Frost dates for Upper Baker Dam, 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 24
typical year
Safe to plant
May 9
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
October 29
typical year
Growing season
190 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 27 – Apr 10 | – |
| Spinach | – | Mar 13 – Apr 3 | Sep 3 – 17 |
| Lettuce | – | Mar 27 – Apr 17 | Sep 3 – 17 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 27 – May 8 | Sep 17 – Oct 1 |
| Onions | – | Mar 27 – Apr 10 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Apr 3 – 17 | – |
| Carrots | – | Apr 3 – 24 | Aug 6 – 20 |
| Beets | – | Mar 27 – Apr 10 | Aug 20 – Sep 3 |
| Kale | Feb 13 – 27 | Mar 27 – Apr 10 | Aug 20 – Sep 3 |
| Broccoli | Feb 13 – 27 | Apr 10 – 24 | Aug 20 – Sep 3 |
| Cabbage | Jan 30 – Feb 13 | Mar 27 – Apr 10 | Aug 20 – Sep 3 |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 17 – Oct 8 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Mar 14 – 28 | May 9 – 23 | – |
| Peppers | Mar 7 – 21 | May 16 – 30 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | May 9 – 30 | – |
| Zucchini | – | May 9 – Jun 6 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | May 9 – 30 | – |
| Green beans | – | May 9 – Aug 20 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | May 9 – Jun 6 | – |
| Basil | Apr 4 – 18 | May 16 – 23 | – |
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 9 | April 24 | April 4 |
| Fall frost before | October 12 | October 29 | November 17 |
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 28 (April 17 in a late year), and the first one in fall around November 17.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station UPPER BAKER DAM, WA US (USC00458715), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 1 zip code, all within 13 miles:
98244
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.