Frost dates for Merced, CA
At Merced, the median last spring frost (32°F) is Mar 3 and the median first fall frost is Nov 24, for a typical growing season of 263 days. For a 90% chance that the last frost has passed, wait until Apr 10. Nearby ZIP codes are in USDA hardiness zones 9a to 9b.
- Mar 3Last spring frost (median)50% chance of 32°F after this date
- Apr 10Safer planting date10% chance of 32°F after this date
- Nov 24First fall frost (median)50% chance of 32°F by this date
- 263 daysGrowing season (median)between 32°F freezes
Last spring frost dates
The chance that the temperature drops to the threshold after each date.
| Temperature | 90% chance later | 50% chance later | 10% chance later |
|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Mar 6 | Apr 7 | May 1 |
| 32°F | Feb 2 | Mar 3 | Apr 10 |
| 28°F | Dec 28 | Feb 2 | Mar 11 |
| 24°F | Dec 16 | Jan 9 | Feb 11 |
First fall frost dates
The chance that the temperature has dropped to the threshold by each date.
| Temperature | 10% chance by | 50% chance by | 90% chance by |
|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Oct 21 | Nov 8 | Nov 24 |
| 32°F | Nov 5 | Nov 24 | Dec 14 |
| 28°F | Nov 22 | Dec 11 | Jan 14 |
| 24°F | Dec 2 | Dec 24 | Jan 24 |
Growing season length
Days between the last spring and first fall freeze, as the length reached in 9, 5 and 1 out of 10 years.
| Temperature | 9 in 10 years at least | 5 in 10 years at least | 1 in 10 years at least |
|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | 185 days | 213 days | 250 days |
| 32°F | 226 days | 263 days | 303 days |
| 28°F | 271 days | 318 days | 356 days |
| 24°F | 324 days | 358 days | 365 days |
Chance of a freeze in any year
| Temperature | Chance per year |
|---|---|
| 36°F | 100% |
| 32°F | 100% |
| 28°F | 95% |
| 24°F | 57% |
ZIP codes whose closest station is this one
| ZIP | Hardiness zone | Avg. extreme low | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 95340 | 9a | 20 to 25°F | 11 km |
| 95301 | 9a | 20 to 25°F | 13 km |
| 95348 | 9b | 25 to 30°F | 15 km |
| 95388 | 9b | 25 to 30°F | 16 km |
| 95312 | 9b | 25 to 30°F | 19 km |
| 95369 | 9b | 25 to 30°F | 28 km |
| 95325 | 9b | 25 to 30°F | 32 km |
Not the official USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Zones shown here are the values published in the USDA-ARS / Oregon State University PRISM Group 2023 ZIP code tables, shown unaltered. For the official interactive map, visit planthardiness.ars.usda.gov.
About this station
- NOAA station ID USC00045532, at 37.2889, -120.5158, elevation 47 m (154 ft).
- Data quality: Representative (10+ years), 22 years of freeze data.
- Average days per year at or below 32°F: 24.
- Frost risk changes over short distances. Valleys and low spots freeze earlier than hillsides and city centers.
Nearby weather stations
- Merced Muni Airport (1 km)
- Merced 23 WSW (33 km)
- Turlock #2 (38 km)
- Los Banos (40 km)
- Newman (44 km)
- Madera Muni Airport (49 km)
- Los Banos Det Resv (50 km)
- Modesto City Co Airport (54 km)
Sources
- NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, annual/seasonal normals by station (version 1.0.1), file dated June 27, 2023; documentation.
- USDA Agricultural Research Service and PRISM Group, Oregon State University, 2023 Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP code tables (CONUS, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico), files dated November 17, 2023. Data © PRISM Group, Oregon State University, https://prism.oregonstate.edu, accessed November 1, 2026. Official map: planthardiness.ars.usda.gov.
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer ZIP Code Tabulation Areas file, dated August 30, 2024 (ZIP centroids used to find the nearest station).
Freeze dates are 30-year probabilities, not forecasts. Check your local forecast before planting tender plants.