Frost dates for Tacoma #1, WA
At Tacoma #1, the median last spring frost (32°F) is Mar 8 and the median first fall frost is Nov 14, for a typical growing season of 250 days. For a 90% chance that the last frost has passed, wait until Mar 31. Nearby ZIP codes are in USDA hardiness zones 8b to 9a.
- Mar 8Last spring frost (median)50% chance of 32°F after this date
- Mar 31Safer planting date10% chance of 32°F after this date
- Nov 14First fall frost (median)50% chance of 32°F by this date
- 250 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 13 | Apr 2 | Apr 24 |
| 32°F | Feb 15 | Mar 8 | Mar 31 |
| 28°F | Dec 29 | Feb 11 | Mar 4 |
| 24°F | Dec 2 | Jan 7 | Feb 18 |
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 16 | Oct 31 | Nov 15 |
| 32°F | Oct 30 | Nov 14 | Dec 2 |
| 28°F | Nov 8 | Dec 1 | Jan 1 |
| 24°F | Nov 20 | Dec 17 | Feb 2 |
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 | 209 days | 233 days |
| 32°F | 223 days | 250 days | 283 days |
| 28°F | 264 days | 301 days | 338 days |
| 24°F | 307 days | 343 days | 365 days |
Chance of a freeze in any year
| Temperature | Chance per year |
|---|---|
| 36°F | 100% |
| 32°F | 100% |
| 28°F | 98% |
| 24°F | 72% |
ZIP codes whose closest station is this one
| ZIP | Hardiness zone | Avg. extreme low | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 98421 | 9a | 20 to 25°F | 2 km |
| 98402 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 3 km |
| 98418 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 4 km |
| 98403 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 4 km |
| 98404 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 4 km |
| 98405 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 5 km |
| 98424 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 5 km |
| 98422 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 5 km |
| 98443 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 6 km |
| 98409 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 6 km |
| 98408 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 6 km |
| 98354 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 7 km |
| 98023 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 8 km |
| 98003 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 10 km |
| 98444 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 11 km |
| 98499 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 11 km |
| 98047 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 13 km |
| 98438 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 14 km |
| 98439 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 15 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 USC00458278, at 47.2472, -122.4122, elevation 8 m (25 ft).
- Data quality: Standard (24+ years of data), 26 years of freeze data.
- Average days per year at or below 32°F: 27.
- Frost risk changes over short distances. Valleys and low spots freeze earlier than hillsides and city centers.
Nearby weather stations
- Tacoma Narrows Airport (13 km)
- McMillin Rsvr (17 km)
- Kent (23 km)
- Seattle Tacoma Intl Airport (23 km)
- Renton Muni Airport (31 km)
- Buckley 1 NE (32 km)
- Seattle Boeing Field (33 km)
- Landsburg (37 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.