Fall in zone 8bPhoto: George Chernilevsky, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Frost dates for ZIP 98274 (Big Lake, WA)
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, Sedro-woolley, WA (11 miles away).
- Average last spring frostMar 2750% chance of a 32°F freeze after this date
- Average first fall frostNov 650% chance of a 32°F freeze by this date
- Growing season (frost-free)224 daysmedian, 32°F threshold
- USDA hardiness zone8b15 to 20°F avg. coldest night
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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
50°F 50–55°F
24-hour average · latest 50°F, as of Oct 18, 1:00 AM CDT
Estimate Not a measurement at this ZIP: distance-weighted average of Darrington 21 NNE (34 mi).
4-inch depth
50°F 50–55°F
24-hour average · latest 50°F, as of Oct 18, 1:00 AM CDT
Estimate Not a measurement at this ZIP: distance-weighted average of Darrington 21 NNE (34 mi).
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 98274 load here. You can also open the NWS forecast for this ZIP.
Pre-emergent
Soil is 50°F at 4 inches (estimated soil temperature, not a station reading). Fall pre-emergent window is mostly past. Next: spring, when soil reaches 50°F (typically March to April).
Fertilizer window
Lawn region: Pacific Northwest (west of the Cascades). Timing only; always follow the product label.
- Perennial ryegrass (cool-season): Early fall: September; Late fall: October–November; Overseeded Bermuda: Light feeding once the winter rye is established, if needed. Avoid: Summer feeding.
Plant now
Prune now
No frost-timed pruning windows are open this week.
Your average first frost is Nov 6: skip heavy pruning in the 6–8 weeks before it, because new growth may not harden off in time.
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) | Mar 8 |
| 50% (the "average" last frost) | Mar 27 |
| 10% (cautious: only 1 year in 10 freezes later) | Apr 17 |
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) | Oct 15 |
| 50% (the "average" first frost) | Nov 6 |
| 90% (late: most years have frozen by now) | Nov 28 |
Light frost, freeze and hard freeze
| Threshold | Last spring (50%) | First fall (50%) |
|---|---|---|
| 36°F (light frost possible on clear, calm nights) | Apr 22 | Oct 17 |
| 32°F (freeze) | Mar 27 | Nov 6 |
| 28°F (hard freeze) | Mar 1 | Nov 24 |
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 98274
Dates count from your average last spring frost (Mar 27) and first fall frost (Nov 6). 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 | Jan 30–Feb 13 | Apr 3–17 (transplant) | Jul 10–Aug 7 (transplant) |
| Pepper (sweet and hot) | Jan 16–30 | Apr 10–24 (transplant) | Jul 17–Aug 7 (transplant) |
| Eggplant | Jan 16–30 | Apr 10–24 (transplant) | Jul 17–Aug 7 (transplant) |
| Tomatillo | Jan 30–Feb 13 | Apr 3–17 (transplant) | – |
| Lettuce | Jan 30–Feb 13 | Mar 6–27 (transplant) Feb 27–Apr 10 (sow outdoors) | Sep 11–Oct 2 (transplant) Aug 28–Sep 25 (sowing) |
| Spinach | – | Feb 13–Mar 6 (sow outdoors) | Sep 11–Oct 2 (sowing) |
| Kale | Jan 30–Feb 13 | Feb 27–Mar 13 (transplant) Feb 27–Mar 13 (sow outdoors) | Aug 14–Sep 11 (transplant) Jul 31–Aug 28 (sowing) |
| Collards | Jan 30–Feb 13 | Feb 27–Mar 27 (transplant) Feb 27–Mar 27 (sow outdoors) | Aug 14–Sep 11 (transplant) Jul 31–Aug 28 (sowing) |
| Broccoli | Jan 16–30 | Feb 27–Mar 13 (transplant) | Jul 31–Aug 28 (transplant) |
| Cabbage | Jan 16–30 | Feb 27–Mar 13 (transplant) | Jul 31–Aug 28 (transplant) |
| Cauliflower | Jan 16–30 | Mar 13–27 (transplant) | Jul 31–Aug 28 (transplant) |
| Brussels sprouts | Jan 2–16 | Feb 27–Mar 13 (transplant) | Jul 17–Aug 7 (transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Jan 30–Feb 13 | Feb 27–Mar 13 (transplant) Feb 27–Mar 13 (sow outdoors) | Aug 28–Sep 11 (sowing) |
| Bok choy / Asian greens | – | Feb 27–Mar 13 (sow outdoors) | Sep 11–25 (sowing) |
| Arugula | – | Feb 27–Mar 27 (sow outdoors) | Sep 11–Oct 9 (sowing) |
| Mustard greens | – | Feb 27–Mar 20 (sow outdoors) | Sep 11–25 (sowing) |
| Swiss chard | Feb 13–27 | Mar 13–Apr 3 (transplant) Mar 13–Apr 10 (sow outdoors) | Aug 28–Sep 11 (sowing) |
| Beet | – | Feb 27–Mar 27 (sow outdoors) | Aug 28–Sep 11 (sowing) |
| Carrot | – | Mar 6–Apr 3 (sow outdoors) | Aug 14–28 (sowing) |
| Radish | – | Feb 20–Apr 3 (sow outdoors) | Sep 25–Oct 9 (sowing) |
| Turnip | – | Feb 27–Mar 20 (sow outdoors) | Aug 28–Sep 11 (sowing) |
| Parsnip | – | Mar 6–27 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pea (garden, snap, snow) | – | Jan 30–Feb 27 (sow outdoors) | Aug 14–28 (sowing) |
| Onion (bulbing) | Jan 2–16 | Feb 13–27 (transplant) | – |
| Green onion / scallion | – | Feb 13–Mar 13 (sow outdoors) | Aug 28–Sep 11 (sowing) |
| Leek | Jan 2–16 | Feb 27–Mar 13 (transplant) | – |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 25–Oct 23 (sowing) |
| Shallot | – | Feb 13–27 (transplant) | Sep 25–Oct 23 (sowing) |
| Potato | – | Feb 27–Mar 13 (transplant) | Jul 17–31 (transplant) |
| Sweet potato | – | Apr 17–May 1 (transplant) | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 3–17 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, bush (snap) | – | Apr 3–17 (sow outdoors) | Aug 14–28 (sowing) |
| Bean, pole | – | Apr 3–17 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Lima bean | – | Apr 10–24 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Southern pea (cowpea, black-eyed pea) | – | Apr 17–May 8 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cucumber | Feb 27–Mar 6 | Apr 3–17 (transplant) Apr 3–17 (sow outdoors) | Aug 14–28 (sowing) |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Feb 27–Mar 6 | Apr 3–17 (transplant) Apr 3–17 (sow outdoors) | Aug 14–28 (sowing) |
| Winter squash | Feb 27–Mar 6 | Apr 3–17 (transplant) Apr 3–17 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pumpkin | – | Apr 3–17 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Watermelon | Feb 27–Mar 6 | Apr 10–24 (transplant) Apr 10–24 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cantaloupe / muskmelon | Feb 27–Mar 6 | Apr 10–24 (transplant) Apr 10–24 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Okra | Feb 13–27 | Apr 10–24 (transplant) Apr 10–24 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Celery | Jan 2–16 | Apr 3–10 (transplant) | – |
| Basil | Feb 13–27 | Apr 3–17 (transplant) Apr 3–17 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cilantro | – | Mar 13–Apr 10 (sow outdoors) | Sep 11–25 (sowing) |
| Parsley | Jan 16–30 | Mar 13–27 (transplant) Mar 6–27 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Dill | – | Mar 27–Apr 10 (sow outdoors) | Sep 11–25 (sowing) |
| Sunflower | – | Mar 27–Apr 10 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Asparagus (crowns) | – | Feb 27–Mar 13 (transplant) | – |
| Rhubarb (crowns) | – | Feb 27–Mar 13 (transplant) | – |
| Strawberry (plants) | – | Feb 27–Mar 13 (transplant) | Aug 28–Sep 25 (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.
Where these numbers come from
Station: Sedro-woolley, WA (NOAA GHCN-Daily ID USC00457507), elevation 60 ft, 10.9 miles from the ZIP's center point. NOAA completeness flag: R (representative, 10+ years).
Nearby stations
| Station | Distance | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arlington, WA | 10 mi | Apr 22 | Oct 19 |
| Mt Vernon 3 WNW, WA | 13 mi | Mar 24 | Nov 3 |
| Concrete Ppl Fish STN, WA | 23 mi | Mar 28 | Nov 14 |
The average last-frost dates of these stations span 29 days, a rough guide to local variation. See data sources & methods.
Frost questions for 98274
When is the last frost in 98274?
The average (50% chance) last spring freeze of 32°F for ZIP 98274 is March 27. For a more cautious planting date, use April 17, when only 1 year in 10 still sees a later freeze.
When is the first frost in 98274?
The average first fall freeze is November 6. In 1 year in 10 it comes by October 15.
What hardiness zone is 98274?
ZIP 98274 is in USDA zone 8b (15 to 20°F average coldest winter night), per the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP listing.
What is the soil temperature in 98274 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
98235 Clear Lake 98238 Conway 98273 Mount Vernon 98292 Kayak Point 98263 Lyman 98223 Sisco Heights 98284 Sedro-Woolley 98233 Burlington
Other ZIP codes in Skagit County
98221 98232 98233 98235 98237 98238 98255 98257 98263 98267 98273 98284 All Skagit County frost dates · Washington frost dates
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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.