U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USW00094239 · Washington

Frost Dates for Wenatchee (Pangborn Airport), WA

NOAA weather station Wenatchee Pangborn Airport (USW00094239), Washington · elevation 1229 ft (375 m) · hardiness zone 7a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 23only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 850% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 2450% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season200 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone7acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Wenatchee (Pangborn Airport), WASpring: a frost after March 20 in 9 years out of 10, after April 8 in half of the years, after April 23 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 12 in 1 year out of 10, before October 24 in half of the years, before November 5 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 200 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 8First frost ~Oct 24Frost season at Wenatchee (Pangborn Airport), WASpring: a frost after March 20 in 9 years out of 10, after April 8 in half of the years, after April 23 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 12 in 1 year out of 10, before October 24 in half of the years, before November 5 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 200 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 8First frost ~Oct 24
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.Today

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)April 23October 12
50% (typical)April 8October 24
90% (likely)March 20November 5
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
200 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 17
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 4

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 8 (same as the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 25 (1 day later). Frost-free season 200 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 Wenatchee (Pangborn Airport): chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 23, 20% April 17, 30% April 14, 40% April 10, 50% April 8, 60% April 4, 70% April 1, 80% March 28, 90% March 20. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 12, 2022 April 20, 2023 April 20, 2024 March 14, 2025 March 20, 2026 March 31.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1Apr 23Apr 8Mar 202021: April 122022: April 202023: April 202024: March 142025: March 202026: March 31Fall at Wenatchee (Pangborn Airport): chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 12, 20% October 16, 30% October 19, 40% October 22, 50% October 24, 60% October 26, 70% October 29, 80% November 1, 90% November 5. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 October 12, 2022 November 2, 2023 October 27, 2024 October 30, 2025 November 21.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 12Oct 24Nov 52021: October 122022: November 22023: October 272024: October 302025: November 21
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 12October 12
2022April 20November 2
2023April 20October 27
2024March 14October 30
2025March 20November 21
2026March 31season not over yet

What these dates mean

There are 200 days between the 32 °F 50% dates of April 8 and October 24, a period that holds the region’s main growing season for most garden crops. The 50% dates mark the midpoint of the 28-year record, indicating a 50 % chance of a light frost occurring later in spring or earlier in fall than those days.

For a cautious plan, tender crops should be set out after the April 23 spring date, which carries only a 10 % chance of a later frost, and should be finished by the October 12 fall date, which also has a 10 % chance of an earlier frost. The March 17 and November 4 hard-frost dates (28 °F) show when temperatures can drop low enough to cause more severe damage than 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 April 23" 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 12" 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 Wenatchee (Pangborn Airport), WANumbered nearest stations: 1 — Wenatchee, WA — 6 mi; 2 — near Entiat, WA — 22 mi; 3 — Chelan, WA — 32 mi; 4 — Ephrata, WA — 33 mi; 5 — Plain, WA — 34 mi.WA25 mi · 40 km1. Wenatchee, WA — 6 mi12. near Entiat, WA — 22 mi23. Chelan, WA — 32 mi34. Ephrata, WA — 33 mi45. Plain, WA — 34 mi5
  1. Wenatchee, WA 6 mi (9 km)
  2. near Entiat, WA 22 mi (35 km)
  3. Chelan, WA 32 mi (51 km)
  4. Ephrata, WA 33 mi (53 km)
  5. Plain, WA 34 mi (54 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 7a: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 47.3978, -120.2014.