Frost dates for Taft, CA
At Taft, the median last spring frost (32°F) is Jan 24 and the median first fall frost is Dec 17, for a typical growing season of 330 days. For a 90% chance that the last frost has passed, wait until Mar 12. Nearby ZIP codes are in USDA hardiness zones 8b to 9b.
- Jan 24Last spring frost (median)50% chance of 32°F after this date
- Mar 12Safer planting date10% chance of 32°F after this date
- Dec 17First fall frost (median)50% chance of 32°F by this date
- 330 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 | Jan 22 | Feb 26 | Apr 8 |
| 32°F | Dec 25 | Jan 24 | Mar 12 |
| 28°F | Dec 13 | Jan 3 | Feb 13 |
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 | Nov 15 | Dec 3 | Dec 24 |
| 32°F | Dec 1 | Dec 17 | Jan 15 |
| 28°F | Dec 6 | Dec 27 | Jan 27 |
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 | 233 days | 277 days | 318 days |
| 32°F | 279 days | 330 days | 363 days |
| 28°F | 336 days | 365 days | 365 days |
| 24°F | 365 days | 365 days | 365 days |
Chance of a freeze in any year
| Temperature | Chance per year |
|---|---|
| 36°F | 100% |
| 32°F | 91% |
| 28°F | 44% |
| 24°F | 4% |
ZIP codes whose closest station is this one
| ZIP | Hardiness zone | Avg. extreme low | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 93268 | 9b | 25 to 30°F | 3 km |
| 93224 | 9b | 25 to 30°F | 21 km |
| 93311 | 9b | 25 to 30°F | 24 km |
| 93222 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 35 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 USC00048752, at 35.1503, -119.4300, elevation 236 m (773 ft).
- Data quality: Representative (10+ years), 17 years of freeze data.
- Average days per year at or below 32°F: 7.
- Frost risk changes over short distances. Valleys and low spots freeze earlier than hillsides and city centers.
Nearby weather stations
- Buttonwillow (28 km)
- New Cuyama Fire Station (32 km)
- Shafter 6e (45 km)
- Bakersfield 5 NW (46 km)
- Bakersfield Airport (46 km)
- Wasco (49 km)
- Delano (70 km)
- Gibraltar Dam #2 (74 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.