U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00048758 · California

Frost Dates for Tahoe City, CA

NOAA weather station Tahoe City (USC00048758), California · elevation 6230 ft (1899 m) · hardiness zone 7a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter June 25only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostJune 950% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostSeptember 2550% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season108 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone7acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Tahoe City, CASpring: a frost after May 26 in 9 years out of 10, after June 9 in half of the years, after June 25 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 9 in 1 year out of 10, before September 25 in half of the years, before October 10 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 108 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Jun 9First frost ~Sep 25Frost season at Tahoe City, CASpring: a frost after May 26 in 9 years out of 10, after June 9 in half of the years, after June 25 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 9 in 1 year out of 10, before September 25 in half of the years, before October 10 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 108 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Jun 9First frost ~Sep 25
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 28 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)June 25September 9
50% (typical)June 9September 25
90% (likely)May 26October 10
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
108 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
May 24
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 12

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost June 7 (2 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost September 26 (1 day later). Frost-free season 112 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 Tahoe City: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% June 25, 20% June 19, 30% June 15, 40% June 12, 50% June 9, 60% June 6, 70% June 3, 80% May 31, 90% May 26. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 June 10, 2022 June 19, 2023 June 21, 2024 June 18, 2025 June 27, 2026 May 30.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Jun 1Jul 1Jun 25Jun 9May 262021: June 102022: June 192023: June 212024: June 182025: June 272026: May 30Fall at Tahoe City: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% September 9, 20% September 14, 30% September 19, 40% September 22, 50% September 25, 60% September 28, 70% October 1, 80% October 5, 90% October 10. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 September 29, 2022 September 22, 2023 September 22, 2024 August 25, 2025 October 3.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Sep 1Oct 1Sep 9Sep 25Oct 102021: September 292022: September 222023: September 222024: August 252025: October 3
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
2021June 10September 29
2022June 19September 22
2023June 21September 22
2024June 18August 25
2025June 27October 3
2026May 30season not over yet

What these dates mean

Setting out tender crops on the early spring date of May 26 in Tahoe City carries a 90% chance of a frost later that day, making it a gamble for growers. The cautious spring date of June 25 has only a 10% chance of a frost later, offering the lower-risk option for planting.

The 50% light-frost date of June 9 means there is an even chance that a frost will occur later that season, while the 50% light-frost date of September 25 signals an equal chance of a frost having occurred earlier in the fall. For a cautious plan, tender crops should be set out on June 25 in spring and should be finished by September 9 in fall, the latter having only a 10% chance that a frost has arrived earlier.

Hard frost at 28 °F, represented by the 50% dates of May 24 and October 12, can injure plants that survive a light frost at 32 °F, so it represents a greater threat.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after June 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 September 9" 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 Tahoe City, CANumbered nearest stations: 1 — Minden, NV — 25 mi; 2 — Virginia City, NV — 28 mi; 3 — near Reno, NV — 30 mi; 4 — Sparks, NV — 35 mi; 5 — Nevada City, CA — 46 mi.CA25 mi · 40 km1. Minden, NV — 25 mi12. Virginia City, NV — 28 mi23. near Reno, NV — 30 mi34. Sparks, NV — 35 mi45. Nevada City, CA — 46 mi5
  1. Minden, NV 25 mi (40 km)
  2. Virginia City, NV 28 mi (46 km)
  3. near Reno, NV 30 mi (48 km)
  4. Sparks, NV 35 mi (56 km)
  5. Nevada City, CA 46 mi (74 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: 39.1678, -120.1428.