Frost Dates for 98801 — Wenatchee, Washington

Half of springs at Wenatchee, WA see their last 32°F night by April 4; only one in ten is past it by March 17, and one in ten still has one after April 19. Planting tender crops after April 10 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after April 14 20%, and after April 19 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 28 in half of years, as early as October 17 one year in ten, and holds off past November 11 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 13 days later, around November 10; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is April 2, 17 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 208 days in a typical year, longer than at 65% of the 113 Washington stations; it reaches 229 days one year in ten and falls short of 188 one year in ten. On average 105 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 21, and return around October 17. Nights of 24°F, cold enough to damage hardier plants, come in 100% of winters and 16°F in 88%.

July is the warmest month at Wenatchee, WA, averaging 89°F by day and 62°F at night; January is the coldest at 36°F and 26°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 62% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 3,152 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 95% of the 113 Washington stations. 32% of them (1,000) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 792. Precipitation totals 9.0 inches a year, most in December (1.6") and least in July (0.2"); May to September bring 22% of it.

The nearest other station, Leavenworth 3 S, WA, 19 miles northwest of Wenatchee and 502 feet higher, has a last frost 36 days later (May 10), a first frost 28 days earlier (September 30), a season 66 days shorter.

The first measurable snow (0.1 inch or more) in Wenatchee usually arrives around December 2, and the last of the season around February 6. Those are the middle dates across the winters of 1991–2020 at Wenatchee, WA, 0.9 miles away: half of years saw snow earlier, half later. Every one of those winters saw snow. The last 32°F night of spring typically comes 57 days after the last snow.

ZIP 98801 is under a mile from Wenatchee, WA, which stands at 626 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. 1 other ZIP code shares the station. The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 98801 in zone 7a, the band where the coldest night of the year averaged 0 to 5°F (-17.8 to -15.0°C) over 1991–2020; a zone describes winter lows, not frost dates.