 5.8" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 81° – 85° |
| August | 92° | 74° | 6.4" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 80° – 87° |
| September | 89° | 70° | 6.2" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 76° – 83° |
| October | 81° | 60° | 5.4" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 67° – 76° |
| November | 71° | 51° | 4.5" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 55° – 66° |
| December | 64° | 45° | 5.0" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 47° – 60° |
| Year | 78° | 59° | 60.9" | 0.0" | 100 | 0 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 47° to 65°. July is the most reliable, staying within 4°.
Where Central Gardens’ numbers come from
Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. How TownRatings reads climate data →
- Temperatures and precipitation: NOAA’s gridded 1991–2020 normals for the 5 km cell at Central Gardens’ center.
- Snow: Port Arthur City, TX.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Port Arthur Se Tx Airport, 2.6 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height; the nearest station that passes our checks for distance, height and agreement with the grid.
- Growing zone: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, 2023. USDA Agricultural Research Service and PRISM Group, Oregon State University, prism.oregonstate.edu/phzm, accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Then and now: NOAA’s gridded normals for 1901–2000 at the same cell.
- Storms and extremes: FEMA National Risk Index (expected annual losses to buildings).
Common questions about Central Gardens’ climate
What is the weather like in Central Gardens?
A typical July afternoon reaches 92°, a January night drops to 43°, and snow is almost unheard of. Milder January nights than 92% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 86% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Central Gardens in winter?
January nights average 43°. About 8 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 47°.
How much snow does Central Gardens get?
About 0.0 inches in a normal winter at Port Arthur City, TX, so most winters see none.
How hot does it get in Central Gardens?
July, with a typical high of 92° and a low of 74°. About 93 days a year reach 90° and 1 reach 100° (Port Arthur Se Tx Airport).
When is the first and last frost in Central Gardens?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by February 14 and the first fall frost by December 7, about 301 frost-free days, at Port Arthur Se Tx Airport.
What growing zone is Central Gardens in?
Zone 9b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 26°.
What is the best time of year to visit Central Gardens?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), January, February, March, April, October, November and December. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Central Gardens getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.2° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 65% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Central Gardens.
Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000; USDA/PRISM 2023 hardiness zones; FEMA National Risk Index. Today’s forecast: National Weather Service.