Columbus, Mississippi · winter 2026-27

Chill hours in Columbus this winter

Chill hours so far (45°F model)66 hours at or below 45°F since 1 November, to Nov 7. Same date last winter: 43. Station: Golden Triangle, 15.3 km away.
Last winter (2025-26)
1,136
1 Nov to 28 Feb
By this date last winter
43
1 Nov to Nov 7
Hours 32–45°F so far
6
the 0–45°F model leaves out freezing hours
Coldest month last winter
January
413 chill hours

Chill hours accumulated since 1 November

Hours at or below 45°F, running total. Grey: last winter; clay: this winter so far.

02004006008001,0001,200NovDecJanFeb2025-26: 1,136 h6 h so far
02004006008001,0001,200NovDecJanFeb2025-26: 1,136 h6 h so far
  • Winter 2026-27
  • Winter 2025-26
View as table
MonthChill hours (≤ 45°F)
November 2025169
December 2025343
January 2026413
February 2026211
Total1,136
Source: NOAA NCEI GHCN-Daily, station USW00053893; hours estimated from each day's high and low.

Fruit trees need a set number of cold hours in winter before they bloom well. Nurseries rate varieties by it: low-chill varieties need roughly 100 to 400 hours, many peaches and plums 500 to 900, and most apples and sweet cherries 800 to 1,200 or more. Your variety's rating is the number to compare with the 1,136 hours Columbus had last winter.

Chill hours here are hours at or below 45°F, estimated hour by hour from the station's daily high and low. Checked against measured hourly air temperature at 39 NOAA reference stations last winter, the estimate was within 1.9% of the measured count at the median station. How it is checked.

Chill hours nearby

Each from a different station.

CityDistanceChill hours so farLast winter
Starkville, MS37 km121,288
Tuscaloosa, AL86 km131,067
Tupelo, MS89 km181,322
Meridian, MS128 km231,043
Birmingham, AL151 km141,087
Alabaster, AL152 km101,077

Questions

How many chill hours has Columbus had this winter?
6 hours at or below 45°F from 1 November to Nov 7, 2026, estimated from the daily highs and lows at the Golden Triangle station.
How many chill hours did Columbus get last winter?
1,136 hours from 1 November to 28 February (2025-26).
Which chill model is this?
The simple 45°F model: every hour at or below 45°F counts. The 32 to 45°F count, which leaves out hours below freezing, is shown as well.

Data: Global Historical Climatology Network - Daily (GHCN-Daily), daily maximum and minimum temperature (NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)); GeoNames gazetteer (cities15000) (GeoNames).