USDA Hardiness Zone 9b
Frost Dates for 93626 — Friant, California
NOAA 1991–2020 normals from Friant Government Camp, CA (410 ft), 2 miles southwest.
Updated
In Friant, the last spring frost (32°F) is around March 9 in half of years and has passed by April 16 in nine years out of ten. The first fall frost comes around December 1, as early as November 12 one year in ten, leaving a typical freeze-free season of 262 days (NOAA, Friant Government Camp, CA).
- Last spring frost
- March 9
- First fall frost
- December 1
- Growing season
- 262 days
- Hardiness zone
- 9b
50% probability
50% probability
freeze-free, 50%
25 to 30°F (-3.9 to -1.1°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 Friant
Half of springs at Friant Government Camp, CA see their last 32°F night by March 9; only one in ten is past it by January 22, and one in ten still has one after April 16. Planting tender crops after March 31 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after April 7 20%, and after April 16 10%. The 38 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is wider than at 81% 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 12 one year in ten, and holds off past December 22 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 12 days later, around December 13; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is February 28, 47 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 262 days in a typical year, shorter than at 61% of the 219 California stations; it reaches 314 days one year in ten and falls short of 224 one year in ten. On average 17 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 37 days longer, to about April 15, and return around November 15. A 24°F night is unusual: 39% of winters had one.
| Low | 90% | 80% | 70% | 60% | 50% | 40% | 30% | 20% | 10% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Mar 21 | Apr 1 | Apr 6 | Apr 11 | Apr 15 | Apr 20 | Apr 23 | Apr 29 | May 4 |
| 32°F | Jan 22 | Feb 4 | Feb 17 | Feb 28 | Mar 9 | Mar 21 | Mar 31 | Apr 7 | Apr 16 |
| 28°F85% of yrs | Dec 19 | Dec 30 | Jan 4 | Jan 12 | Jan 19 | Jan 26 | Feb 1 | Feb 13 | Feb 28 |
| 24°F39% of yrs | too rare for a date | ||||||||
| 20°F5% 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 | Oct 29 | Nov 3 | Nov 8 | Nov 12 | Nov 15 | Nov 19 | Nov 23 | Nov 28 | Dec 3 |
| 32°F | Nov 12 | Nov 18 | Nov 23 | Nov 27 | Dec 1 | Dec 4 | Dec 7 | Dec 12 | Dec 22 |
| 28°F85% of yrs | Nov 24 | Dec 1 | Dec 4 | Dec 9 | Dec 13 | Dec 19 | Dec 25 | Jan 2 | Jan 18 |
| 24°F39% of yrs | too rare for a date | ||||||||
| 20°F5% of yrs | too rare for a date | ||||||||
| 16°F0% of yrs | too rare for a date | ||||||||
Freeze probabilities 1991–2020 at Friant Government Camp, 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 93626 →Compare Friant with another place →
Weather by month in Friant
July is the warmest month at Friant Government Camp, CA, averaging 99°F by day and 62°F at night; December is the coldest at 56°F and 37°F. From May to October the chance of a 32°F night stays under 10% each month. In spring, February still brings one in 64% of years and March still brings one in 41% of years and April still brings one in 28% of years.
Warmth for growing adds up to 4,957 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 63% of the 283 California stations. 35% of them (1,741) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 935. Precipitation totals 14.8 inches a year, most in January (3.1") and least in July (0.0"); May to September bring 5% of it.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | 32°F night | Nights ≤ 32°F | GDD 50°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 56 | 38 | 3.1 | 87% | 5 | 30 |
| Feb | 61 | 40 | 2.5 | 64% | 2 | 71 |
| Mar | 66 | 43 | 2.5 | 41% | 1 | 163 |
| Apr | 73 | 44 | 1.4 | 28% | 1 | 256 |
| May | 83 | 50 | 0.5 | 2% | 0 | 506 |
| Jun | 92 | 56 | 0.2 | 0% | 0 | 716 |
| Jul | 99 | 62 | 0.0 | 0% | 0 | 935 |
| Aug | 98 | 60 | 0.0 | 0% | 0 | 902 |
| Sep | 92 | 57 | 0.1 | 0% | 0 | 728 |
| Oct | 80 | 50 | 0.8 | 2% | 0 | 467 |
| Nov | 66 | 42 | 1.2 | 44% | 2 | 157 |
| Dec | 56 | 37 | 2.5 | 90% | 7 | 29 |
Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Friant Government Camp, CA (410 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, Auberry 2 NW, CA, 11 miles northeast of Friant and 1,680 feet higher, has a last frost 16 days later (March 25), a first frost 2 days later (December 3), a season 9 days shorter.
When it snows in Friant, California
Measurable snow is rare here: only 0 of 20 winters from 1991 to 2020 recorded 0.1 inch or more at Friant Government Camp, CA, 2.3 miles away, so there is no typical first-snow date to plan around.
Planting calendar for 93626
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| December 29 – January 12 | Start peppers and aubergines indoorsThey need eight to ten weeks under lights before they can go out. |
| January 12 – January 26 | Start tomatoes indoorsSix to eight weeks gives a transplant big enough to set fruit early. |
| February 9 – February 23 | Sow peas, spinach, lettuce, radish outdoorsThese tolerate light frost and prefer to germinate in cool soil. |
| March 9 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 93626 is 2 miles from Friant Government Camp, CA, which stands at 410 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. 3 other ZIP codes share the station; its figures are presented in full for 93619 (Clovis). The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 93626 in zone 9b, the band where the coldest night of the year averaged 25 to 30°F (-3.9 to -1.1°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.