U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00454769 · Washington

Frost Dates for Longview, WA

NOAA weather station Longview (USC00454769), Washington · elevation 12 ft (4 m) · hardiness zone 8b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 2only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 850% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostNovember 550% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season210 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone8bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Longview, WASpring: a frost after March 11 in 9 years out of 10, after April 8 in half of the years, after May 2 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 17 in 1 year out of 10, before November 5 in half of the years, before November 28 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 210 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 8First frost ~Nov 5Frost season at Longview, WASpring: a frost after March 11 in 9 years out of 10, after April 8 in half of the years, after May 2 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 17 in 1 year out of 10, before November 5 in half of the years, before November 28 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 210 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 8First frost ~Nov 5
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 25 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 2October 17
50% (typical)April 8November 5
90% (likely)March 11November 28
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
210 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 6
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 24

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 5 (3 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 6 (1 day later). Frost-free season 214 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 Longview: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 2, 20% April 26, 30% April 20, 40% April 14, 50% April 8, 60% April 2, 70% March 29, 80% March 21, 90% March 11. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 14, 2022 April 17, 2023 April 13, 2024 April 17, 2025 March 6, 2026 April 1.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Mar 1Apr 1May 1May 2Apr 8Mar 112021: April 142022: April 172023: April 132024: April 172025: March 62026: April 1Fall at Longview: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 17, 20% October 24, 30% October 29, 40% November 1, 50% November 5, 60% November 10, 70% November 15, 80% November 21, 90% November 28. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 October 31, 2022 November 9, 2023 October 28, 2024 November 30, 2025 October 15.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Dec 1Oct 17Nov 5Nov 282021: October 312022: November 92023: October 282024: November 302025: October 15
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 17November 9
2023April 13October 28
2024April 17November 30
2025March 6October 15
2026April 1season not over yet

What these dates mean

Setting out tender crops on the early spring date of March 11 carries a 90% chance of a frost later, so it is a gamble for Longview gardeners. The cautious alternative is the May 2 light-frost date, which has only a 10% chance that a frost will occur after that day.

The 50% light-frost date in spring is April 8, meaning the odds of a frost later than this date are equal. In fall the median light-frost date is November 5, indicating an even chance of a frost earlier than that day. For hard frost, the median dates are March 6 and November 24; a hard frost can damage plants more severely than a light frost because it reaches a lower temperature.

To finish harvesting tender crops with minimal risk, the cautious fall date is October 17, which carries only a 10% chance that a frost has arrived earlier than that day.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 2" 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 17" 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 Longview, WANumbered nearest stations: 1 — Clatskanie, OR — 14 mi; 2 — near Vernonia, OR — 24 mi; 3 — Battle Ground, WA — 32 mi; 4 — Cougar, WA — 35 mi; 5 — Vancouver, WA — 35 mi.WAOR25 mi · 40 km1. Clatskanie, OR — 14 mi12. near Vernonia, OR — 24 mi23. Battle Ground, WA — 32 mi34. Cougar, WA — 35 mi45. Vancouver, WA — 35 mi5
  1. Clatskanie, OR 14 mi (23 km)
  2. near Vernonia, OR 24 mi (38 km)
  3. Battle Ground, WA 32 mi (52 km)
  4. Cougar, WA 35 mi (56 km)
  5. Vancouver, WA 35 mi (56 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: 46.1506, -122.9164.