Skip to content

USDA Hardiness Zone 9a

Frost Dates for 98037 — Lynnwood, Washington

NOAA 1991–2020 normals from Everett Snohomish Airport, WA (606 ft), 4 miles north.

Updated

In Lynnwood, the last spring frost (32°F) is around March 9 in half of years and has passed by March 29 in nine years out of ten. The first fall frost comes around November 17, as early as October 31 one year in ten, leaving a typical freeze-free season of 250 days (NOAA, Everett Snohomish Airport, WA).

Last spring frost
March 9

50% probability

First fall frost
November 17

50% probability

Growing season
250 days

freeze-free, 50%

Hardiness zone
9a

20 to 25°F (-6.7 to -3.9°C) coldest night

First snow
Rare

median, 1991–2020

Last snow
Rare

median, 1991–2020

Winters with snow
16%

3 of 19 observed

Snow per year
—

NOAA normal

Frost risk by date in Lynnwood

Half of springs at Everett Snohomish Airport, WA see their last 32°F night by March 9; only one in ten is past it by February 15, and one in ten still has one after March 29. Planting tender crops after March 17 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after March 22 20%, and after March 29 10%. The 20 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is wider than at 52% of the 113 Washington stations behind this site's ZIP pages.

In fall the first 32°F night comes by November 17 in half of years, as early as October 31 one year in ten, and holds off past December 7 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 19 days later, around December 6; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is March 9, 20 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 250 days in a typical year, longer than at 92% of the 113 Washington stations; it reaches 285 days one year in ten and falls short of 224 one year in ten. On average 29 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 25 days longer, to about April 3, and return around November 2. Nights of 24°F, cold enough to damage hardier plants, come in 74% of winters and 16°F in 12%.

Spring: the chance of another night this cold after the date
Low90%80%70%60%50%40%30%20%10%
36°FMar 15Mar 23Mar 29Apr 1Apr 3Apr 7Apr 11Apr 17Apr 27
32°FFeb 15Feb 26Mar 2Mar 5Mar 9Mar 14Mar 17Mar 22Mar 29
28°F98% of yrsJan 1Jan 15Jan 28Feb 5Feb 13Feb 20Feb 25Mar 1Mar 9
24°F74% of yrsDec 6Dec 16Dec 31Jan 7Jan 17Jan 28Feb 4Feb 13Feb 24
20°F34% of yrstoo rare for a date
16°F12% 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 19Oct 24Oct 28Oct 30Nov 2Nov 6Nov 10Nov 14Nov 20
32°FOct 31Nov 6Nov 10Nov 13Nov 17Nov 21Nov 25Dec 1Dec 7
28°F98% of yrsNov 15Nov 22Nov 26Dec 1Dec 6Dec 11Dec 18Dec 28Jan 8
24°F74% of yrsNov 23Nov 30Dec 6Dec 12Dec 19Dec 29Jan 5Jan 19Feb 5
20°F34% of yrstoo rare for a date
16°F12% of yrstoo rare for a date

Freeze probabilities 1991–2020 at Everett Snohomish Airport, WA, 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 98037 →Compare Lynnwood with another place →

Weather by month in Lynnwood

August is the warmest month at Everett Snohomish Airport, WA, averaging 73°F by day and 55°F at night; December is the coldest at 45°F and 36°F. A freezing night is all but certain in every month from December to January (a 90% chance or more). From April to September the chance of a 32°F night stays under 10% each month. In spring, February still brings one in 89% of years and March still brings one in 71% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 1,771 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), fewer than at 67% of the 113 Washington stations. 28% of them (503) have built up by the end of June, and August adds the most, 440. Precipitation totals 33.4 inches a year, most in November (5.0") and least in July (0.8"); May to September bring 22% of it.

Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Everett Snohomish Airport, WA
MonthHigh °FLow °FPrecip. in32°F nightNights ≤ 32°FGDD 50°F
Jan46373.996%74
Feb48372.889%73
Mar52393.671%315
Apr56432.78%<147
May63482.10%0167
Jun66511.90%0268
Jul72550.80%0419
Aug73551.00%0440
Sep68521.70%0300
Oct58463.411%<193
Nov50405.076%314
Dec45364.599%82

Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Everett Snohomish Airport, WA (606 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, Everett, WA, 10 miles northeast of Lynnwood and 546 feet lower, has a last frost 15 days later (March 24), a first frost 15 days earlier (November 2), a season 27 days shorter.

Frost dates for 98270 (Marysville) →

When it snows in Lynnwood, Washington

Measurable snow is rare here: only 3 of 19 winters from 1991 to 2020 recorded 0.1 inch or more at Startup 1 E, WA, 26.3 miles away, so there is no typical first-snow date to plan around.

Planting calendar for 98037

What to do and when, from the 50% frost dates for Lynnwood, Washington
WhenWhat to do
December 29 – January 12Start peppers and aubergines indoorsThey need eight to ten weeks under lights before they can go out.
January 12 – January 26Start tomatoes indoorsSix to eight weeks gives a transplant big enough to set fruit early.
February 9 – February 23Sow peas, spinach, lettuce, radish outdoorsThese tolerate light frost and prefer to germinate in cool soil.
March 9 onwardTransplant tomatoes, peppers, basil, squash, cucumbersThe average last freeze has passed — still watch the actual forecast.
by August 25Sow the autumn crop of carrots, beets and brassicasThey need about twelve weeks to size up before growth stops.
by November 3Harvest tender crops, or be ready to cover themA first freeze two weeks early is well within normal variation.
November 17 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 98037 is 4 miles from Everett Snohomish Airport, WA, which stands at 606 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. 12 other ZIP codes share the station; its figures are presented in full for 98012 (Mill Creek). The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 98037 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 Washington →

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 9a places in Washington