U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00454748 · Washington

Frost Dates for Long Beach, WA

NOAA weather station Long Beach Experiment Station (USC00454748), Washington · elevation 25 ft (8 m) · hardiness zone 9a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 28only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 650% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 2650% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season200 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone9acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Long Beach, WASpring: a frost after March 16 in 9 years out of 10, after April 6 in half of the years, after April 28 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 4 in 1 year out of 10, before October 26 in half of the years, before November 16 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 200 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 6First frost ~Oct 26Frost season at Long Beach, WASpring: a frost after March 16 in 9 years out of 10, after April 6 in half of the years, after April 28 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 4 in 1 year out of 10, before October 26 in half of the years, before November 16 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 200 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 6First frost ~Oct 26
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 26 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)April 28October 4
50% (typical)April 6October 26
90% (likely)March 16November 16
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
200 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 6
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 13

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 6 (same as the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 25 (1 day earlier). Frost-free season 198 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 Long Beach: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 28, 20% April 20, 30% April 16, 40% April 11, 50% April 6, 60% April 1, 70% March 28, 80% March 24, 90% March 16.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1Apr 28Apr 6Mar 16Fall at Long Beach: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 4, 20% October 13, 30% October 18, 40% October 22, 50% October 26, 60% October 30, 70% November 2, 80% November 8, 90% November 16.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 4Oct 26Nov 16
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.

What these dates mean

Setting out tender crops on the early spring date of March 16 in Long Beach is a gamble; there is a 90% chance that a light frost will occur later in the season.

The 50% light-frost dates are April 6 in spring and October 26 in fall, meaning there is an even chance of a frost later than April 6 or earlier than October 26. For hard frosts, the median dates are March 6 and November 13; these are the points at which a 28 °F event is as likely as not. The record spans 26 years, and the interval between the two 32 °F 50% dates is 200 days.

A cautious planting plan uses the April 28 date for starting tender crops and the October 4 date for finishing their harvest, each carrying only a 10% chance of a light frost. Hard frosts matter more because temperatures of 28 °F can cause more severe damage than 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 April 28" 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 4" 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 Long Beach, WANumbered nearest stations: 1 — Astoria, OR — 16 mi; 2 — Raymond, WA — 25 mi; 3 — near Hoquiam, WA — 42 mi; 4 — Aberdeen, WA — 43 mi; 5 — Clatskanie, OR — 44 mi.WAOR25 mi · 40 km1. Astoria, OR — 16 mi12. Raymond, WA — 25 mi23. near Hoquiam, WA — 42 mi34. Aberdeen, WA — 43 mi45. Clatskanie, OR — 44 mi5
  1. Astoria, OR 16 mi (26 km)
  2. Raymond, WA 25 mi (40 km)
  3. near Hoquiam, WA 42 mi (68 km)
  4. Aberdeen, WA 43 mi (68 km)
  5. Clatskanie, OR 44 mi (70 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: 46.3675, -124.0378.