Frost Dates for 93905 — Salinas, California

In the 90% of winters that bring a 32°F night, half of springs at Salinas Municipal Airport, CA see their last 32°F night by January 29; only one in ten is past it by December 18, and one in ten still has one after March 1. Counting the winters with no freeze at all, the risk of a 32°F night after March 1 is under 9% and after January 29 45%. The 31 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is wider than at 53% 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 10 in half of years, as early as November 21 one year in ten, and holds off past January 15 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F is less common: it came in 36% of winters. The freeze-free season lasts 325 days in a typical year, longer than at 78% of the 219 California stations; it reaches 364 days one year in ten and falls short of 281 one year in ten. On average 6 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 39 days longer, to about March 9, and return around November 23. A 24°F night is unusual: 4% of winters had one.

September is the warmest month at Salinas Municipal Airport, CA, averaging 74°F by day and 54°F at night; December is the coldest at 62°F and 41°F. From March to October the chance of a 32°F night stays under 10% each month. In spring, February still brings one in 35% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 3,099 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), fewer than at 82% of the 283 California stations. 39% of them (1,213) have built up by the end of June, and August adds the most, 432. Precipitation totals 12.7 inches a year, most in January (2.6") and least in July (0.0"); May to September bring 5% of it.

The nearest other station, Salinas #2, CA, 3 miles southwest of Salinas, has a last frost 6 days later (February 4), a first frost 4 days earlier (December 6), a season 14 days shorter.

Measurable snow is rare here: only 0 of 20 winters from 1991 to 2020 recorded 0.1 inch or more at Salinas #2, CA, 3.2 miles away, so there is no typical first-snow date to plan around.

ZIP 93905 is 1 mile from Salinas Municipal Airport, CA, which stands at 74 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. 1 other ZIP code shares the station. The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 93905 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.