(last updated 12/18/2024)

The dormant buds of many plants require a period of cold weather to grow, flower, and develop properly, but requirements vary widely by species. For dormant buds of fruit trees, this is commonly referred to as the chilling requirement. Chilling hours are calculated as a tool for fruit producers to gauge whether their crop has been exposed to cold temperatures for a long enough time period. This table shows chilling hours as recorded at the Overton Center.

To see chilling hours for other areas in the state, please visit https://texaset.tamu.edu/, select the location nearest you, then click the Chill Units button.

Temperatures can fluctuate from one location to another, however, so the number of chilling hours at your peach orchard may be different than what we have recorded here. For chilling hour data from past years, see the table below. Several methods exist for calculating chilling hours; two are presented here.