Favas are frost tolerant, and don't like high temperatures. In the south, they are a winter crop.

While frost tolerant they can't cope with very deep freezes and mine often fall prey to winter rots. What are your winter lows? Although I do sow in October to overwinter I also sow again in March for a May/June crop.

Last several winters we had snow for 2-3 days, and frost 10F ( -12C). I don't think that favabeans could survive that, but I don't have this experience with them. This winter was warmer, some peas (and cabbage) have survived and are blooming right now. I've got favabean seeds too late to plant them for the spring/summer crop, although I've planted a few just in case spring and june will cool enough.

Yes, I think they can only handle 20F or so. For us, that's a VERY hard freeze. Right now might be a good time for you to plant.

I think your winters are too cold for favas Augusta, especially with no snow. My winters might go to -10c one or two days every few years. Usually they don't go much below -1 or 2c. This year we had no more than two or three nights at freezing. I didn't sow autumn down favas last year but my neighbouring allotmenteers have them in flower now. I sowed another row today.