Frost dates for Tacoma Narrows Airport, WA
At Tacoma Narrows Airport, the median last spring frost (32°F) is Mar 11 and the median first fall frost is Nov 21, for a typical growing season of 254 days. For a 90% chance that the last frost has passed, wait until Apr 2. Nearby ZIP codes are in USDA hardiness zones 8b to 9a.
- Mar 11Last spring frost (median)50% chance of 32°F after this date
- Apr 2Safer planting date10% chance of 32°F after this date
- Nov 21First fall frost (median)50% chance of 32°F by this date
- 254 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 | Mar 26 | Apr 11 | May 2 |
| 32°F | Feb 15 | Mar 11 | Apr 2 |
| 28°F | Jan 1 | Feb 13 | Mar 8 |
| 24°F | Dec 2 | Jan 11 | Feb 19 |
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 21 | Nov 4 | Nov 19 |
| 32°F | Nov 3 | Nov 21 | Dec 10 |
| 28°F | Nov 18 | Dec 11 | Jan 19 |
| 24°F | Nov 26 | Dec 19 | Feb 5 |
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 | 181 days | 204 days | 228 days |
| 32°F | 226 days | 254 days | 286 days |
| 28°F | 273 days | 307 days | 350 days |
| 24°F | 313 days | 354 days | 365 days |
Chance of a freeze in any year
| Temperature | Chance per year |
|---|---|
| 36°F | 100% |
| 32°F | 100% |
| 28°F | 97% |
| 24°F | 62% |
ZIP codes whose closest station is this one
| ZIP | Hardiness zone | Avg. extreme low | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 98465 | 9a | 20 to 25°F | 3 km |
| 98406 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 5 km |
| 98335 | 9a | 20 to 25°F | 5 km |
| 98466 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 5 km |
| 98407 | 9a | 20 to 25°F | 5 km |
| 98333 | 9a | 20 to 25°F | 5 km |
| 98467 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 7 km |
| 98388 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 10 km |
| 98332 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 12 km |
| 98498 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 12 km |
| 98349 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 14 km |
| 98303 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 15 km |
| 98329 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 16 km |
| 98351 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 17 km |
| 98430 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 17 km |
| 98394 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 17 km |
| 98327 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 19 km |
| 98433 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 20 km |
| 98524 | 8b | 15 to 20°F | 22 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 USW00094274, at 47.2675, -122.5761, elevation 89 m (292 ft).
- Data quality: Representative (10+ years), 21 years of freeze data.
- Average days per year at or below 32°F: 21.
- Frost risk changes over short distances. Valleys and low spots freeze earlier than hillsides and city centers.
Nearby weather stations
- Tacoma #1 (13 km)
- Seattle Tacoma Intl Airport (28 km)
- McMillin Rsvr (28 km)
- Kent (30 km)
- Bremerton (34 km)
- Seattle Boeing Field (36 km)
- Renton Muni Airport (37 km)
- Olympia Airport (41 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.