USDA Hardiness Zone 9a
Frost Dates for 85750 — Tucson, Arizona
NOAA 1991–2020 normals from Tucson Camp Ave Exp, AZ (2,330 ft), 6 miles west.
Updated
In Tucson, the last spring frost (32°F) is around February 20 in half of years and has passed by March 11 in nine years out of ten. The first fall frost comes around November 27, as early as November 10 one year in ten, leaving a typical freeze-free season of 280 days (NOAA, Tucson Camp Ave Exp, AZ).
- Last spring frost
- February 20
- First fall frost
- November 27
- Growing season
- 280 days
- Hardiness zone
- 9a
50% probability
50% probability
freeze-free, 50%
20 to 25°F (-6.7 to -3.9°C) coldest night
- First snow
- Rare
- Last snow
- Rare
- Winters with snow
- 0%
- Snow per year
- 0"
median, 1991–2020
median, 1991–2020
0 of 20 observed
NOAA normal
Frost risk by date in Tucson
Half of springs at Tucson Camp Ave Exp, AZ see their last 32°F night by February 20; only one in ten is past it by January 30, and one in ten still has one after March 11. Planting tender crops after March 1 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after March 5 20%, and after March 11 10%. The 19 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is narrower than at 61% of the 98 Arizona stations behind this site's ZIP pages.
In fall the first 32°F night comes by November 27 in half of years, as early as November 10 one year in ten, and holds off past December 12 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 13 days later, around December 10; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is February 24, 15 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 280 days in a typical year, longer than at 65% of the 98 Arizona stations; it reaches 308 days one year in ten and falls short of 253 one year in ten. On average 26 nights a year drop to 32°F or below. Nights of 36°F, when frost can still settle on leaves in low, open spots, continue 20 days longer, to about March 12, and return around November 16. Nights of 24°F, cold enough to damage hardier plants, come in 63% of winters and 16°F in 0%.
| Low | 90% | 80% | 70% | 60% | 50% | 40% | 30% | 20% | 10% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Feb 19 | Feb 28 | Mar 4 | Mar 8 | Mar 12 | Mar 16 | Mar 21 | Mar 28 | Apr 5 |
| 32°F | Jan 30 | Feb 6 | Feb 11 | Feb 16 | Feb 20 | Feb 25 | Mar 1 | Mar 5 | Mar 11 |
| 28°F98% of yrs | Dec 29 | Jan 7 | Jan 15 | Jan 23 | Jan 30 | Feb 4 | Feb 9 | Feb 15 | Feb 24 |
| 24°F63% of yrs | Dec 9 | Dec 19 | Dec 26 | Dec 31 | Jan 8 | Jan 15 | Jan 22 | Jan 31 | Feb 6 |
| 20°F11% of yrs | too rare for a date | ||||||||
| 16°F0% of yrs | too rare for a date | ||||||||
| Low | 10% | 20% | 30% | 40% | 50% | 60% | 70% | 80% | 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Nov 1 | Nov 6 | Nov 9 | Nov 13 | Nov 16 | Nov 19 | Nov 22 | Nov 25 | Dec 1 |
| 32°F | Nov 10 | Nov 16 | Nov 20 | Nov 24 | Nov 27 | Nov 30 | Dec 3 | Dec 7 | Dec 12 |
| 28°F98% of yrs | Nov 23 | Nov 28 | Dec 2 | Dec 6 | Dec 10 | Dec 14 | Dec 20 | Dec 25 | Jan 2 |
| 24°F63% of yrs | Dec 1 | Dec 9 | Dec 15 | Dec 20 | Dec 25 | Dec 30 | Jan 3 | Jan 12 | Jan 26 |
| 20°F11% of yrs | too rare for a date | ||||||||
| 16°F0% of yrs | too rare for a date | ||||||||
Freeze probabilities 1991–2020 at Tucson Camp Ave Exp, AZ, from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals. Where a temperature is reached in fewer than 99.5% of years, the dates describe only the years that reach it. Not a forecast.
Frost risk on any date in 85750 →Compare Tucson with another place →
Weather by month in Tucson
July is the warmest month at Tucson Camp Ave Exp, AZ, averaging 101°F by day and 75°F at night; December is the coldest at 67°F and 36°F. A freezing night is all but certain in every month from December to January (a 90% chance or more). From April to October the chance of a 32°F night stays under 10% each month. In spring, February still brings one in 81% of years and March still brings one in 30% of years.
Warmth for growing adds up to 7,312 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 64% of the 102 Arizona stations. 41% of them (2,963) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 1,173. Precipitation totals 11.7 inches a year, most in August (2.6") and least in May (0.1"); May to September bring 54% of it.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | 32°F night | Nights ≤ 32°F | GDD 50°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 68 | 37 | 1.1 | 97% | 9 | 115 |
| Feb | 71 | 40 | 1.0 | 81% | 4 | 166 |
| Mar | 78 | 45 | 0.6 | 30% | 1 | 347 |
| Apr | 85 | 50 | 0.3 | 1% | 0 | 516 |
| May | 93 | 58 | 0.1 | 0% | 0 | 780 |
| Jun | 102 | 68 | 0.3 | 0% | 0 | 1039 |
| Jul | 101 | 75 | 2.3 | 0% | 0 | 1173 |
| Aug | 100 | 74 | 2.6 | 0% | 0 | 1136 |
| Sep | 96 | 68 | 1.0 | 0% | 0 | 963 |
| Oct | 88 | 55 | 0.6 | 1% | 0 | 662 |
| Nov | 77 | 43 | 0.7 | 60% | 2 | 311 |
| Dec | 67 | 36 | 1.1 | 99% | 11 | 104 |
Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Tucson Camp Ave Exp, AZ (2,330 ft), NOAA NCEI. "32°F night": chance of at least one in the month. GDD: growing degree days, base 50°F.
Compared with the next station
The nearest other station, Tucson WFO, AZ, 8 miles southwest of Tucson, has a last frost 31 days earlier (January 20), a first frost 20 days later (December 17), a season 52 days longer.
When it snows in Tucson, Arizona
Measurable snow is rare here: only 0 of 20 winters from 1991 to 2020 recorded 0.1 inch or more at Tucson Camp Ave Exp, AZ, 5.9 miles away, so there is no typical first-snow date to plan around.
Planting calendar for 85750
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| December 12 – December 26 | Start peppers and aubergines indoorsThey need eight to ten weeks under lights before they can go out. |
| December 26 – January 9 | Start tomatoes indoorsSix to eight weeks gives a transplant big enough to set fruit early. |
| January 23 – February 6 | Sow peas, spinach, lettuce, radish outdoorsThese tolerate light frost and prefer to germinate in cool soil. |
| February 20 onward | Transplant tomatoes, peppers, basil, squash, cucumbersThe average last freeze has passed — still watch the actual forecast. |
| by September 4 | Sow the autumn crop of carrots, beets and brassicasThey need about twelve weeks to size up before growth stops. |
| by November 13 | Harvest tender crops, or be ready to cover themA first freeze two weeks early is well within normal variation. |
| November 27 onward | Plant garlic, mulch beds, lift tender bulbsGarlic wants a cold spell; bare soil loses structure over winter. |
The weeks before and after the 50% dates are general rules of thumb, not NOAA figures; a seed packet gives the timing for each variety.
Where these figures come from
ZIP 85750 is 6 miles from Tucson Camp Ave Exp, AZ, which stands at 2,330 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. 2 other ZIP codes share the station; its figures are presented in full for 85712 (Tucson). The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 85750 in zone 9a, the band where the coldest night of the year averaged 20 to 25°F (-6.7 to -3.9°C) over 1991–2020; a zone describes winter lows, not frost dates.
Hardiness zone and temperature range: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023 (USDA-ARS, Oregon State University), ZIP-code listing, unchanged. °C converted from °F by this site.
Thirty-year averages, not a forecast: check the forecast before planting out. How stations are matched and which pages are offered to search engines: methodology.