U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USW00094225 · Washington

Frost Dates near Hoquiam, WA

NOAA weather station Hoquiam Bowerman Airport (USW00094225), Washington · elevation 12 ft (4 m) · hardiness zone 9a*

Hoquiam is the nearest town to the station (2.0 mi away) in GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). The dates below are measured at the station, not in the town itself.

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 25only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMarch 3050% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostNovember 1450% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season228 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone9acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season near Hoquiam, WASpring: a frost after February 28 in 9 years out of 10, after March 30 in half of the years, after April 25 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 22 in 1 year out of 10, before November 14 in half of the years, before December 9 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 228 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Mar 30First frost ~Nov 14Frost season near Hoquiam, WASpring: a frost after February 28 in 9 years out of 10, after March 30 in half of the years, after April 25 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 22 in 1 year out of 10, before November 14 in half of the years, before December 9 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 228 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Mar 30First frost ~Nov 14
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)April 25October 22
50% (typical)March 30November 14
90% (likely)February 28December 9
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
228 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
February 21
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
December 8

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost March 29 (1 day earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 14. Frost-free season 229 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 near Hoquiam: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 25, 20% April 16, 30% April 9, 40% April 4, 50% March 30, 60% March 24, 70% March 18, 80% March 11, 90% February 28. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 11, 2022 March 10, 2023 April 3, 2024 April 17, 2025 March 18, 2026 April 16.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Mar 1Apr 1May 1Apr 25Mar 30Feb 282021: April 112022: March 102023: April 32024: April 172025: March 182026: April 16Fall near Hoquiam: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 22, 20% October 29, 30% November 3, 40% November 9, 50% November 14, 60% November 19, 70% November 25, 80% December 1, 90% December 9. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 December 5, 2022 November 9, 2023 October 27, 2024 November 15, 2025 December 31.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Dec 1Jan 1Oct 22Nov 14Dec 92021: December 52022: November 92023: October 272024: November 152025: December 31
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 11December 5
2022March 10November 9
2023April 3October 27
2024April 17November 15
2025March 18December 31
2026April 16season not over yet

What these dates mean

The 228 days between the 32°F 50% dates in the Hoquiam area provide the period during which most tender crops can be cultivated.

For gardeners at this station the median spring light-frost date is March 30, meaning there is a 50 % chance of a frost later than that day; the median fall light-frost date is November 14, meaning there is a 50 % chance of a frost earlier than that day. These two dates mark the midpoint of the frost risk in spring and fall over the 27-year record.

A cautious planting plan uses the April 25 date in spring, which carries only a 10 % chance of a later frost, and the October 22 date in fall, which carries only a 10 % chance of an earlier frost. Hard frost at 28 °F is more damaging than a light frost at 32 °F because it can kill or severely injure plants that might survive the milder temperature.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after April 25" 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 22" 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 Hoquiam, WANumbered nearest stations: 1 — Aberdeen, WA — 5 mi; 2 — Humptulips Salmon Hatchery, WA — 18 mi; 3 — Raymond, WA — 24 mi; 4 — Elma, WA — 25 mi; 5 — Long Beach, WA — 42 mi.WAOR25 mi · 40 km1. Aberdeen, WA — 5 mi12. Humptulips Salmon Hatchery, WA — 18 mi23. Raymond, WA — 24 mi34. Elma, WA — 25 mi45. Long Beach, WA — 42 mi5
  1. Aberdeen, WA 5 mi (8 km)
  2. Humptulips Salmon Hatchery, WA 18 mi (29 km)
  3. Raymond, WA 24 mi (39 km)
  4. Elma, WA 25 mi (40 km)
  5. Long Beach, WA 42 mi (68 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: 46.9728, -123.9303.