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USDA Hardiness Zone 9a

Frost Dates for 89034 — Mesquite, Nevada

NOAA 1991–2020 normals from Bunkerville, NV (1,600 ft), 3 miles southwest.

Updated

In Mesquite, the last spring frost (32°F) is around March 16 in half of years and has passed by April 5 in nine years out of ten. The first fall frost comes around November 13, as early as October 29 one year in ten, leaving a typical freeze-free season of 238 days (NOAA, Bunkerville, NV).

Last spring frost
March 16

50% probability

First fall frost
November 13

50% probability

Growing season
238 days

freeze-free, 50%

Hardiness zone
9a

20 to 25°F (-6.7 to -3.9°C) coldest night

First snow
Rare

median, 1991–2020

Last snow
Rare

median, 1991–2020

Winters with snow
24%

6 of 25 observed

Snow per year
1.4"

NOAA normal

Frost risk by date in Mesquite

Half of springs at Bunkerville, NV see their last 32°F night by March 16; only one in ten is past it by February 25, and one in ten still has one after April 5. Planting tender crops after March 27 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after March 31 20%, and after April 5 10%. The 20 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is narrower than at 58% of the 38 Nevada stations behind this site's ZIP pages.

In fall the first 32°F night comes by November 13 in half of years, as early as October 29 one year in ten, and holds off past November 25 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 10 days later, around November 23; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is March 19, 17 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 238 days in a typical year, longer than at 74% of the 38 Nevada stations; it reaches 265 days one year in ten and falls short of 216 one year in ten. On average 67 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 19 days longer, to about April 4, and return around November 2. Nights of 24°F, cold enough to damage hardier plants, come in 100% of winters and 16°F in 40%.

Spring: the chance of another night this cold after the date
Low90%80%70%60%50%40%30%20%10%
36°FMar 16Mar 25Mar 29Apr 1Apr 4Apr 6Apr 9Apr 12Apr 17
32°FFeb 25Mar 2Mar 6Mar 11Mar 16Mar 21Mar 27Mar 31Apr 5
28°FJan 31Feb 8Feb 14Feb 21Feb 26Mar 1Mar 5Mar 9Mar 19
24°FJan 8Jan 20Jan 28Feb 2Feb 7Feb 12Feb 19Feb 26Mar 5
20°F87% of yrsDec 18Dec 27Jan 3Jan 11Jan 18Jan 26Jan 31Feb 6Feb 15
16°F40% of yrstoo rare for a date
Fall: the chance the first night this cold has come by the date
Low10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%
36°FOct 19Oct 23Oct 27Oct 30Nov 2Nov 5Nov 7Nov 10Nov 15
32°FOct 29Nov 4Nov 8Nov 11Nov 13Nov 16Nov 18Nov 21Nov 25
28°FNov 11Nov 16Nov 19Nov 21Nov 23Nov 27Nov 30Dec 3Dec 8
24°FNov 20Nov 25Nov 29Dec 2Dec 5Dec 8Dec 11Dec 16Dec 24
20°F87% of yrsDec 1Dec 6Dec 10Dec 14Dec 18Dec 23Dec 29Jan 4Jan 22
16°F40% of yrstoo rare for a date

Freeze probabilities 1991–2020 at Bunkerville, NV, 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 89034 →Compare Mesquite with another place →

Weather by month in Mesquite

July is the warmest month at Bunkerville, NV, averaging 106°F by day and 71°F at night; December is the coldest at 59°F and 29°F. A freezing night is all but certain in every month from November to February (a 90% chance or more). From May to September the chance of a 32°F night stays under 10% each month. In spring, March still brings one in 80% of years and April still brings one in 18% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 6,175 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 82% of the 38 Nevada stations. 38% of them (2,348) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 1,195. Precipitation totals 5.9 inches a year, most in February (0.9") and least in May (0.1"); May to September bring 27% of it.

Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Bunkerville, NV
MonthHigh °FLow °FPrecip. in32°F nightNights ≤ 32°FGDD 50°F
Jan60300.8100%2114
Feb65350.995%1160
Mar73400.680%4208
Apr81460.318%1399
May90550.10%0710
Jun101630.10%0957
Jul106710.30%01195
Aug105700.70%01158
Sep97600.40%<1852
Oct84480.613%<1488
Nov69360.596%9126
Dec59290.6100%2110

Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Bunkerville, NV (1,600 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, Beaver Dam, AZ, 10 miles northeast of Mesquite and 331 feet higher, has a last frost 9 days earlier (March 7), a first frost 6 days later (November 19), a season 13 days longer.

Frost dates for 86432 (Littlefield) →

When it snows in Mesquite, Nevada

Measurable snow is rare here: only 6 of 25 winters from 1991 to 2020 recorded 0.1 inch or more at Lytle Rch, UT, 23.2 miles away, so there is no typical first-snow date to plan around.

Planting calendar for 89034

What to do and when, from the 50% frost dates for Mesquite, Nevada
WhenWhat to do
January 5 – January 19Start peppers and aubergines indoorsThey need eight to ten weeks under lights before they can go out.
January 19 – February 2Start tomatoes indoorsSix to eight weeks gives a transplant big enough to set fruit early.
February 16 – March 2Sow peas, spinach, lettuce, radish outdoorsThese tolerate light frost and prefer to germinate in cool soil.
March 16 onwardTransplant tomatoes, peppers, basil, squash, cucumbersThe average last freeze has passed — still watch the actual forecast.
by August 21Sow the autumn crop of carrots, beets and brassicasThey need about twelve weeks to size up before growth stops.
by October 30Harvest tender crops, or be ready to cover themA first freeze two weeks early is well within normal variation.
November 13 onwardPlant 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 89034 is 3 miles from Bunkerville, NV, which stands at 1,600 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. 1 other ZIP code shares the station; its figures are presented in full for 89027 (Mesquite). The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 89034 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.

Frost dates across Nevada →

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.

ZIP codes measured at the same station

Other zone 9a places in Nevada