Frost dates for Burien, WA
When the last spring frost and first fall frost usually come, and when to plant, from 30 years of NOAA weather records.
Last spring frost
March 2
typical year
Safe to plant
March 23
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
November 23
typical year
Growing season
266 days
frost-free, typical year
Frost watch this week
Tonight's and the next six nights' lows from the National Weather Service forecast for the station's location. Frost: 32°F or colder. Possible frost: 33–36°F, mostly in low spots on clear, still nights.
When to plant
Counted from this page's frost dates. Warm-season crops wait for the safe-to-plant date.
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant outside | Fall planting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cool-season crops | |||
| Peas | – | Feb 2 – 16 | – |
| Spinach | – | Jan 19 – Feb 9 | Sep 28 – Oct 12 |
| Lettuce | – | Feb 2 – 23 | Sep 28 – Oct 12 |
| Radishes | – | Feb 2 – Mar 16 | Oct 12 – 26 |
| Onions | – | Feb 2 – 16 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Feb 9 – 23 | – |
| Carrots | – | Feb 9 – Mar 2 | Aug 31 – Sep 14 |
| Beets | – | Feb 2 – 16 | Sep 14 – 28 |
| Kale | Dec 22 – Jan 5 | Feb 2 – 16 | Sep 14 – 28 |
| Broccoli | Dec 22 – Jan 5 | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Sep 14 – 28 |
| Cabbage | Dec 8 – 22 | Feb 2 – 16 | Sep 14 – 28 |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 12 – Nov 2 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Jan 26 – Feb 9 | Mar 23 – Apr 6 | – |
| Peppers | Jan 19 – Feb 2 | Mar 30 – Apr 13 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Mar 23 – Apr 13 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Mar 23 – Apr 20 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Mar 23 – Apr 13 | – |
| Green beans | – | Mar 23 – Sep 14 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Mar 23 – Apr 20 | – |
| Basil | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Mar 30 – Apr 6 | – |
Onions: from sets. Green beans: until 10 weeks before the first fall frost. Garlic: harvest next summer.
The year at a glance
Start indoors Plant outside Fall planting
The chance of frost, by date
| 1 year in 10 | Half of years | 9 years in 10 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring frost after | March 23 | March 2 | February 5 |
| Fall frost before | November 6 | November 23 | December 15 |
Frost here means 32°F or colder. Read across: in 1 year in 10, spring frost carries on past the first date, which is why that date is the safe-to-plant date.
Hard freeze (28°F)
A hard freeze kills most garden plants, even hardy ones. The last one in spring usually comes around February 4 (February 28 in a late year), and the first one in fall around December 10.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 5 towns.
Burien, SeaTac, Des Moines, Tukwila, Normandy Park
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station SEATTLE TACOMA INTL AP, WA US (USW00024233), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 6 zip codes, all within 8 miles:
98070, 98148, 98158, 98166, 98188, 98198
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.