Cottondale, Alabama Weather
Fireflies pulse through the magnolias. Day 77 of spring. Read this microseason across nine climate regions →
Cottondale weather forecast — hour by hour, 7-day outlook, NOAA radar
- TodayJun 4Partly Cloudy——83°59°—
- FridayJun 5Overcast——87°61°+4°
- SaturdayJun 6Light Drizzle——90°65°+3°
- SundayJun 7Light Showers63%0.01″82°71°-8°
- MondayJun 8Showers46%—86°69°+4°
- TuesdayJun 9Light Showers33%—86°67°0°
- WednesdayJun 10Overcast37%—85°66°-1°
Ozone at AQI 58 — peak already passed at 1 PM under clear skies. AQI up 17 in the last 6 hours — air quality is degrading. Levels should ease through evening.
OK No precautions needed for the general population; unusually sensitive individuals may consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion.
What's driving it
Ozone × UV × Sky
Ozone at AQI 58 — peak already passed at 1 PM under clear skies. Levels should ease through evening.
- Present
- AQI 58
- UV peak
- 1.8 at earlier today
- Sky at peak
- clear
- Projected peak
- AQI 58
Trends
Seven days of AQI and PM2.5.
Hourly air-quality data from the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service, charted across the past and next several days. Dashed lines mark the AQI breakpoints at 50 (Good → Moderate) and 100 (Moderate → Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups).
A summer fog for fair, a winter fog for rain.
- Moonrise
- 3:58 AM
- Moonset
- 2:10 PM
- In sign
- ♒︎ Aquarius
Fireflies pulse through the magnolias
Cottondale at a glance
- Today vs. normal: 83°F — typical for the season
- Last frost: March 6 (climatological average for this latitude)
- Microseason: Jun 1–5
- Planting window: Harvest spring lettuce before it bolts. Sow heat-tolerant greens.
Right now in the garden
Peak growing season
As of June 4, the growing season is at its peak — frost is months away. Continue succession-planting beans and summer squash. Start fall brassicas (broccoli, cabbage, kale) from seed indoors for transplanting in late summer.
SPC Convective Outlook
Storm Prediction Center — Cottondale
SPC has placed Cottondale in the General Thunderstorms category for severe thunderstorms day after tomorrow.
- TODAYNONENo severe risk
- TOMORROWNONENo severe risk
- DAY 3TSTMGeneral Thunderstorms
Thunderstorms possible. Not severe, but capable of producing lightning and brief heavy rain.
Source: NOAA / NWS Storm Prediction Center categorical convective outlook. Outlooks are re-issued multiple times per day; this page reflects the most recent SPC polygons covering the city’s coordinates.
Planting calendar
| Month | Plant | Harvest |
|---|---|---|
| January | — | — |
| February | — | — |
| March | lettuce, peas, spinach, radishes | — |
| April | lettuce, peas, spinach, radishes, tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash | — |
| May | tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash | lettuce, peas, radishes |
| June | tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash | lettuce, peas, radishes |
| July | — | tomatoes, beans, summer squash |
| August | — | tomatoes, beans, summer squash |
| September | — | tomatoes, beans, summer squash |
| October | fall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrots | winter squash, tomatoes (last) |
| November | fall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrots | — |
| December | — | — |
A year in weather
Cottondale's warmest month is July (~82°F mean) and its coldest is January (~46°F). Rainfall peaks in February (5.6 inches) and bottoms out in September (3.5 inches).
| Month | Mean temp | Precip | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 46° | 5.1″ | 7 |
| February | 50° | 5.6″ | 8 |
| March | 57° | 5.5″ | 8 |
| April | 64° | 5.4″ | 7 |
| May | 72° | 4.0″ | 6 |
| June | 79° | 5.3″ | 7 |
| July | 82° | 4.9″ | 7 |
| August | 81° | 4.2″ | 8 |
| September | 76° | 3.5″ | 4 |
| October | 65° | 3.6″ | 5 |
| November | 54° | 4.8″ | 5 |
| December | 48° | 5.2″ | 8 |
Regional context
Cottondale sits within a humid subtropical climate region — a cohort that shares similar temperature ranges, seasonal patterns, and growing conditions across nearby cities.
Similar climates: Birmingham, AL, Huntsville, AL, Mobile, AL, Montgomery, AL, Tuscaloosa, AL.
Frequently asked
- When does it freeze in Cottondale?
- Cottondale's last spring frost typically falls around mid-March, and the first fall frost arrives around mid-December.
- What is the rainy season in Cottondale?
- February is the wettest month with about 5.6 inches of rain on average; the city receives roughly 57 inches annually.
- What is the warmest month in Cottondale?
- July is typically warmest, averaging about 82°F.
- What is the coldest month in Cottondale?
- January is typically coldest, averaging about 46°F.
- When can I start a vegetable garden in Cottondale?
- Cool-season crops (peas, lettuce) can be sown around the last spring frost (mid-March); warm-season crops (tomatoes, peppers) wait until 1–2 weeks after.
- How many rainy days does Cottondale get?
- Cottondale averages about 79 rainy days per year.
- What hardiness zone is Cottondale?
- Cottondale's USDA hardiness zone is determined by its lowest average winter temperature; check the USDA's online lookup with the city ZIP for the current zone designation.
Climate
Cottondale, Alabama sits in a humid subtropical climate zone. January means hover near 46°F while July averages 82°F — a 36°F seasonal swing.
Across the year, Cottondale receives about 57 inches of precipitation spread over roughly 79 rainy days.
The rhythm of the year is set by latitude (33.2°N), proximity to large water bodies, and elevation — all of which shape what grows here, when frost is likely, and what the weather story looks like day to day.