USDA Hardiness Zone 8b
Frost Dates for 98249 — Freeland, Washington
NOAA 1991–2020 normals from Port Townsend, WA (100 ft), 12 miles northwest.
Updated
In Freeland, the last spring frost (32°F) is around March 1 in half of years and has passed by March 23 in nine years out of ten. The first fall frost comes around November 28, as early as November 9 one year in ten, leaving a typical freeze-free season of 274 days (NOAA, Port Townsend, WA).
- Last spring frost
- March 1
- First fall frost
- November 28
- Growing season
- 274 days
- Hardiness zone
- 8b
50% probability
50% probability
freeze-free, 50%
15 to 20°F (-9.4 to -6.7°C) coldest night
- First snow
- Rare
- Last snow
- Rare
- Winters with snow
- 19%
- Snow per year
- 0.6"
median, 1991–2020
median, 1991–2020
3 of 16 observed
NOAA normal
Frost risk by date in Freeland
Half of springs at Port Townsend, WA see their last 32°F night by March 1; only one in ten is past it by February 3, and one in ten still has one after March 23. Planting tender crops after March 10 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after March 15 20%, and after March 23 10%. The 22 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is wider than at 71% of the 113 Washington 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 November 28 in half of years, as early as November 9 one year in ten, and holds off past December 26 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 21 days later, around December 19; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is March 3, 20 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 274 days in a typical year, longer than at 99% of the 113 Washington stations; it reaches 309 days one year in ten and falls short of 243 one year in ten. On average 14 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 30 days longer, to about March 31, and return around November 9. A 24°F night is unusual: 46% of winters had one.
| Low | 90% | 80% | 70% | 60% | 50% | 40% | 30% | 20% | 10% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Mar 10 | Mar 18 | Mar 23 | Mar 28 | Mar 31 | Apr 3 | Apr 9 | Apr 16 | Apr 26 |
| 32°F | Feb 3 | Feb 15 | Feb 21 | Feb 26 | Mar 1 | Mar 6 | Mar 10 | Mar 15 | Mar 23 |
| 28°F88% of yrs | Dec 14 | Jan 2 | Jan 11 | Jan 21 | Feb 1 | Feb 11 | Feb 18 | Feb 24 | Mar 3 |
| 24°F46% of yrs | too rare for a date | ||||||||
| 20°F13% of yrs | too rare for a date | ||||||||
| 16°F1% of yrs | too rare for a date | ||||||||
| Low | 10% | 20% | 30% | 40% | 50% | 60% | 70% | 80% | 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Oct 19 | Oct 27 | Nov 1 | Nov 5 | Nov 9 | Nov 13 | Nov 16 | Nov 21 | Nov 26 |
| 32°F | Nov 9 | Nov 14 | Nov 19 | Nov 23 | Nov 28 | Dec 1 | Dec 9 | Dec 17 | Dec 26 |
| 28°F88% of yrs | Nov 20 | Nov 28 | Dec 3 | Dec 11 | Dec 19 | Dec 27 | Jan 3 | Jan 15 | Feb 6 |
| 24°F46% of yrs | too rare for a date | ||||||||
| 20°F13% of yrs | too rare for a date | ||||||||
| 16°F1% of yrs | too rare for a date | ||||||||
Freeze probabilities 1991–2020 at Port Townsend, 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 98249 →Compare Freeland with another place →
Weather by month in Freeland
August is the warmest month at Port Townsend, WA, averaging 73°F by day and 54°F at night; December is the coldest at 45°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 81% of years and March still brings one in 49% of years.
Warmth for growing adds up to 1,712 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), fewer than at 79% of the 113 Washington stations. 30% of them (515) have built up by the end of June, and August adds the most, 412. Precipitation totals 19.0 inches a year, most in December (2.6") and least in August (0.5"); May to September bring 27% of it.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | 32°F night | Nights ≤ 32°F | GDD 50°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 46 | 38 | 2.2 | 84% | 5 | 2 |
| Feb | 49 | 38 | 1.6 | 81% | 3 | 2 |
| Mar | 52 | 40 | 1.9 | 49% | 2 | 11 |
| Apr | 58 | 43 | 1.5 | 4% | <1 | 51 |
| May | 63 | 47 | 1.5 | 0% | 0 | 165 |
| Jun | 68 | 51 | 1.4 | 0% | 0 | 284 |
| Jul | 73 | 53 | 0.7 | 0% | 0 | 397 |
| Aug | 73 | 54 | 0.5 | 0% | 0 | 412 |
| Sep | 68 | 51 | 1.1 | 0% | 0 | 285 |
| Oct | 58 | 46 | 1.6 | 2% | <1 | 93 |
| Nov | 50 | 41 | 2.4 | 55% | 1 | 9 |
| Dec | 45 | 38 | 2.6 | 86% | 4 | 1 |
Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Port Townsend, WA (100 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, Coupeville 1 S, WA, 14 miles northwest of Freeland, has a last frost 16 days later (March 17), a first frost 17 days earlier (November 11), a season 37 days shorter.
When it snows in Freeland, Washington
Measurable snow is rare here: only 3 of 16 winters from 1991 to 2020 recorded 0.1 inch or more at Port Townsend, WA, 11.7 miles away, so there is no typical first-snow date to plan around.
Planting calendar for 98249
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| December 21 – January 4 | Start peppers and aubergines indoorsThey need eight to ten weeks under lights before they can go out. |
| January 4 – January 18 | Start tomatoes indoorsSix to eight weeks gives a transplant big enough to set fruit early. |
| February 1 – February 15 | Sow peas, spinach, lettuce, radish outdoorsThese tolerate light frost and prefer to germinate in cool soil. |
| March 1 onward | Transplant tomatoes, peppers, basil, squash, cucumbersThe average last freeze has passed — still watch the actual forecast. |
| by September 5 | Sow the autumn crop of carrots, beets and brassicasThey need about twelve weeks to size up before growth stops. |
| by November 14 | Harvest tender crops, or be ready to cover themA first freeze two weeks early is well within normal variation. |
| November 28 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 98249 is 12 miles from Port Townsend, WA, which stands at 100 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. 3 other ZIP codes share the station; its figures are presented in full for 98368 (Port Townsend). The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 98249 in zone 8b, the band where the coldest night of the year averaged 15 to 20°F (-9.4 to -6.7°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.