U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00044555 · California

Frost Dates for King City, CA

NOAA weather station King City (USC00044555), California · elevation 320 ft (98 m) · hardiness zone 9a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter March 31only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostFebruary 2350% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostNovember 2250% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season271 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone9acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at King City, CASpring: a frost after January 19 in 9 years out of 10, after February 23 in half of the years, after March 31 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before November 1 in 1 year out of 10, before November 22 in half of the years, before December 11 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 271 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Feb 23First frost ~Nov 22Frost season at King City, CASpring: a frost after January 19 in 9 years out of 10, after February 23 in half of the years, after March 31 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before November 1 in 1 year out of 10, before November 22 in half of the years, before December 11 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 271 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Feb 23First frost ~Nov 22
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 28 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)March 31November 1
50% (typical)February 23November 22
90% (likely)January 19December 11
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
271 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
January 22
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
December 6

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost February 28 (5 days later than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 21 (1 day earlier). Frost-free season 264 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 King City: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% March 31, 20% March 16, 30% March 6, 40% February 28, 50% February 23, 60% February 17, 70% February 9, 80% February 1, 90% January 19. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 March 16, 2022 March 11, 2023 March 8, 2024 February 11, 2025 February 11, 2026 January 11.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Feb 1Mar 1Apr 1Mar 31Feb 23Jan 192021: March 162022: March 112023: March 82024: February 112025: February 112026: January 11Fall at King City: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% November 1, 20% November 8, 30% November 13, 40% November 18, 50% November 22, 60% November 25, 70% November 30, 80% December 3, 90% December 11. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 25, 2022 November 4, 2023 November 9, 2024 November 16, 2025 December 4.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Dec 1Nov 1Nov 22Dec 112021: November 252022: November 42023: November 92024: November 162025: December 4
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
2021March 16November 25
2022March 11November 4
2023March 8November 9
2024February 11November 16
2025February 11December 4
2026January 11season not over yet

What these dates mean

The 271 days between the 50% dates of February 23 and November 22 in King City frame the core growing window. The February 23 median marks a 50% chance of a light frost later, while the November 22 median marks a 50% chance of a light frost earlier.

For a cautious spring plan, the 10% chance date of March 31 is used to set out tender crops, and for a cautious fall plan, the 10% chance date of November 1 guides the final harvest of tender crops. A hard frost at 28 °F, with median dates of January 22 in spring and December 6 in fall, can injure plants that survive a light frost at 32 °F.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after March 31" 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 November 1" 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 King City, CANumbered nearest stations: 1 — Paso Robles (Airport), CA — 47 mi; 2 — Paso Robles, CA — 47 mi; 3 — Mount Hamilton, CA — 83 mi; 4 — near Corcoran, CA — 87 mi; 5 — Auberry, CA — 109 mi.CA50 mi · 80 km1. Paso Robles (Airport), CA — 47 mi12. Paso Robles, CA — 47 mi23. Mount Hamilton, CA — 83 mi34. near Corcoran, CA — 87 mi45. Auberry, CA — 109 mi5
  1. Paso Robles (Airport), CA 47 mi (75 km)
  2. Paso Robles, CA 47 mi (76 km)
  3. Mount Hamilton, CA 83 mi (134 km)
  4. near Corcoran, CA 87 mi (140 km)
  5. Auberry, CA 109 mi (175 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 9a: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 36.2069, -121.1378.