Frost dates for Watsonville Muni Airport, CA
At Watsonville Muni Airport, the median last spring frost (32°F) is Jan 31 and the median first fall frost is Dec 9, for a typical growing season of 317 days. For a 90% chance that the last frost has passed, wait until Mar 9. Nearby ZIP codes are in USDA hardiness zone 9b.
- Jan 31Last spring frost (median)50% chance of 32°F after this date
- Mar 9Safer planting date10% chance of 32°F after this date
- Dec 9First fall frost (median)50% chance of 32°F by this date
- 317 daysGrowing season (median)between 32°F freezes
Last spring frost dates
The chance that the temperature drops to the threshold after each date.
| Temperature | 90% chance later | 50% chance later | 10% chance later |
|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Feb 13 | Mar 17 | Apr 18 |
| 32°F | Dec 28 | Jan 31 | Mar 9 |
| 28°F | Dec 11 | Jan 3 | Jan 31 |
| 24°F | Dec 9 | Dec 31 | Jan 21 |
First fall frost dates
The chance that the temperature has dropped to the threshold by each date.
| Temperature | 10% chance by | 50% chance by | 90% chance by |
|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Nov 4 | Nov 22 | Dec 10 |
| 32°F | Nov 20 | Dec 9 | Jan 12 |
| 28°F | Dec 3 | Dec 25 | Jan 20 |
| 24°F | Dec 9 | Dec 30 | Jan 20 |
Growing season length
Days between the last spring and first fall freeze, as the length reached in 9, 5 and 1 out of 10 years.
| Temperature | 9 in 10 years at least | 5 in 10 years at least | 1 in 10 years at least |
|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | 211 days | 246 days | 289 days |
| 32°F | 273 days | 317 days | 354 days |
| 28°F | 335 days | 364 days | 365 days |
| 24°F | 364 days | 365 days | 365 days |
Chance of a freeze in any year
| Temperature | Chance per year |
|---|---|
| 36°F | 100% |
| 32°F | 95% |
| 28°F | 51% |
| 24°F | 11% |
ZIP codes whose closest station is this one
| ZIP | Hardiness zone | Avg. extreme low | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 95019 | 9b | 25 to 30°F | 0 km |
Not the official USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Zones shown here are the values published in the USDA-ARS / Oregon State University PRISM Group 2023 ZIP code tables, shown unaltered. For the official interactive map, visit planthardiness.ars.usda.gov.
About this station
- NOAA station ID USW00023277, at 36.9358, -121.7886, elevation 49 m (160 ft).
- Data quality: Representative (10+ years), 17 years of freeze data.
- Average days per year at or below 32°F: 7.
- Frost risk changes over short distances. Valleys and low spots freeze earlier than hillsides and city centers.
Nearby weather stations
- Watsonville Wtr Wks (2 km)
- Santa Cruz (20 km)
- Gilroy (22 km)
- Ben Lomond #4 (31 km)
- Salinas #2 (33 km)
- Hollister 2 (34 km)
- Salinas Municipal Airport (34 km)
- Los Gatos (36 km)
Sources
- NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, annual/seasonal normals by station (version 1.0.1), file dated June 27, 2023; documentation.
- USDA Agricultural Research Service and PRISM Group, Oregon State University, 2023 Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP code tables (CONUS, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico), files dated November 17, 2023. Data © PRISM Group, Oregon State University, https://prism.oregonstate.edu, accessed November 1, 2026. Official map: planthardiness.ars.usda.gov.
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer ZIP Code Tabulation Areas file, dated August 30, 2024 (ZIP centroids used to find the nearest station).
Freeze dates are 30-year probabilities, not forecasts. Check your local forecast before planting tender plants.