Fall in zone 5aPhoto: Dietmar Rabich, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Frost dates for ZIP 80479 (Routt County, CO)
Average last spring and first fall frost dates with 10%, 50% and 90% odds, from NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the nearest weather station, Yampa, CO (12 miles away).
- Average last spring frostJun 1450% chance of a 32°F freeze after this date
- Average first fall frostSep 1150% chance of a 32°F freeze by this date
- Growing season (frost-free)89 daysmedian, 32°F threshold
- USDA hardiness zone5a-20 to -15°F avg. coldest night
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Frost and freeze alerts from the NWS forecast for 80479, the spring soil-temperature heads-up for pre-emergent, and a short weekly yard-timing email.
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This week in your yard
As of Oct 18, 2026, from your frost dates, zone and soil temperature. Lawn timing · Vegetables · Pruning · Plants
Soil temperature now
2-inch depth
No soil station with a fresh reading within 62 miles.
4-inch depth
No soil station with a fresh reading within 62 miles.
Fall: Texas A&M AgriLife times fall pre-emergent (for winter weeds such as annual bluegrass) to soil cooling to about 70°F for several days. The 50–55°F band is the spring trigger. Always read and follow the product label.
7-day forecast and frost risk
The latest National Weather Service 7-day forecast and any Frost Advisory or Freeze Warning for 80479 load here. You can also open the NWS forecast for this ZIP.
Pre-emergent
No soil reading near this ZIP. Typical extension timing for your region: spring mid-April to mid-May.
Fertilizer window
Lawn region: Mountain West and High Plains. Timing only; always follow the product label.
- Kentucky bluegrass (cool-season): Early fall: Around Labor Day (late August–September); Late fall: Late October–November, before the ground freezes; Late spring: Optional around Memorial Day. Avoid: Early-spring and midsummer feeding (pushes top growth, favors crabgrass).
Plant now
No vegetable planting windows are open this week.
Prune now
No frost-timed pruning windows are open this week.
Spring-flowering shrubs are pruned right after their flowers fade, not by date. See the pruning guide.
Last spring frost odds
| Chance of a 32°F freeze after this date | Date |
|---|---|
| 90% (early: most years still freeze after this) | Jun 1 |
| 50% (the "average" last frost) | Jun 14 |
| 10% (cautious: only 1 year in 10 freezes later) | Jun 28 |
Most gardeners plant frost-tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, basil) after the 50% date, and closer to the 10% date for less risk.
First fall frost odds
| Chance the first 32°F freeze has happened by this date | Date |
|---|---|
| 10% (early: 1 year in 10 freezes this soon) | Aug 29 |
| 50% (the "average" first frost) | Sep 11 |
| 90% (late: most years have frozen by now) | Sep 23 |
Light frost, freeze and hard freeze
| Threshold | Last spring (50%) | First fall (50%) |
|---|---|---|
| 36°F (light frost possible on clear, calm nights) | n/a | n/a |
| 32°F (freeze) | Jun 14 | Sep 11 |
| 28°F (hard freeze) | May 31 | Sep 20 |
n/a means NOAA did not publish a date at that threshold for this station (usually because it rarely gets that cold).
Vegetable planting calendar for 80479
Dates count from your average last spring frost (Jun 14) and first fall frost (Sep 11). Half of years have a frost after the spring date, so give tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, squash) some slack.
| Crop | Start indoors | Spring planting | Fall planting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Apr 19–May 3 | Jun 21–Jul 5 (transplant) | – |
| Pepper (sweet and hot) | Apr 5–19 | Jun 28–Jul 12 (transplant) | – |
| Eggplant | Apr 5–19 | Jun 28–Jul 12 (transplant) | – |
| Tomatillo | Apr 19–May 3 | Jun 21–Jul 5 (transplant) | – |
| Lettuce | Apr 19–May 3 | May 24–Jun 14 (transplant) May 17–Jun 28 (sow outdoors) | Jul 17–Aug 7 (transplant) Jul 3–31 (sowing) |
| Spinach | – | May 3–24 (sow outdoors) | Jul 17–Aug 7 (sowing) |
| Kale | Apr 19–May 3 | May 17–31 (transplant) May 17–31 (sow outdoors) | Jun 19–Jul 17 (transplant) Jun 5–Jul 3 (sowing) |
| Collards | Apr 19–May 3 | May 17–Jun 14 (transplant) May 17–Jun 14 (sow outdoors) | Jun 19–Jul 17 (transplant) |
| Broccoli | Apr 5–19 | May 17–31 (transplant) | Jun 5–Jul 3 (transplant) |
| Cabbage | Apr 5–19 | May 17–31 (transplant) | Jun 5–Jul 3 (transplant) |
| Cauliflower | Apr 5–19 | May 31–Jun 14 (transplant) | – |
| Brussels sprouts | Mar 22–Apr 5 | May 17–31 (transplant) | – |
| Kohlrabi | Apr 19–May 3 | May 17–31 (transplant) May 17–31 (sow outdoors) | Jul 3–17 (sowing) |
| Bok choy / Asian greens | – | May 17–31 (sow outdoors) | Jul 17–31 (sowing) |
| Arugula | – | May 17–Jun 14 (sow outdoors) | Jul 17–Aug 14 (sowing) |
| Mustard greens | – | May 17–Jun 7 (sow outdoors) | Jul 17–31 (sowing) |
| Swiss chard | May 3–17 | May 31–Jun 21 (transplant) May 31–Jun 28 (sow outdoors) | Jul 3–17 (sowing) |
| Beet | – | May 17–Jun 14 (sow outdoors) | Jul 3–17 (sowing) |
| Carrot | – | May 24–Jun 21 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Radish | – | May 10–Jun 21 (sow outdoors) | Jul 31–Aug 14 (sowing) |
| Turnip | – | May 17–Jun 7 (sow outdoors) | Jul 3–17 (sowing) |
| Parsnip | – | May 24–Jun 14 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pea (garden, snap, snow) | – | Apr 19–May 17 (sow outdoors) | Jun 19–Jul 3 (sowing) |
| Onion (bulbing) | Mar 22–Apr 5 | May 3–17 (transplant) | – |
| Green onion / scallion | – | May 3–31 (sow outdoors) | Jul 3–17 (sowing) |
| Leek | Mar 22–Apr 5 | May 17–31 (transplant) | – |
| Garlic | – | – | Jul 31–Aug 28 (sowing) |
| Shallot | – | May 3–17 (transplant) | Jul 31–Aug 28 (sowing) |
| Potato | – | May 17–31 (transplant) | – |
| Sweet potato | – | Jul 5–19 (transplant) | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Jun 21–Jul 5 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, bush (snap) | – | Jun 21–Jul 5 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, pole | – | Jun 21–Jul 5 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Lima bean | – | Jun 28–Jul 12 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Southern pea (cowpea, black-eyed pea) | – | Jul 5–26 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cucumber | May 17–24 | Jun 21–Jul 5 (transplant) Jun 21–Jul 5 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Summer squash / zucchini | May 17–24 | Jun 21–Jul 5 (transplant) Jun 21–Jul 5 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Winter squash | May 17–24 | Jun 21–Jul 5 (transplant) Jun 21–Jul 5 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pumpkin | – | Jun 21–Jul 5 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Watermelon | May 17–24 | Jun 28–Jul 12 (transplant) Jun 28–Jul 12 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cantaloupe / muskmelon | May 17–24 | Jun 28–Jul 12 (transplant) Jun 28–Jul 12 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Okra | May 3–17 | Jun 28–Jul 12 (transplant) Jun 28–Jul 12 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Celery | Mar 22–Apr 5 | Jun 21–28 (transplant) | – |
| Basil | May 3–17 | Jun 21–Jul 5 (transplant) Jun 21–Jul 5 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cilantro | – | May 31–Jun 28 (sow outdoors) | Jul 17–31 (sowing) |
| Parsley | Apr 5–19 | May 31–Jun 14 (transplant) May 24–Jun 14 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Dill | – | Jun 14–28 (sow outdoors) | Jul 17–31 (sowing) |
| Sunflower | – | Jun 14–28 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Asparagus (crowns) | – | May 17–31 (transplant) | – |
| Rhubarb (crowns) | – | May 17–31 (transplant) | – |
| Strawberry (plants) | – | May 17–31 (transplant) | Jul 3–31 (transplant) |
Typical ranges from university extension planting calendars, adjusted to your frost dates. Probabilities, not guarantees. Fall windows that would overlap spring planting are left out, as are fall crops of frost-tender plants where the frost-free season is under 210 days.
Plants that do well here
Colorado has a university or garden plant program: Plant Select®. Plant frost-tender annuals after June 14 here (the average last frost). Not affiliated with the program.
Where these numbers come from
Station: Yampa, CO (NOAA GHCN-Daily ID USC00059265), elevation 7,857 ft, 11.8 miles from the ZIP's center point. NOAA completeness flag: R (representative, 10+ years).
Nearby stations
| Station | Distance | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kremmling, CO | 26 mi | Jun 14 | Sep 5 |
| Green Mt Dam, CO | 28 mi | Jun 6 | Sep 14 |
| Williams Fork Dam, CO | 34 mi | Jun 12 | Sep 10 |
The average last-frost dates of these stations span 8 days, a rough guide to local variation. See data sources & methods.
Frost questions for 80479
When is the last frost in 80479?
The average (50% chance) last spring freeze of 32°F for ZIP 80479 is June 14. For a more cautious planting date, use June 28, when only 1 year in 10 still sees a later freeze.
When is the first frost in 80479?
The average first fall freeze is September 11. In 1 year in 10 it comes by August 29.
What hardiness zone is 80479?
ZIP 80479 is in USDA zone 5a (-20 to -15°F average coldest winter night), per the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP listing.
What is the soil temperature in 80479 right now?
This page shows the latest 2-inch and 4-inch soil temperature from the nearest public soil station (USDA SCAN, NOAA USCRN or TexMesonet), or a labeled estimate when no station is close, against the 50–55°F spring pre-emergent band.
Nearby ZIP codes
80463 McCoy 80483 Yampa 80426 80467 Oak Creek 80469 Phippsburg 80423 81655 Wolcott 81637 Gypsum
Other ZIP codes in Routt County
80428 80463 80467 80469 80483 80487 81639 81653 All Routt County frost dates · Colorado frost dates
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Weekly yard timing, plus frost and soil-temperature alerts for your ZIP code.
- Freeze alerts
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Free. One weekly email plus alerts when your ZIP has a frost or a soil-temperature change worth acting on. After you submit, Kit (our email provider) sends a confirmation email: check your email and click the link to confirm. You aren't subscribed until you do. We collect only your email address and ZIP, sent to Kit to deliver The Dial. Unsubscribe anytime.