U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00452914 · Washington

Frost Dates for Forks, WA

NOAA weather station Forks 1 E (USC00452914), Washington · elevation 350 ft (107 m) · hardiness zone 8b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 10only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 2650% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 2550% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season182 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone8bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Forks, WASpring: a frost after April 5 in 9 years out of 10, after April 26 in half of the years, after May 10 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 6 in 1 year out of 10, before October 25 in half of the years, before November 15 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 182 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 26First frost ~Oct 25Frost season at Forks, WASpring: a frost after April 5 in 9 years out of 10, after April 26 in half of the years, after May 10 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 6 in 1 year out of 10, before October 25 in half of the years, before November 15 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 182 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 26First frost ~Oct 25
frost likely chance fading 90% → 10% frost-free in a typical yearThe year at a glance. Blue: frost is likely; the gradient fades as the chance drops from 90% to 10%; green: the frost-free part of a typical year.

Frost dates (32°F)

Probability of frost, based on 27 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 10October 6
50% (typical)April 26October 25
90% (likely)April 5November 15
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
182 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 27
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 15

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 27 (1 day later than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 24 (1 day earlier). Frost-free season 181 days.

A shorter, more recent NOAA period. The 30-year normals above remain the main reference: 15 years carry more year-to-year noise.

Add these dates to your calendar Yearly reminders for the typical last frost, the lower-risk planting date and the typical first fall frost (.ics).

How the chance of frost changes with the date

Spring at Forks: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 10, 20% May 5, 30% May 1, 40% April 29, 50% April 26, 60% April 22, 70% April 18, 80% April 13, 90% April 5. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 14, 2022 April 28, 2023 April 20, 2024 May 2, 2025 April 23, 2026 April 16.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 10Apr 26Apr 52021: April 142022: April 282023: April 202024: May 22025: April 232026: April 16Fall at Forks: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 6, 20% October 12, 30% October 17, 40% October 21, 50% October 25, 60% October 29, 70% November 1, 80% November 7, 90% November 15. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 October 31, 2022 October 23, 2023 October 25, 2024 November 19, 2025 October 14.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 6Oct 25Nov 152021: October 312022: October 232023: October 252024: November 192025: October 14
Two charts, because spring and fall answer different questions: in spring, the chance that a frost still comes after a date; in fall, the chance that the first frost has already come before it. NOAA publishes these odds from 10% to 90%, so the lines stop there. ◆ marks the actual date in each recent year.

What actually happened in recent years

Observed dates of the last spring and first fall frost (32°F) at this station; ◆ marks them on the charts above
YearLast spring frostFirst fall frost
2021April 14October 31
2022April 28October 23
2023April 20October 25
2024May 2November 19
2025April 23October 14
2026April 16season not over yet

What these dates mean

Planting tender crops on the early spring date of April 5 in Forks carries a 90 % chance of a frost later, making it a gamble for growers. The later spring date of May 10 is the cautious choice, with only a 10 % chance of frost after that day.

The 50 % dates are the points at which frost is equally likely either side of the date; the median light-frost date in spring is April 26 and the median in fall is October 25. Using the cautious dates, tender crops can be set out after May 10 in spring and should be finished by October 6 in the fall, each with only a 10 % risk of frost before or after either date.

Hard frost at 28 °F is more damaging than a light frost at 32 °F because the lower temperature can kill plant tissue that survives the milder freeze.

How to read the probabilities

The dates are probabilities from 30 years of weather, not a forecast for this year.

  • Spring: "10% after May 10" means that in about one spring out of ten a frost still happens after that date. The 90% date is the earliest: a frost after it happens in most years.
  • Fall: "10% before October 6" means that in about one fall out of ten the first frost arrives before that date.
  • 50% is the typical date: half of the years are earlier, half are later.
  • A light frost (32°F) damages tender plants; a hard frost (28°F) also stops most hardy vegetables.

Nearby weather stations

Map of weather stations near Forks, WANumbered nearest stations: 1 — Quillayute State Airport, WA — 9 mi; 2 — Humptulips Salmon Hatchery, WA — 53 mi; 3 — Sequim, WA — 60 mi; 4 — Cushman Powerhouse #2, WA — 69 mi; 5 — near Hoquiam, WA — 71 mi.25 mi · 40 km1. Quillayute State Airport, WA — 9 mi12. Humptulips Salmon Hatchery, WA — 53 mi23. Sequim, WA — 60 mi34. Cushman Powerhouse #2, WA — 69 mi45. near Hoquiam, WA — 71 mi5
  1. Quillayute State Airport, WA 9 mi (15 km)
  2. Humptulips Salmon Hatchery, WA 53 mi (85 km)
  3. Sequim, WA 60 mi (97 km)
  4. Cushman Powerhouse #2, WA 69 mi (111 km)
  5. near Hoquiam, WA 71 mi (114 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 8b: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 47.9558, -124.3539.