USDA Hardiness Zone 9b
Frost Dates for 95130 — San Jose, California
NOAA 1991–2020 normals from Los Gatos, CA (365 ft), 4 miles south.
Updated
In San Jose, the last spring frost (32°F) is around February 2 in half of years and has passed by March 14 in nine years out of ten. The first fall frost comes around December 6, as early as November 16 one year in ten, leaving a typical freeze-free season of 310 days (NOAA, Los Gatos, CA).
- Last spring frost
- February 2
- First fall frost
- December 6
- Growing season
- 310 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 San Jose
Half of springs at Los Gatos, CA see their last 32°F night by February 2; only one in ten is past it by December 31, and one in ten still has one after March 14. Planting tender crops after February 17 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after February 28 20%, and after March 14 10%. The 40 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is wider than at 85% 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 6 in half of years, as early as November 16 one year in ten, and holds off past January 7 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 13 days later, around December 19; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is January 26, 47 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 310 days in a typical year, longer than at 68% of the 219 California stations; it reaches 346 days one year in ten and falls short of 263 one year in ten. On average 13 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 46 days longer, to about March 20, and return around November 20. A 24°F night is unusual: 12% of winters had one.
| Low | 90% | 80% | 70% | 60% | 50% | 40% | 30% | 20% | 10% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Feb 16 | Mar 1 | Mar 8 | Mar 13 | Mar 20 | Mar 28 | Apr 2 | Apr 8 | Apr 16 |
| 32°F97% of yrs | Dec 31 | Jan 9 | Jan 19 | Jan 27 | Feb 2 | Feb 9 | Feb 17 | Feb 28 | Mar 14 |
| 28°F58% of yrs | Dec 9 | Dec 19 | Dec 25 | Dec 30 | Jan 1 | Jan 5 | Jan 11 | Jan 17 | Jan 26 |
| 24°F12% of yrs | too rare for a date | ||||||||
| Low | 10% | 20% | 30% | 40% | 50% | 60% | 70% | 80% | 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Nov 4 | Nov 9 | Nov 12 | Nov 16 | Nov 20 | Nov 23 | Nov 26 | Dec 1 | Dec 5 |
| 32°F97% of yrs | Nov 16 | Nov 24 | Nov 28 | Dec 2 | Dec 6 | Dec 11 | Dec 16 | Dec 26 | Jan 7 |
| 28°F58% of yrs | Nov 28 | Dec 3 | Dec 10 | Dec 14 | Dec 19 | Dec 24 | Dec 30 | Jan 3 | Jan 13 |
| 24°F12% of yrs | too rare for a date | ||||||||
Freeze probabilities 1991–2020 at Los Gatos, 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 95130 →Compare San Jose with another place →
Weather by month in San Jose
July is the warmest month at Los Gatos, CA, averaging 85°F by day and 56°F at night; December is the coldest at 58°F and 40°F. From April to October the chance of a 32°F night stays under 10% each month. In spring, February still brings one in 40% of years and March still brings one in 15% of years.
Warmth for growing adds up to 3,769 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), fewer than at 66% of the 283 California stations. 38% of them (1,413) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 632. Precipitation totals 22.3 inches a year, most in January (5.0") and least in July (0.0"); May to September bring 4% of it.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | 32°F night | Nights ≤ 32°F | GDD 50°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 59 | 40 | 5.0 | 72% | 5 | 42 |
| Feb | 62 | 41 | 4.9 | 40% | 2 | 78 |
| Mar | 66 | 43 | 3.4 | 15% | <1 | 161 |
| Apr | 70 | 45 | 1.4 | 4% | <1 | 234 |
| May | 76 | 49 | 0.5 | 0% | 0 | 386 |
| Jun | 82 | 53 | 0.2 | 0% | 0 | 513 |
| Jul | 85 | 56 | 0.0 | 0% | 0 | 632 |
| Aug | 85 | 56 | 0.0 | 0% | 0 | 625 |
| Sep | 83 | 54 | 0.1 | 0% | 0 | 548 |
| Oct | 76 | 49 | 0.8 | 0% | 0 | 379 |
| Nov | 65 | 43 | 2.0 | 32% | 1 | 131 |
| Dec | 58 | 40 | 4.0 | 72% | 5 | 41 |
Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Los Gatos, CA (365 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, San Jose, CA, 6 miles northeast of San Jose and 314 feet lower, has a last frost 21 days earlier (January 12), a first frost 16 days later (December 22), a season 37 days longer.
When it snows in San Jose, California
Measurable snow is rare here: only 0 of 20 winters from 1991 to 2020 recorded 0.1 inch or more at Los Gatos, CA, 4.2 miles away, so there is no typical first-snow date to plan around.
Planting calendar for 95130
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| November 24 – December 8 | Start peppers and aubergines indoorsThey need eight to ten weeks under lights before they can go out. |
| December 8 – December 22 | Start tomatoes indoorsSix to eight weeks gives a transplant big enough to set fruit early. |
| January 5 – January 19 | Sow peas, spinach, lettuce, radish outdoorsThese tolerate light frost and prefer to germinate in cool soil. |
| February 2 onward | Transplant tomatoes, peppers, basil, squash, cucumbersThe average last freeze has passed — still watch the actual forecast. |
| by September 13 | Sow the autumn crop of carrots, beets and brassicasThey need about twelve weeks to size up before growth stops. |
| by November 22 | Harvest tender crops, or be ready to cover themA first freeze two weeks early is well within normal variation. |
| December 6 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 95130 is 4 miles from Los Gatos, CA, which stands at 365 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. 10 other ZIP codes share the station; its figures are presented in full for 95123 (San Jose). The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 95130 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.