Frost dates by state › California
California frost dates
Average last spring and first fall frost dates for California’s largest cities, with each city’s USDA hardiness zone.
Reviewed October 2026
Among California’s 20 largest cities, the average last spring frost ranges from Jan 1 in Fremont to Dec 30 in San Francisco. Elevation, distance from the coast and city heat all shift the date, so use your own ZIP code below for the closest match.
In Los Angeles, San Diego, Long Beach and Oakland, freezes are too rare to give a date, so plant by season rather than by frost date.
| City | Average last spring frost | Average first fall frost | Frost-free days | Hardiness zone | Weather station used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | Too rare to date | Too rare to date | – | 10b | Culver City, CA |
| San Diego | Too rare to date | Too rare to date | – | 10b | San Diego Montgomery Fld, CA |
| San Jose | Jan 2 | Dec 25 | 357 | 9b | San Jose, CA, 6 mi |
| San Francisco | Dec 30 | Dec 25 (next winter) | 360 | 10a | San Francisco Oceanside, CA, 29 mi |
| Fresno | Jan 14 | Dec 14 | 334 | 9b | Fresno Yosemite Intl Airport, CA, 4 mi |
| Sacramento | Jan 12 | Dec 16 | 338 | 9b | Sacramento 5 Ese, CA, 3 mi |
| Long Beach | Too rare to date | Too rare to date | – | 10a–10b | Long Beach Daugherty Fld, CA, 2 mi |
| Oakland | Too rare to date | Too rare to date | – | 9b–10a | Oakland Museum, CA, 3 mi |
| Bakersfield | Jan 31 | Dec 8 | 311 | 9b | Bakersfield 5 Nw, CA, 5 mi |
| Anaheim | Too rare to date | Too rare to date | – | 10a–10b | Anaheim, CA, 5 mi |
| Stockton | Feb 5 | Dec 8 | 306 | 9b | Stockton Fire Stn 4, CA, 2 mi |
| Riverside | Jan 9 | Dec 25 | 350 | 9b–10a | Riverside Fire Stn 3, CA |
| Irvine | Jan 5 | Dec 25 | 354 | 10a–10b | Tustin Irvine Rch, CA, 2 mi |
| Santa Ana | Too rare to date | Too rare to date | – | 10a–10b | Santa Ana Fire Stn, CA |
| Chula Vista | Too rare to date | Too rare to date | – | 10b | Chula Vista, CA, 4 mi |
| Santa Clarita | Jan 8 | Jan 1 (next winter) | 358 | 10a | Newhall 5Nw, CA, 6 mi |
| Fremont | Jan 1 | Dec 27 | 360 | 9b–10a | Newark, CA, 5 mi |
| San Bernardino | Jan 27 | Dec 19 | 326 | 10a | Redlands, CA, 9 mi |
| Modesto | Jan 31 | Dec 5 | 308 | 9b | Modesto City Co Airport, CA, 3 mi |
| Fontana | Jan 4 | Dec 30 | 360 | 10a | Ontario Intl Airport, CA, 9 mi |
Frost dates are the dates after (spring) or before (fall) which the chance of a 32°F freeze is below 50%, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals for the weather station nearest each city’s center. Zones are from the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map for the ZIP codes around each city; a range means nearby ZIP codes differ. Cities are the 20 largest by Census Bureau 2024 population estimates.
An average is not a guarantee. There’s still about a 1 in 2 chance of frost after the average last spring date. Many gardeners wait an extra week or two before setting out tomatoes, peppers and basil, and keep covers handy.
Planting dates for San Jose
Timed from San Jose’s average last frost of Jan 2, using University of New Hampshire Extension’s planting guidance. For your exact dates, enter your ZIP code in the calendar below.
| Crop | Start seeds indoors | Plant outside |
|---|---|---|
| Tomatoes | Nov 14 to Nov 28 | Jan 9 to Jan 16 |
| Peppers | Nov 7 to Nov 21 | Jan 16 |
| Lettuce | Oct 31 to Nov 7 | Dec 5 to Dec 12 |
| Broccoli | Oct 24 to Nov 7 | Dec 5 to Dec 19 |
| Cucumbers | Dec 12 to Dec 19 | Jan 9 to Jan 16 |
| Basil | Nov 21 to Dec 5 | Jan 16 |
When to plant, for your garden
Your seed-starting and planting dates, timed from your last spring frost. Full calendar, 12 crops.
Enter your ZIP code to look up your average last frost date and hardiness zone, or type the date in yourself.
Frost dates: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020. Hardiness zones: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, 2023, ZIP code data from PRISM Group, Oregon State University, prism.oregonstate.edu, accessed Oct. 20, 2026.
More about frost dates
How to find your last frost date, and what your zone means · Full planting calendar · How to start seeds indoors
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