Sacramento, California frost dates
Frost risk by date
| Chance of frost | Spring: frost after | Fall: frost before |
|---|---|---|
| 90% | January 10 | December 21 |
| 70% | February 4 | December 1 |
| 50% | February 22 | November 24 |
| 30% | March 5 | November 17 |
| 10% | April 1 | November 9 |
Read the spring column like this: there is a 10% chance of a 32°F freeze after April 1. These are NOAA probabilities for the Sacramento Metro Airport weather station (USW00093225, elevation 7 m), 1991–2020.
Sacramento vegetable planting calendar
Dates count from the 50% last-frost date (February 22). For tomatoes, peppers and other frost-tender crops, waiting until the 10% date (Apr 1) is the cautious choice.
| Crop | Start seeds indoors | Plant out |
|---|---|---|
| Beans | Feb 1 | Mar 1 (usually sown directly in the garden) |
| Broccoli | Dec 14 | Jan 25 |
| Brussels sprouts | Dec 14 | Jan 25 |
| Cabbage | Dec 7 | Jan 18 |
| Cauliflower | Dec 28 | Feb 8 |
| Sweet corn | Jan 25 | Feb 22 (usually sown directly in the garden) |
| Cucumbers | Feb 8 | Mar 1 |
| Kale | Dec 7 | Jan 18 |
| Leeks | Nov 9 | Jan 18 |
| Lettuce | Jan 4 | Feb 8 |
| Melons | Feb 15 | Mar 8 |
| Onions | Nov 2 | Jan 11 (from seed; sets and transplants go out at the same time) |
| Peas | Dec 28 | Jan 25 (usually sown directly in the garden) |
| Peppers | Jan 11 | Mar 8 |
| Squash | Feb 15 | Mar 8 |
| Tomatoes | Dec 28 | Feb 22 |
Offsets from Oregon State University Extension's seed-starting table. "Plant out" means transplant, or sow directly for crops usually grown from seed.
Fall frost and season extension
The first fall freeze usually arrives around November 24. There's a 1-in-10 chance it comes before November 9. Harvest tender crops such as basil, tomatoes, peppers and squash before then, or cover them on cold nights. Cool-season crops like kale, cabbage and Brussels sprouts handle light frost, and often taste sweeter after it. A hard freeze (28°F) typically comes around December 10.
Nearby cities
| City | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco, CA | Dec 29 | Dec 26 | ~137 km |
| San Jose, CA | Jan 12 | Dec 22 | ~151 km |
| Reno, NV | Apr 20 | Oct 23 | ~180 km |
| Fresno, CA | Jan 14 | Dec 14 | ~267 km |
| Bakersfield, CA | Jan 17 | Dec 15 | ~423 km |
| Medford, OR | Apr 8 | Oct 29 | ~424 km |