USDA Hardiness Zone 9a
Frost Dates for 93242 — Laton, California
NOAA 1991–2020 normals from Hanford 1 S, CA (237 ft), 9 miles southeast.
Updated
In Laton, the last spring frost (32°F) is around February 7 in half of years and has passed by March 4 in nine years out of ten. The first fall frost comes around December 1, as early as November 16 one year in ten, leaving a typical freeze-free season of 296 days (NOAA, Hanford 1 S, CA).
- Last spring frost
- February 7
- First fall frost
- December 1
- Growing season
- 296 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 Laton
Half of springs at Hanford 1 S, CA see their last 32°F night by February 7; only one in ten is past it by January 9, and one in ten still has one after March 4. Planting tender crops after February 17 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after February 25 20%, and after March 4 10%. The 25 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is narrower than at 70% of the 220 California stations behind this site's ZIP pages, so a fixed calendar date is a gamble here.
In fall the first 32°F night comes by December 1 in half of years, as early as November 16 one year in ten, and holds off past December 22 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 13 days later, around December 14; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is February 9, 23 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 296 days in a typical year, longer than at 63% of the 219 California stations; it reaches 332 days one year in ten and falls short of 263 one year in ten. On average 24 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 24 days longer, to about March 3, and return around November 17. A 24°F night is unusual: 35% of winters had one.
| Low | 90% | 80% | 70% | 60% | 50% | 40% | 30% | 20% | 10% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Feb 9 | Feb 18 | Feb 24 | Feb 28 | Mar 3 | Mar 9 | Mar 19 | Apr 1 | Apr 10 |
| 32°F99% of yrs | Jan 9 | Jan 21 | Jan 29 | Feb 2 | Feb 7 | Feb 12 | Feb 17 | Feb 25 | Mar 4 |
| 28°F84% of yrs | Dec 16 | Dec 27 | Jan 1 | Jan 5 | Jan 12 | Jan 19 | Jan 25 | Jan 31 | Feb 9 |
| 24°F35% of yrs | too rare for a date | ||||||||
| 20°F7% of yrs | too rare for a date | ||||||||
| Low | 10% | 20% | 30% | 40% | 50% | 60% | 70% | 80% | 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Nov 1 | Nov 7 | Nov 11 | Nov 15 | Nov 17 | Nov 20 | Nov 23 | Nov 26 | Dec 1 |
| 32°F99% of yrs | Nov 16 | Nov 21 | Nov 25 | Nov 28 | Dec 1 | Dec 4 | Dec 8 | Dec 12 | Dec 22 |
| 28°F84% of yrs | Nov 28 | Dec 2 | Dec 6 | Dec 10 | Dec 14 | Dec 19 | Dec 25 | Jan 1 | Jan 13 |
| 24°F35% of yrs | too rare for a date | ||||||||
| 20°F7% of yrs | too rare for a date | ||||||||
Freeze probabilities 1991–2020 at Hanford 1 S, CA, 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 93242 →Compare Laton with another place →
Weather by month in Laton
July is the warmest month at Hanford 1 S, CA, averaging 98°F by day and 66°F at night; December is the coldest at 56°F and 36°F. From April to October the chance of a 32°F night stays under 10% each month. In spring, February still brings one in 59% of years and March still brings one in 11% of years.
Warmth for growing adds up to 5,463 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 79% of the 283 California stations. 38% of them (2,093) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 990. Precipitation totals 8.4 inches a year, most in January (1.8") and least in July (0.0"); May to September bring 6% of it.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | 32°F night | Nights ≤ 32°F | GDD 50°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 56 | 37 | 1.8 | 86% | 8 | 26 |
| Feb | 63 | 40 | 1.4 | 59% | 3 | 78 |
| Mar | 69 | 45 | 1.5 | 11% | <1 | 227 |
| Apr | 75 | 49 | 0.7 | 2% | 0 | 360 |
| May | 84 | 55 | 0.3 | 1% | 0 | 602 |
| Jun | 92 | 61 | 0.1 | 0% | 0 | 800 |
| Jul | 98 | 66 | 0.0 | 0% | 0 | 990 |
| Aug | 97 | 64 | 0.0 | 0% | 0 | 950 |
| Sep | 92 | 59 | 0.1 | 0% | 0 | 762 |
| Oct | 81 | 51 | 0.4 | 0% | 0 | 487 |
| Nov | 67 | 42 | 0.7 | 48% | 2 | 156 |
| Dec | 56 | 36 | 1.4 | 90% | 11 | 25 |
Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Hanford 1 S, CA (237 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, Hanford Municipal Airport, CA, 9 miles southeast of Laton, has a last frost 13 days later (February 20), a first frost 8 days earlier (November 23), a season 20 days shorter.
When it snows in Laton, California
Measurable snow is rare here: only 0 of 20 winters from 1991 to 2020 recorded 0.1 inch or more at Hanford 1 S, CA, 9.4 miles away, so there is no typical first-snow date to plan around.
Planting calendar for 93242
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| November 29 – December 13 | Start peppers and aubergines indoorsThey need eight to ten weeks under lights before they can go out. |
| December 13 – December 27 | Start tomatoes indoorsSix to eight weeks gives a transplant big enough to set fruit early. |
| January 10 – January 24 | Sow peas, spinach, lettuce, radish outdoorsThese tolerate light frost and prefer to germinate in cool soil. |
| February 7 onward | Transplant tomatoes, peppers, basil, squash, cucumbersThe average last freeze has passed — still watch the actual forecast. |
| by September 8 | Sow the autumn crop of carrots, beets and brassicasThey need about twelve weeks to size up before growth stops. |
| by November 17 | Harvest tender crops, or be ready to cover themA first freeze two weeks early is well within normal variation. |
| December 1 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 93242 is 9 miles from Hanford 1 S, CA, which stands at 237 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 93230 (Hanford). The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 93242 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 California →
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.