Frost Dates for 98635 — Lyle, Washington

Half of springs at The Dalles Municipal Airport, WA see their last 32°F night by April 11; only one in ten is past it by March 24, and one in ten still has one after April 28. Planting tender crops after April 19 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after April 24 20%, and after April 28 10%. The 17 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is narrower than at 66% of the 113 Washington stations behind this site's ZIP pages.

In fall the first 32°F night comes by October 26 in half of years, as early as October 9 one year in ten, and holds off past November 10 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 12 days later, around November 7; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is April 9, 19 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 197 days in a typical year, longer than at 56% of the 113 Washington stations; it reaches 220 days one year in ten and falls short of 173 one year in ten. On average 72 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 17 days longer, to about April 28, and return around October 13. Nights of 24°F, cold enough to damage hardier plants, come in 100% of winters and 16°F in 72%.

July is the warmest month at The Dalles Municipal Airport, WA, averaging 88°F by day and 61°F at night; December is the coldest at 41°F and 31°F. A freezing night is all but certain in every month from November to March (a 90% chance or more). From May to September the chance of a 32°F night stays under 10% each month. In spring, April still brings one in 74% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 3,192 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 96% of the 113 Washington stations. 32% of them (1,014) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 766. Precipitation totals 13.8 inches a year, most in December (2.7") and least in July (0.2"); May to September bring 14% of it.

The nearest other station, The Dalles, OR, 8 miles south of Lyle, has a last frost 3 days later (April 14), a first frost 3 days earlier (October 23), a season 6 days shorter.

The first measurable snow (0.1 inch or more) in Lyle usually arrives around December 15, and the last of the season around January 28. Those are the middle dates across the winters of 1991–2020 at The Dalles, OR, 8.3 miles away: half of years saw snow earlier, half later. Snow fell in 81% of those winters. The last 32°F night of spring typically comes 73 days after the last snow.

ZIP 98635 is 8 miles from The Dalles Municipal Airport, WA, which stands at 235 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 98635 in zone 7b, the band where the coldest night of the year averaged 5 to 10°F (-15.0 to -12.2°C) over 1991–2020; a zone describes winter lows, not frost dates.