Yakima, Washington frost dates
Frost risk by date
| Chance of frost | Spring: frost after | Fall: frost before |
|---|---|---|
| 90% | April 24 | October 17 |
| 70% | April 30 | October 9 |
| 50% | May 8 | October 4 |
| 30% | May 15 | September 30 |
| 10% | May 27 | September 23 |
Read the spring column like this: there is a 10% chance of a 32°F freeze after May 27. These are NOAA probabilities for the Yakima Air Terminal weather station (USW00024243, elevation 324 m), 1991–2020.
Yakima vegetable planting calendar
Dates count from the 50% last-frost date (May 8). For tomatoes, peppers and other frost-tender crops, waiting until the 10% date (May 27) is the cautious choice.
| Crop | Start seeds indoors | Plant out |
|---|---|---|
| Beans | Apr 17 | May 15 (usually sown directly in the garden) |
| Broccoli | Feb 27 | Apr 10 |
| Brussels sprouts | Feb 27 | Apr 10 |
| Cabbage | Feb 20 | Apr 3 |
| Cauliflower | Mar 13 | Apr 24 |
| Sweet corn | Apr 10 | May 8 (usually sown directly in the garden) |
| Cucumbers | Apr 24 | May 15 |
| Kale | Feb 20 | Apr 3 |
| Leeks | Jan 23 | Apr 3 |
| Lettuce | Mar 20 | Apr 24 |
| Melons | May 1 | May 22 |
| Onions | Jan 16 | Mar 27 (from seed; sets and transplants go out at the same time) |
| Peas | Mar 13 | Apr 10 (usually sown directly in the garden) |
| Peppers | Mar 27 | May 22 |
| Squash | May 1 | May 22 |
| Tomatoes | Mar 13 | May 8 |
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 October 4. There's a 1-in-10 chance it comes before September 23. 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 October 16.
Nearby cities
| City | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle, WA | Mar 2 | Nov 23 | ~167 km |
| Portland, OR | Mar 13 | Nov 19 | ~191 km |
| Spokane, WA | Apr 26 | Oct 12 | ~258 km |
| Eugene, OR | Apr 11 | Oct 23 | ~339 km |
| Boise, ID | Apr 24 | Oct 21 | ~468 km |
| Missoula, MT | May 16 | Sep 26 | ~494 km |