Frost Dates for 95389 — Yosemite National Park, California

Half of springs at Yosemite Park Hq, CA see their last 32°F night by April 21; only one in ten is past it by April 3, and one in ten still has one after May 13. Planting tender crops after April 30 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after May 5 20%, and after May 13 10%. The 22 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is narrower 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 October 27 in half of years, as early as October 12 one year in ten, and holds off past November 10 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 13 days later, around November 9; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is April 22, 21 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 186 days in a typical year, shorter than at 85% of the 219 California stations; it reaches 212 days one year in ten and falls short of 160 one year in ten. On average 106 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 May 10, and return around October 16. Nights of 24°F, cold enough to damage hardier plants, come in 100% of winters and 16°F in 58%.

July is the warmest month at Yosemite Park Hq, CA, averaging 89°F by day and 57°F at night; December is the coldest at 46°F and 28°F. A freezing night is all but certain in every month from November to April (a 90% chance or more). From June to September the chance of a 32°F night stays under 10% each month. In spring, May still brings one in 28% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 3,061 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), fewer than at 83% of the 283 California stations. 28% of them (870) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 722. Precipitation totals 36.8 inches a year, most in January (7.0") and least in August (0.2"); May to September bring 9% of it.

The nearest other station, So Entrance Yosemite Np, CA, 13 miles south of Yosemite National Park and 1,029 feet higher, has a last frost 33 days later (May 24), a first frost 17 days earlier (October 10), a season 49 days shorter.

The first measurable snow (0.1 inch or more) in Yosemite National Park usually arrives around December 19, and the last of the season around March 2. Those are the middle dates across the winters of 1991–2020 at Yosemite Park Hq, CA, 5.8 miles away: half of years saw snow earlier, half later. Snow fell in 94% of those winters. The last 32°F night of spring typically comes 50 days after the last snow.

ZIP 95389 is 6 miles from Yosemite Park Hq, CA, which stands at 4,018 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 95389 in zone 7a, the band where the coldest night of the year averaged 0 to 5°F (-17.8 to -15.0°C) over 1991–2020; a zone describes winter lows, not frost dates.