Frost dates for Salinas, California
In a typical year, Salinas’s last spring frost lands around Feb 4 and the first fall frost around Dec 6, a growing season of about 305 days. These are odds drawn from 30-year NOAA climate normals, not a promise. USDA zone 9b.
Right now the growing season is open, with about 42 days until the typical first fall frost.
| Odds | Last spring frost | First fall frost |
|---|---|---|
| 10 percent | Dec 25 | Nov 18 |
| 50 percent | Feb 4 | Dec 6 |
| 90 percent | Mar 11 | Jan 5 |
A 10 percent year is an early year, a 90 percent year a late one. Frost-sensitive planting usually waits for the 90 percent side of the last-frost band.
Soil in Salinas is typically around 60°F at 4 inches this time of year, estimated from the last two weeks of normal air temperatures.
Plantable now in Salinas
- Radish (Cherry Belle)
- Spinach (Space)
- Garlic (Music)
- Arugula (Astro)
- Shallot (French Red Shallot)
- Turnip (Hakurei)
- Mustard greens (Mizuna)
- Bok choy (Toy Choi)
Timing comes from the same temperature engine the app uses, run against Salinas’s normals for today.
Common questions
When is the last frost in Salinas, California?
Salinas’s last spring frost falls around February 4 in a typical year. One year in ten it is done by December 25, and one year in ten frost holds on until March 11. Frost-sensitive planting usually waits for the late side of that band.
When is the first fall frost in Salinas?
The first fall frost arrives around December 6 in a typical year, as early as November 18 in an early year and as late as January 5 in a late one.
How long is the growing season in Salinas?
About 305 days, counted between the typical last spring frost and the typical first fall frost.
What USDA zone is Salinas in?
Salinas is in USDA hardiness zone 9b under the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map.
Dates come from 30-year NOAA climate normals for the nearest reporting station. They describe odds, not a forecast.
Nearby cities
- San Jose, CA (around Jan 2 to Dec 25)
- Santa Clara, CA (around Jan 12 to Dec 22)
- Sunnyvale, CA (around Jan 6 to Dec 23)
- Fremont, CA (around Jan 7 to Dec 22)
- Hayward, CA (around Jan 2 to Dec 25)
Row & Bed is a plant reference built around your garden: your zone, your frost dates, your forecast, and a cited page for every variety in your beds.
Set up your garden