U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USW00094240 · Washington

Frost Dates for Quillayute State Airport, WA

NOAA weather station Quillayute State Airport (USW00094240), Washington · elevation 185 ft (56 m) · hardiness zone 9a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 10only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 2050% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 2650% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season190 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone9acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Quillayute State Airport, WASpring: a frost after March 29 in 9 years out of 10, after April 20 in half of the years, after May 10 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 2 in 1 year out of 10, before October 26 in half of the years, before November 19 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 190 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 20First frost ~Oct 26Frost season at Quillayute State Airport, WASpring: a frost after March 29 in 9 years out of 10, after April 20 in half of the years, after May 10 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 2 in 1 year out of 10, before October 26 in half of the years, before November 19 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 190 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 20First 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 29 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 10October 2
50% (typical)April 20October 26
90% (likely)March 29November 19
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
190 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 17
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 15

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 23 (3 days later than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 23 (3 days earlier). Frost-free season 186 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 Quillayute State Airport: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 10, 20% May 3, 30% April 29, 40% April 25, 50% April 20, 60% April 15, 70% April 10, 80% April 4, 90% March 29. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 14, 2022 April 16, 2023 April 14, 2024 March 7, 2025 April 17, 2026 April 16.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Mar 1Apr 1May 1May 10Apr 20Mar 292021: April 142022: April 162023: April 142024: March 72025: April 172026: April 16Fall at Quillayute State Airport: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 2, 20% October 9, 30% October 14, 40% October 20, 50% October 26, 60% October 31, 70% November 4, 80% November 10, 90% November 19. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 17, 2022 October 23, 2023 October 27, 2024 November 15, 2025 October 15.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Dec 1Oct 2Oct 26Nov 192021: November 172022: October 232023: October 272024: November 152025: 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 14November 17
2022April 16October 23
2023April 14October 27
2024March 7November 15
2025April 17October 15
2026April 16season not over yet

What these dates mean

At Quillayute State Airport the cautious spring date is May 10, when there is only a 10 % chance of a light frost later. This lets a gardener schedule the planting of tender crops after that day with a low risk of frost damage.

The 50 % dates, April 20 in spring and October 26 in fall, represent the median point where a light frost is equally likely to have occurred or not. The hard-frost median dates are March 17 and November 15; a hard frost can injure plants more severely than a light frost because it reaches a lower temperature.

The cautious fall date is October 2, carrying a 10 % chance of a light frost earlier, and therefore marks a low-risk deadline for finishing the harvest of tender crops. By contrast, March 29 and November 19 carry a 90 % chance of frost and are considered gamble dates.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 10" 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 2" 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 Quillayute State Airport, WANumbered nearest stations: 1 — Forks, WA — 9 mi; 2 — Humptulips Salmon Hatchery, WA — 55 mi; 3 — Sequim, WA — 70 mi; 4 — near Hoquiam, WA — 73 mi; 5 — Aberdeen, WA — 75 mi.WA25 mi · 40 km1. Forks, WA — 9 mi12. Humptulips Salmon Hatchery, WA — 55 mi23. Sequim, WA — 70 mi34. near Hoquiam, WA — 73 mi45. Aberdeen, WA — 75 mi5
  1. Forks, WA 9 mi (15 km)
  2. Humptulips Salmon Hatchery, WA 55 mi (89 km)
  3. Sequim, WA 70 mi (112 km)
  4. near Hoquiam, WA 73 mi (117 km)
  5. Aberdeen, WA 75 mi (121 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: 47.9375, -124.555.