Frost dates for Clearwater, 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
April 29
typical year
Safe to plant
May 16
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
October 17
typical year
Growing season
171 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 | – | Apr 1 – 15 | – |
| Spinach | – | Mar 18 – Apr 8 | Aug 22 – Sep 5 |
| Lettuce | – | Apr 1 – 22 | Aug 22 – Sep 5 |
| Radishes | – | Apr 1 – May 13 | Sep 5 – 19 |
| Onions | – | Apr 1 – 15 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Apr 8 – 22 | – |
| Carrots | – | Apr 8 – 29 | Jul 25 – Aug 8 |
| Beets | – | Apr 1 – 15 | Aug 8 – 22 |
| Kale | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | Apr 1 – 15 | Aug 8 – 22 |
| Broccoli | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | Apr 15 – 29 | Aug 8 – 22 |
| Cabbage | Feb 4 – 18 | Apr 1 – 15 | Aug 8 – 22 |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 5 – 26 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Mar 21 – Apr 4 | May 16 – 30 | – |
| Peppers | Mar 14 – 28 | May 23 – Jun 6 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | May 16 – Jun 6 | – |
| Zucchini | – | May 16 – Jun 13 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | May 16 – Jun 6 | – |
| Green beans | – | May 16 – Aug 8 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | May 16 – Jun 13 | – |
| Basil | Apr 11 – 25 | May 23 – 30 | – |
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 | May 16 | April 29 | April 2 |
| Fall frost before | September 27 | October 17 | November 10 |
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 March 25 (April 25 in a late year), and the first one in fall around November 11.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station CLEARWATER, WA US (USC00451496), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 1 zip code, all within 13 miles:
98331
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.