USDA Hardiness Zone 9b
Frost Dates for 95627 — Esparto, California
NOAA 1991–2020 normals from Woodland 1 WNW, CA (67 ft), 12 miles east.
Updated
In Esparto, the last spring frost (32°F) is around February 7 in half of years and has passed by March 11 in nine years out of ten. The first fall frost comes around December 5, as early as November 19 one year in ten, leaving a typical freeze-free season of 301 days (NOAA, Woodland 1 WNW, CA).
- Last spring frost
- February 7
- First fall frost
- December 5
- Growing season
- 301 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 25 observed
NOAA normal
Frost risk by date in Esparto
Half of springs at Woodland 1 WNW, CA see their last 32°F night by February 7; only one in ten is past it by January 9, and one in ten still has one after March 11. Planting tender crops after February 24 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after March 2 20%, and after March 11 10%. The 32 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is wider than at 55% 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 5 in half of years, as early as November 19 one year in ten, and holds off past January 1 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 13 days later, around December 18; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is February 2, 37 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 301 days in a typical year, longer than at 64% of the 219 California stations; it reaches 336 days one year in ten and falls short of 260 one year in ten. On average 9 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 36 days longer, to about March 15, and return around November 20. A 24°F night is unusual: 24% of winters had one.
| Low | 90% | 80% | 70% | 60% | 50% | 40% | 30% | 20% | 10% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Feb 15 | Feb 27 | Mar 5 | Mar 9 | Mar 15 | Mar 22 | Mar 28 | Apr 3 | Apr 12 |
| 32°F98% of yrs | Jan 9 | Jan 20 | Jan 29 | Feb 2 | Feb 7 | Feb 16 | Feb 24 | Mar 2 | Mar 11 |
| 28°F71% of yrs | Dec 14 | Dec 25 | Dec 31 | Jan 4 | Jan 10 | Jan 15 | Jan 21 | Jan 27 | Feb 2 |
| 24°F24% of yrs | too rare for a date | ||||||||
| 20°F1% of yrs | too rare for a date | ||||||||
| Low | 10% | 20% | 30% | 40% | 50% | 60% | 70% | 80% | 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Nov 4 | Nov 10 | Nov 13 | Nov 17 | Nov 20 | Nov 23 | Nov 26 | Nov 29 | Dec 5 |
| 32°F98% of yrs | Nov 19 | Nov 25 | Nov 29 | Dec 1 | Dec 5 | Dec 9 | Dec 12 | Dec 19 | Jan 1 |
| 28°F71% of yrs | Dec 1 | Dec 5 | Dec 9 | Dec 13 | Dec 18 | Dec 23 | Dec 31 | Jan 5 | Jan 16 |
| 24°F24% of yrs | too rare for a date | ||||||||
| 20°F1% of yrs | too rare for a date | ||||||||
Freeze probabilities 1991–2020 at Woodland 1 WNW, 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 95627 →Compare Esparto with another place →
Weather by month in Esparto
July is the warmest month at Woodland 1 WNW, CA, averaging 95°F by day and 58°F at night; January is the coldest at 56°F and 38°F. From April to October the chance of a 32°F night stays under 10% each month. In spring, February still brings one in 51% of years and March still brings one in 21% of years.
Warmth for growing adds up to 4,768 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 58% of the 283 California stations. 38% of them (1,823) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 823. Precipitation totals 20.5 inches a year, most in January (4.5") 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 | 56 | 38 | 4.5 | 81% | 3 | 20 |
| Feb | 62 | 41 | 4.2 | 51% | 1 | 72 |
| Mar | 68 | 44 | 2.8 | 21% | <1 | 191 |
| Apr | 74 | 47 | 1.3 | 2% | 0 | 316 |
| May | 82 | 52 | 0.7 | 0% | 0 | 529 |
| Jun | 90 | 57 | 0.2 | 0% | 0 | 696 |
| Jul | 95 | 58 | 0.0 | 0% | 0 | 823 |
| Aug | 94 | 57 | 0.0 | 0% | 0 | 800 |
| Sep | 90 | 56 | 0.2 | 0% | 0 | 691 |
| Oct | 80 | 50 | 0.8 | 0% | 0 | 467 |
| Nov | 65 | 43 | 2.0 | 35% | 1 | 143 |
| Dec | 56 | 38 | 3.8 | 84% | 5 | 22 |
Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Woodland 1 WNW, CA (67 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, Winters, CA, 15 miles south of Esparto, has a last frost 11 days later (February 18), a first frost 5 days earlier (November 30), a season 17 days shorter.
When it snows in Esparto, California
Measurable snow is rare here: only 0 of 25 winters from 1991 to 2020 recorded 0.1 inch or more at Woodland 1 WNW, CA, 11.9 miles away, so there is no typical first-snow date to plan around.
Planting calendar for 95627
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| November 29 – December 13 | Start peppers and aubergines indoorsThey need eight to ten weeks under lights before they can go out. |
| December 13 – December 27 | Start tomatoes indoorsSix to eight weeks gives a transplant big enough to set fruit early. |
| January 10 – January 24 | Sow peas, spinach, lettuce, radish outdoorsThese tolerate light frost and prefer to germinate in cool soil. |
| February 7 onward | Transplant tomatoes, peppers, basil, squash, cucumbersThe average last freeze has passed — still watch the actual forecast. |
| by September 12 | Sow the autumn crop of carrots, beets and brassicasThey need about twelve weeks to size up before growth stops. |
| by November 21 | Harvest tender crops, or be ready to cover themA first freeze two weeks early is well within normal variation. |
| December 5 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 95627 is 12 miles from Woodland 1 WNW, CA, which stands at 67 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. 2 other ZIP codes share the station; its figures are presented in full for 95695 (Woodland). The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 95627 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.