Frost dates for Elwha Rs, 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 9
typical year
Safe to plant
April 29
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
November 3
typical year
Growing season
209 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 | – | Mar 12 – 26 | – |
| Spinach | – | Feb 26 – Mar 19 | Sep 8 – 22 |
| Lettuce | – | Mar 12 – Apr 2 | Sep 8 – 22 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 12 – Apr 23 | Sep 22 – Oct 6 |
| Onions | – | Mar 12 – 26 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Mar 19 – Apr 2 | – |
| Carrots | – | Mar 19 – Apr 9 | Aug 11 – 25 |
| Beets | – | Mar 12 – 26 | Aug 25 – Sep 8 |
| Kale | Jan 29 – Feb 12 | Mar 12 – 26 | Aug 25 – Sep 8 |
| Broccoli | Jan 29 – Feb 12 | Mar 26 – Apr 9 | Aug 25 – Sep 8 |
| Cabbage | Jan 15 – 29 | Mar 12 – 26 | Aug 25 – Sep 8 |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 22 – Oct 13 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Mar 4 – 18 | Apr 29 – May 13 | – |
| Peppers | Feb 25 – Mar 11 | May 6 – 20 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Apr 29 – May 20 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Apr 29 – May 27 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Apr 29 – May 20 | – |
| Green beans | – | Apr 29 – Aug 25 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 29 – May 27 | – |
| Basil | Mar 25 – Apr 8 | May 6 – 13 | – |
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 | April 29 | April 9 | March 19 |
| Fall frost before | October 19 | November 3 | November 23 |
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 4 (March 30 in a late year), and the first one in fall around November 24.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station ELWHA RS, WA US (USC00452548), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 1 zip code, all within 11 miles:
98363
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.