USDA Hardiness Zone 8b

Frost Dates for 98584 — Shelton, Washington

NOAA 1991–2020 normals from Shelton Sanderson Field, WA (271 ft), 2 miles northwest.

Updated October 28, 2026

In Shelton, the last spring frost (32°F) is around April 27 in half of years and has passed by May 12 in nine years out of ten. The first fall frost comes around October 16, as early as October 1 one year in ten, leaving a typical freeze-free season of 175 days (NOAA, Shelton Sanderson Field, WA).

Last spring frost: April 27
First fall frost: October 16
Growing season: 175 days
Hardiness zone: 8b

First snow: Rare
Last snow: Rare
Winters with snow: 47%
Snow per year: 4.4"

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Frost risk by date in Shelton

Half of springs at Shelton Sanderson Field, WA see their last 32°F night by April 27; only one in ten is past it by April 6, and one in ten still has one after May 12. Planting tender crops after May 3 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after May 7 20%, and after May 12 10%. The 15 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is narrower than at 81% of the 113 Washington stations behind this site's ZIP pages.

In fall the first 32°F night comes by October 16 in half of years, as early as October 1 one year in ten, and holds off past November 7 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 19 days later, around November 4; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is April 25, 17 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 175 days in a typical year, shorter than at 65% of the 113 Washington stations; it reaches 200 days one year in ten and falls short of 150 one year in ten. On average 79 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 15 days longer, to about May 12, and return around October 1. Nights of 24°F, cold enough to damage hardier plants, come in 99% of winters and 16°F in 48%.

Spring: the chance of another night this cold after the date
Low	90%	80%	70%	60%	50%	40%	30%	20%	10%
36°F	Apr 28	May 1	May 5	May 8	May 12	May 15	May 19	May 23	May 29
32°F	Apr 6	Apr 14	Apr 19	Apr 24	Apr 27	Apr 30	May 3	May 7	May 12
28°F	Mar 3	Mar 12	Mar 19	Mar 25	Mar 29	Apr 2	Apr 9	Apr 17	Apr 25
24°F99% of yrs	Jan 16	Feb 6	Feb 16	Feb 21	Feb 25	Mar 1	Mar 8	Mar 17	Mar 26
20°F84% of yrs	Dec 4	Dec 17	Jan 2	Jan 13	Jan 28	Feb 7	Feb 15	Feb 23	Feb 28
16°F48% of yrs	too rare for a date

Fall: the chance the first night this cold has come by the date
Low	10%	20%	30%	40%	50%	60%	70%	80%	90%
36°F	Sep 16	Sep 22	Sep 26	Sep 29	Oct 1	Oct 4	Oct 7	Oct 11	Oct 18
32°F	Oct 1	Oct 4	Oct 6	Oct 11	Oct 16	Oct 19	Oct 25	Oct 31	Nov 7
28°F	Oct 12	Oct 18	Oct 24	Oct 31	Nov 4	Nov 9	Nov 15	Nov 22	Nov 29
24°F99% of yrs	Oct 29	Nov 5	Nov 12	Nov 18	Nov 24	Nov 30	Dec 7	Dec 19	Jan 3
20°F84% of yrs	Nov 8	Nov 19	Nov 28	Dec 4	Dec 11	Dec 20	Dec 30	Jan 15	Feb 9
16°F48% of yrs	too rare for a date

Freeze probabilities 1991–2020 at Shelton Sanderson Field, 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 98584 →Compare Shelton with another place →

Frost risk through the year in Shelton

Frost curve for Shelton, Washington (Shelton Sanderson Field, WA, NOAA 1991–2020): the chance of another 32°F night falls from 90% on April 6 to 50% on April 27 and 10% on May 12; the chance that the first fall one has come rises from 10% on October 1 to 50% on October 16 and 90% on November 7. — In Shelton, the spring curve drops under 10% on May 12 and the fall curve passes 10% on October 1, 142 days later; that gap is shorter than at 65% of the 113 Washington stations with frost dates. The spring risk falls from 90% to 10% over 36 days (April 6 to May 12) and the fall risk climbs from 10% to 90% over 37 days (October 1 to November 7): both ends of the season vary about as much. At Cushman Powerhouse #2, WA, 10 miles north, the same gap runs from April 17 to October 25, 49 days longer.

Chance of a frost after each planting date in Shelton
Planted on	Another 32°F night	28°F night
Apr 13	81%	25%
Apr 20	68%	16%
Apr 2750% date	50%	under 10%
May 4	28%	under 10%
May 11	12%	under 10%
May 18	under 10%	under 10%

Weather by month in Shelton

August is the warmest month at Shelton Sanderson Field, WA, averaging 79°F by day and 52°F at night; December is the coldest at 46°F and 33°F. A freezing night is all but certain in every month from November to April (a 90% chance or more). From June to September the chance of a 32°F night stays under 10% each month. In spring, May still brings one in 39% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 1,907 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), fewer than at 56% of the 113 Washington stations. 28% of them (541) have built up by the end of June, and August adds the most, 476. Precipitation totals 67.9 inches a year, most in November (11.6") and least in July (0.7"); May to September bring 13% of it.

Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Shelton Sanderson Field, WA
Month	High °F	Low °F	Precip. in	32°F night	Nights ≤ 32°F	GDD 50°F
Jan	47	34	11.1	100%	13	2
Feb	50	33	6.7	100%	15	2
Mar	55	35	7.2	100%	13	12
Apr	60	38	4.9	91%	7	45
May	67	44	2.6	39%	2	178
Jun	72	49	1.5	0%	0	302
Jul	78	52	0.7	0%	0	468
Aug	79	52	1.2	0%	0	476
Sep	74	48	2.5	8%	<1	316
Oct	62	41	7.0	78%	5	89
Nov	52	36	11.6	98%	11	14
Dec	46	33	10.9	100%	14	2

Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Shelton Sanderson Field, WA (271 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, Cushman Powerhouse #2, WA, 10 miles north of Shelton and 250 feet lower, has a last frost 34 days earlier (March 24), a first frost 30 days later (November 15), a season 60 days longer.

Frost dates for 98548 (Hoodsport) →

When it snows in Shelton, Washington

Measurable snow is rare here: only 9 of 19 winters from 1991 to 2020 recorded 0.1 inch or more at Cushman Powerhouse #2, WA, 10.4 miles away, so there is no typical first-snow date to plan around.

Planting calendar for 98584

What to do and when, from the 50% frost dates for Shelton, Washington
When	What to do
February 16 – March 2	Start peppers and aubergines indoorsThey need eight to ten weeks under lights before they can go out.
March 2 – March 16	Start tomatoes indoorsSix to eight weeks gives a transplant big enough to set fruit early.
March 30 – April 13	Sow peas, spinach, lettuce, radish outdoorsThese tolerate light frost and prefer to germinate in cool soil.
April 27 onward	Transplant tomatoes, peppers, basil, squash, cucumbersThe average last freeze has passed — still watch the actual forecast.
by July 24	Sow the autumn crop of carrots, beets and brassicasThey need about twelve weeks to size up before growth stops.
by October 2	Harvest tender crops, or be ready to cover themA first freeze two weeks early is well within normal variation.
October 16 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 98584 is 2 miles from Shelton Sanderson Field, WA, which stands at 271 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 98584 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.