USDA Hardiness Zone 9a
Frost Dates for 95542 — Garberville, California
NOAA 1991–2020 normals from Richardson Gr Sp, CA (503 ft), 5 miles south.
Updated
In Garberville, the last spring frost (32°F) is around March 10 in half of years and has passed by April 13 in nine years out of ten. The first fall frost comes around December 1, as early as November 7 one year in ten, leaving a typical freeze-free season of 271 days (NOAA, Richardson Gr Sp, CA).
- Last spring frost
- March 10
- First fall frost
- December 1
- Growing season
- 271 days
- Hardiness zone
- 9a
50% probability
50% probability
freeze-free, 50%
20 to 25°F (-6.7 to -3.9°C) coldest night
- First snow
- Rare
- Last snow
- Rare
- Winters with snow
- 10%
- Snow per year
- 0.2"
median, 1991–2020
median, 1991–2020
2 of 20 observed
NOAA normal
Frost risk by date in Garberville
Half of springs at Richardson Gr Sp, CA see their last 32°F night by March 10; only one in ten is past it by January 9, and one in ten still has one after April 13. Planting tender crops after March 27 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after April 2 20%, and after April 13 10%. The 34 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is wider than at 65% 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 7 one year in ten, and holds off past January 9 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 25 days later, around December 26; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is March 5, 39 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 271 days in a typical year, shorter than at 55% of the 219 California stations; it reaches 331 days one year in ten and falls short of 224 one year in ten. On average 22 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 34 days longer, to about April 13, and return around November 7. A 24°F night is unusual: 13% of winters had one.
| Low | 90% | 80% | 70% | 60% | 50% | 40% | 30% | 20% | 10% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Mar 16 | Mar 28 | Apr 3 | Apr 8 | Apr 13 | Apr 17 | Apr 22 | Apr 29 | May 7 |
| 32°F98% of yrs | Jan 9 | Feb 3 | Feb 17 | Feb 28 | Mar 10 | Mar 18 | Mar 27 | Apr 2 | Apr 13 |
| 28°F63% of yrs | Dec 10 | Dec 21 | Dec 31 | Jan 6 | Jan 15 | Jan 27 | Feb 6 | Feb 23 | Mar 5 |
| 24°F13% of yrs | too rare for a date | ||||||||
| Low | 10% | 20% | 30% | 40% | 50% | 60% | 70% | 80% | 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Oct 19 | Oct 26 | Nov 1 | Nov 3 | Nov 7 | Nov 12 | Nov 17 | Nov 23 | Dec 2 |
| 32°F98% of yrs | Nov 7 | Nov 15 | Nov 21 | Nov 27 | Dec 1 | Dec 7 | Dec 12 | Dec 23 | Jan 9 |
| 28°F63% of yrs | Nov 25 | Dec 3 | Dec 10 | Dec 18 | Dec 26 | Jan 1 | Jan 7 | Jan 20 | Feb 8 |
| 24°F13% of yrs | too rare for a date | ||||||||
Freeze probabilities 1991–2020 at Richardson Gr Sp, 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 95542 →Compare Garberville with another place →
Weather by month in Garberville
August is the warmest month at Richardson Gr Sp, CA, averaging 87°F by day and 54°F at night; December is the coldest at 49°F and 38°F. From May to October the chance of a 32°F night stays under 10% each month. In spring, February still brings one in 56% of years and March still brings one in 45% of years and April still brings one in 21% of years.
Warmth for growing adds up to 2,942 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), fewer than at 84% of the 283 California stations. 31% of them (922) have built up by the end of June, and August adds the most, 629. Precipitation totals 65.3 inches a year, most in December (14.0") 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 | 50 | 39 | 12.7 | 67% | 5 | 8 |
| Feb | 53 | 40 | 11.3 | 56% | 3 | 13 |
| Mar | 59 | 41 | 9.7 | 45% | 2 | 59 |
| Apr | 64 | 42 | 5.1 | 21% | 1 | 125 |
| May | 72 | 47 | 1.9 | 3% | 1 | 293 |
| Jun | 77 | 51 | 0.8 | 0% | 0 | 423 |
| Jul | 86 | 54 | 0.0 | 0% | <1 | 615 |
| Aug | 87 | 54 | 0.0 | 0% | 0 | 629 |
| Sep | 83 | 50 | 0.4 | 0% | 0 | 495 |
| Oct | 70 | 45 | 2.7 | 4% | 0 | 235 |
| Nov | 55 | 41 | 6.7 | 43% | 3 | 36 |
| Dec | 49 | 38 | 14.0 | 70% | 6 | 9 |
Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Richardson Gr Sp, CA (503 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, Scotia, CA, 31 miles northwest of Garberville and 367 feet lower, has a last frost 37 days earlier (February 1), a first frost 18 days later (December 19), a season 57 days longer.
When it snows in Garberville, California
Measurable snow is rare here: only 2 of 20 winters from 1991 to 2020 recorded 0.1 inch or more at Richardson Gr Sp, CA, 5.1 miles away, so there is no typical first-snow date to plan around.
Planting calendar for 95542
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| December 30 – January 13 | Start peppers and aubergines indoorsThey need eight to ten weeks under lights before they can go out. |
| January 13 – January 27 | Start tomatoes indoorsSix to eight weeks gives a transplant big enough to set fruit early. |
| February 10 – February 24 | Sow peas, spinach, lettuce, radish outdoorsThese tolerate light frost and prefer to germinate in cool soil. |
| March 10 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 95542 is 5 miles from Richardson Gr Sp, CA, which stands at 503 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 95542 in zone 9a, the band where the coldest night of the year averaged 20 to 25°F (-6.7 to -3.9°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.