Frost dates for Port Townsend, WA
At Port Townsend, the median last spring frost (32°F) is Mar 1 and the median first fall frost is Nov 28, for a typical growing season of 274 days. For a 90% chance that the last frost has passed, wait until Mar 23. Nearby ZIP codes are in USDA hardiness zones 8b to 9a.
- Mar 1Last spring frost (median)50% chance of 32°F after this date
- Mar 23Safer planting date10% chance of 32°F after this date
- Nov 28First fall frost (median)50% chance of 32°F by this date
- 274 daysGrowing season (median)between 32°F freezes
USDA hardiness zone 8b (15 to 20°F) · see all zone 8b frost dates
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 | Mar 10 | Mar 31 | Apr 26 |
| 32°F | Feb 3 | Mar 1 | Mar 23 |
| 28°F | Dec 14 | Feb 1 | Mar 3 |
| 24°F | Dec 1 | Jan 4 | Feb 20 |
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 | Oct 19 | Nov 9 | Nov 26 |
| 32°F | Nov 9 | Nov 28 | Dec 26 |
| 28°F | Nov 20 | Dec 19 | Feb 6 |
| 24°F | Nov 23 | Dec 24 | Feb 12 |
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 | 191 days | 221 days | 249 days |
| 32°F | 243 days | 274 days | 309 days |
| 28°F | 285 days | 324 days | 365 days |
| 24°F | 321 days | 365 days | 365 days |
Chance of a freeze in any year
| Temperature | Chance per year |
|---|---|
| 36°F | 100% |
| 32°F | 100% |
| 28°F | 88% |
| 24°F | 46% |
ZIP codes whose closest station is this one
| ZIP | Hardiness zone | Avg. extreme low | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 98358 | 9a | 20 to 25°F | 10 km |
| 98368 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 10 km |
| 98339 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 10 km |
| 98253 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 14 km |
| 98325 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 17 km |
| 98249 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 20 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 USC00456678, at 48.1161, -122.7586, elevation 30 m (100 ft).
- Data quality: Representative (10+ years), 16 years of freeze data.
- Average days per year at or below 32°F: 14.
- Frost risk changes over short distances. Valleys and low spots freeze earlier than hillsides and city centers.
Nearby weather stations
- Coupeville 1 S (11 km)
- Sequim 2 E (23 km)
- Whidbey Island NAS (27 km)
- Quilcene 2 SW (36 km)
- Everett Snohomish Airport (42 km)
- Everett (45 km)
- Anacortes (45 km)
- Mount Vernon 3 WNW (45 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.