Skip to content

USDA Hardiness Zone 9b

Frost Dates for 95451 — Kelseyville, California

NOAA 1991–2020 normals from Clearlake 4 SE, CA (1,349 ft), 12 miles east.

Updated

In Kelseyville, the last spring frost (32°F) is around April 10 in half of years and has passed by April 30 in nine years out of ten. The first fall frost comes around November 6, as early as October 24 one year in ten, leaving a typical freeze-free season of 209 days (NOAA, Clearlake 4 SE, CA).

Last spring frost
April 10

50% probability

First fall frost
November 6

50% probability

Growing season
209 days

freeze-free, 50%

Hardiness zone
9b

25 to 30°F (-3.9 to -1.1°C) coldest night

First snow
Rare

median, 1991–2020

Last snow
Rare

median, 1991–2020

Winters with snow
28%

5 of 18 observed

Snow per year
0.4"

NOAA normal

Frost risk by date in Kelseyville

Half of springs at Clearlake 4 SE, CA see their last 32°F night by April 10; only one in ten is past it by March 24, and one in ten still has one after April 30. Planting tender crops after April 18 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after April 23 20%, and after April 30 10%. The 20 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is narrower than at 88% of the 220 California stations behind this site's ZIP pages.

In fall the first 32°F night comes by November 6 in half of years, as early as October 24 one year in ten, and holds off past November 20 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 15 days later, around November 21; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is April 7, 23 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 209 days in a typical year, shorter than at 79% of the 219 California stations; it reaches 231 days one year in ten and falls short of 186 one year in ten. On average 72 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 20 days longer, to about April 30, and return around October 27. Nights of 24°F, cold enough to damage hardier plants, come in 96% of winters and 16°F in 16%.

Spring: the chance of another night this cold after the date
Low90%80%70%60%50%40%30%20%10%
36°FApr 14Apr 20Apr 24Apr 27Apr 30May 2May 6May 10May 16
32°FMar 24Mar 31Apr 4Apr 7Apr 10Apr 14Apr 18Apr 23Apr 30
28°FFeb 12Feb 25Mar 2Mar 9Mar 14Mar 21Mar 27Mar 31Apr 7
24°F96% of yrsDec 29Jan 11Jan 22Jan 30Feb 7Feb 15Feb 23Feb 28Mar 8
20°F58% of yrsDec 11Dec 21Dec 29Jan 4Jan 11Jan 20Jan 26Feb 1Feb 14
16°F16% of yrstoo rare for a date
Fall: the chance the first night this cold has come by the date
Low10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%
36°FOct 11Oct 17Oct 21Oct 24Oct 27Oct 29Nov 1Nov 3Nov 7
32°FOct 24Oct 29Nov 1Nov 4Nov 6Nov 9Nov 11Nov 14Nov 20
28°FNov 4Nov 10Nov 13Nov 17Nov 21Nov 24Nov 28Dec 1Dec 8
24°F96% of yrsNov 17Nov 25Dec 1Dec 3Dec 6Dec 11Dec 18Dec 29Jan 11
20°F58% of yrsDec 1Dec 6Dec 11Dec 17Dec 22Dec 30Jan 4Jan 14Jan 30
16°F16% of yrstoo rare for a date

Freeze probabilities 1991–2020 at Clearlake 4 SE, 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 95451 →Compare Kelseyville with another place →

Weather by month in Kelseyville

July is the warmest month at Clearlake 4 SE, CA, averaging 91°F by day and 56°F at night; January is the coldest at 55°F and 33°F. A freezing night is all but certain in every month from November to March (a 90% chance or more). From May to September the chance of a 32°F night stays under 10% each month. In spring, April still brings one in 76% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 3,335 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), fewer than at 76% of the 283 California stations. 30% of them (1,009) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 733. Precipitation totals 30.0 inches a year, most in January (6.2") and least in July (0.0"); May to September bring 6% of it.

Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Clearlake 4 SE, CA
MonthHigh °FLow °FPrecip. in32°F nightNights ≤ 32°FGDD 50°F
Jan55336.297%186
Feb58346.298%1319
Mar62354.097%957
Apr66392.076%3124
May73451.29%<1281
Jun83520.20%0521
Jul91560.00%0733
Aug91540.10%0694
Sep85500.20%0536
Oct75430.926%1294
Nov63362.999%1162
Dec55336.199%187

Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Clearlake 4 SE, CA (1,349 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, Cloverdale, CA, 16 miles southwest of Kelseyville and 949 feet lower, has a last frost 44 days earlier (February 25), a first frost 27 days later (December 3), a season 70 days longer.

Frost dates for 95425 (Cloverdale) →

When it snows in Kelseyville, California

Measurable snow is rare here: only 5 of 18 winters from 1991 to 2020 recorded 0.1 inch or more at Clearlake 4 SE, CA, 11.8 miles away, so there is no typical first-snow date to plan around.

Planting calendar for 95451

What to do and when, from the 50% frost dates for Kelseyville, California
WhenWhat to do
January 30 – February 13Start peppers and aubergines indoorsThey need eight to ten weeks under lights before they can go out.
February 13 – February 27Start tomatoes indoorsSix to eight weeks gives a transplant big enough to set fruit early.
March 13 – March 27Sow peas, spinach, lettuce, radish outdoorsThese tolerate light frost and prefer to germinate in cool soil.
April 10 onwardTransplant tomatoes, peppers, basil, squash, cucumbersThe average last freeze has passed — still watch the actual forecast.
by August 14Sow the autumn crop of carrots, beets and brassicasThey need about twelve weeks to size up before growth stops.
by October 23Harvest tender crops, or be ready to cover themA first freeze two weeks early is well within normal variation.
November 6 onwardPlant 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 95451 is 12 miles from Clearlake 4 SE, CA, which stands at 1,349 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. 6 other ZIP codes share the station; its figures are presented in full for 95422 (Clearlake). The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 95451 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.

ZIP codes measured at the same station

Other zone 9b places in California