Data: 2023 USDA zones (PRISM/OSU) · NOAA 1991–2020 normals · updated

Planting zone for 36528 — Dauphin Island, AL

ZIP code 36528 (Dauphin Island, Mobile County) is in USDA zone 9b: the coldest winter night averages 25 to 30 °F.

Where ZIP 36528 is

Outlined: the ZIP code area · tap the map for the zone at any spot · scroll or pinch to zoom

Not the official USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Zones come from the 2023 USDA hardiness-zone data by the PRISM Group, Oregon State University; we re-mapped and recolored them. The official map is at planthardiness.ars.usda.gov.

Zone9b25 to 30 °F
Coldest night−3.9 to −1.1 °C
Last frostrare
First frostrare
2012 zone9a

Was 9a on the 2012 map — half a zone warmer now. The zone is the one at the center of the ZIP code; hilly ZIPs can span two zones. What zone 9b means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Dauphin Island, AL…

Forecast data: National Weather Service (api.weather.gov), public domain. This is not a warning service — for official frost and freeze warnings see weather.gov.

Frost dates

A 32 °F frost doesn't happen here in most winters. At the nearest station (NOAA station Dauphin Is #2, AL — 9 miles away, elevation 7 ft) the median growing season is 340 days. When frost does come, it is a midwinter night or two; cover tender plants when a freeze is forecast.

Frost data: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

When spring arrived in 2026

In 2026, spring leaf-out near 36528 came on Jan 16 — 11 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Jan 27).

JanFebMarAprMayJun

The Spring Index marks the day when accumulated warmth is enough for lilac and honeysuckle to leaf out — a widely used signal that the growing season has started. Source: USA National Phenology Network, www.usanpn.org — Spring Indices, first leaf, 2026 (data as of 2026-09-08) and 30-year average 1991–2020 (CC BY 4.0).

Native plants for zone 9b in Alabama

585 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in Alabama, and rated by the USDA to survive 25 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 9b. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

Trees 84

American basswood100 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −46 °FAmerican beech80 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −44 °FAmerican chestnut115 ft · blooms early summer · high shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican elm120 ft · blooms early spring · medium shade tolerance · to −46 °FAmerican sycamore100 ft · blooms spring · medium shade tolerance · to −34 °FAtlantic white cedar50 ft · blooms spring · medium shade tolerance · to −36 °F

Shrubs 134

Allegheny serviceberry35 ft · blooms early spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Faloe yucca15 ft · blooms early summer · medium shade tolerance · to −1 °Falternateleaf dogwood25 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −47 °FAmerican beautyberry6 ft · blooms early summer · medium shade tolerance · to −8 °FAmerican hazelnut10 ft · blooms spring · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican holly40 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −20 °F

Wildflowers & perennials 180

American bur-reed3 ft · blooms indeterminate · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican eelgrass1 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican lotus3 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −36 °FAmerican pokeweed7 ft · blooms mid summer · low shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican spongeplant0.5 ft · blooms mid spring · high shade tolerance · to −24 °FAmerican water horehound1.8 ft · blooms early summer · low shade tolerance · to −38 °F

Grasses 162

American cupscale3 ft · blooms early summer · high shade tolerance · to −18 °Fautumn bluegrass1.5 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −8 °Fawlfruit sedge4 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Fbeaked spikerush3 ft · blooms late spring · high shade tolerance · to −28 °Fbig bluestem6 ft · blooms summer · high shade tolerance · to −46 °Fbig cordgrass8 ft · blooms spring · high shade tolerance · to −3 °F

Vines 13

American bittersweet15 ft · blooms spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °FAmerican wisteria50 ft · blooms spring · low shade tolerance · to −3 °Fcatbird grape30 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −13 °Fcupseed30 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −3 °Fdevil's darning needles15 ft · blooms mid summer · medium shade tolerance · to −38 °Ffrost grape83 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −23 °F

Source: USDA, NRCS. 2026. The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov), National Plant Data Team — state distribution, native status and the “Temperature, Minimum” characteristic. Check light, moisture and soil needs before buying; local nurseries and your state native plant society can confirm what thrives in Dauphin Island, AL.

Soil in Dauphin Island, AL

The center of ZIP 36528 is mapped as Water: built-over ground without natural soil data. Garden soil here is usually imported or disturbed — test before you plant.

Soil Survey Staff, Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA. Soil Survey Geographic (SSURGO) Database, via Soil Data Access, accessed 2026-10-29. The soil at the center point of ZIP 36528; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Dauphin Island, AL

Summer high88 °Faverage high, July
Winter low46 °Faverage low, January
Hot days36days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights4nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days7,183base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 06 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day10 h 12 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growShort-daysummer days stay under about 14 h 20 min, so long-day varieties won’t bulb
Precipitation61.1 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

40°50°60°70°80°90°100°January: average high 59 °F, low 46 °F 59°46° JanFebruary: average high 62 °F, low 49 °F 62°49° FebMarch: average high 67 °F, low 56 °F 67°56° MarApril: average high 74 °F, low 63 °F 74°63° AprMay: average high 81 °F, low 71 °F 81°71° MayJune: average high 86 °F, low 76 °F 86°76° JunJuly: average high 88 °F, low 78 °F 88°78° JulAugust: average high 88 °F, low 78 °F 88°78° AugSeptember: average high 85 °F, low 76 °F 85°76° SepOctober: average high 77 °F, low 67 °F 77°67° OctNovember: average high 68 °F, low 56 °F 68°56° NovDecember: average high 61 °F, low 49 °F 61°49° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″2″4″6″January: 5.23 in precipitation 5.2 JanFebruary: 4.35 in precipitation 4.3 FebMarch: 4.90 in precipitation 4.9 MarApril: 5.16 in precipitation 5.2 AprMay: 5.01 in precipitation 5.0 MayJune: 5.87 in precipitation 5.9 JunJuly: 6.80 in precipitation 6.8 JulAugust: 6.02 in precipitation 6.0 AugSeptember: 5.24 in precipitation 5.2 SepOctober: 3.52 in precipitation 3.5 OctNovember: 3.86 in precipitation 3.9 NovDecember: 5.13 in precipitation 5.1 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Dauphin Is #2, AL (9 mi away); precipitation: Dauphin Is #2, AL (9 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

8 of the 8 nearest ZIP codes are in a different zone — elevation and distance from water change winter lows quickly.

365239a
Coden, AL · 9 mi
365099a
Bayou La Batre, AL · 11 mi
365449a
Irvington, AL · 16 mi
395819a
Pascagoula, MS · 17 mi
365909a
Theodore, AL · 17 mi
365419a
Grand Bay, AL · 18 mi
365649a
Point Clear, AL · 25 mi
365329a
Fairhope, AL · 28 mi

Alabama planting zones →

Questions about 36528

What planting zone is ZIP code 36528?

ZIP code 36528 (Dauphin Island, AL) is in USDA hardiness zone 9b on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches 25 to 30 °F (−3.9 to −1.1 °C).

How much rain and snow does 36528 get?

About 61.1 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Dauphin Is #2 station).

How hot do summers get in Dauphin Island, AL?

The average high peaks at 88 °F in July, with about 36 days a year at 90 °F or more.

Did spring come early in Dauphin Island, AL in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 36528 came on Jan 16 in 2026, 11 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Jan 27), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Dauphin Island, AL?

Short-day onions: the longest day near 36528 is 14 h 06 min, so summer days stay under about 14 h 20 min, so long-day varieties won’t bulb.

Did the zone for 36528 change?

Yes. The 2012 USDA map put 36528 in zone 9a; the 2023 map puts it in zone 9b. The newer map uses 1991–2020 data and more weather stations.