Fall in zone 8bPhoto: George Chernilevsky, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Frost dates for ZIP 98368 (Port Townsend, 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, Port Townsend, WA (6 miles away).
- Average last spring frostMar 150% chance of a 32°F freeze after this date
- Average first fall frostNov 2850% chance of a 32°F freeze by this date
- Growing season (frost-free)274 daysmedian, 32°F threshold
- USDA hardiness zone8b15 to 20°F avg. coldest night
Get The Dial for 98368 (Port Townsend)
Frost and freeze alerts from the NWS forecast for 98368, the spring soil-temperature heads-up for pre-emergent, and a short weekly yard-timing email.
- Freeze alerts
- Soil-temp heads-up
- Weekly yard to-dos
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.
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
56°F 55°F or warmer
24-hour average · latest 55°F, as of Oct 18, 1:00 AM CDT
Estimate Not a measurement at this ZIP: distance-weighted average of Quinault 4 NE (59 mi).
4-inch depth
56°F 55°F or warmer
24-hour average · latest 55°F, as of Oct 18, 1:00 AM CDT
Estimate Not a measurement at this ZIP: distance-weighted average of Quinault 4 NE (59 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 98368 load here. You can also open the NWS forecast for this ZIP.
Pre-emergent
Soil is 56°F at 4 inches (estimated soil temperature, not a station reading). Fall pre-emergent (annual bluegrass, winter weeds): window open as soil cools through the 70s and 60s.
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
- Lettuce: fall transplant Oct 3–24
- Spinach: fall sowing Oct 3–24
- Arugula: fall sowing Oct 3–31
- Radish: fall sowing Oct 17–31
- Garlic: fall sowing Oct 17–Nov 14
- Shallot: fall sowing Oct 17–Nov 14
Prune now
No frost-timed pruning windows are open this week.
Your average first frost is Nov 28: 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) | Feb 3 |
| 50% (the "average" last frost) | Mar 1 |
| 10% (cautious: only 1 year in 10 freezes later) | Mar 23 |
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) | Nov 9 |
| 50% (the "average" first frost) | Nov 28 |
| 90% (late: most years have frozen by now) | Dec 26 |
Light frost, freeze and hard freeze
| Threshold | Last spring (50%) | First fall (50%) |
|---|---|---|
| 36°F (light frost possible on clear, calm nights) | Mar 31 | Nov 9 |
| 32°F (freeze) | Mar 1 | Nov 28 |
| 28°F (hard freeze) | Feb 1 | Dec 19 |
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 98368
Dates count from your average last spring frost (Mar 1) and first fall frost (Nov 28). 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 4–18 | Mar 8–22 (transplant) | Aug 1–29 (transplant) |
| Pepper (sweet and hot) | Dec 21–Jan 4 | Mar 15–29 (transplant) | Aug 8–29 (transplant) |
| Eggplant | Dec 21–Jan 4 | Mar 15–29 (transplant) | Aug 8–29 (transplant) |
| Tomatillo | Jan 4–18 | Mar 8–22 (transplant) | – |
| Lettuce | Jan 4–18 | Feb 8–Mar 1 (transplant) Feb 1–Mar 15 (sow outdoors) | Oct 3–24 (transplant) Sep 19–Oct 17 (sowing) |
| Spinach | – | Jan 18–Feb 8 (sow outdoors) | Oct 3–24 (sowing) |
| Kale | Jan 4–18 | Feb 1–15 (transplant) Feb 1–15 (sow outdoors) | Sep 5–Oct 3 (transplant) Aug 22–Sep 19 (sowing) |
| Collards | Jan 4–18 | Feb 1–Mar 1 (transplant) Feb 1–Mar 1 (sow outdoors) | Sep 5–Oct 3 (transplant) Aug 22–Sep 19 (sowing) |
| Broccoli | Dec 21–Jan 4 | Feb 1–15 (transplant) | Aug 22–Sep 19 (transplant) |
| Cabbage | Dec 21–Jan 4 | Feb 1–15 (transplant) | Aug 22–Sep 19 (transplant) |
| Cauliflower | Dec 21–Jan 4 | Feb 15–Mar 1 (transplant) | Aug 22–Sep 19 (transplant) |
| Brussels sprouts | Dec 7–21 | Feb 1–15 (transplant) | Aug 8–29 (transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Jan 4–18 | Feb 1–15 (transplant) Feb 1–15 (sow outdoors) | Sep 19–Oct 3 (sowing) |
| Bok choy / Asian greens | – | Feb 1–15 (sow outdoors) | Oct 3–17 (sowing) |
| Arugula | – | Feb 1–Mar 1 (sow outdoors) | Oct 3–31 (sowing) |
| Mustard greens | – | Feb 1–22 (sow outdoors) | Oct 3–17 (sowing) |
| Swiss chard | Jan 18–Feb 1 | Feb 15–Mar 8 (transplant) Feb 15–Mar 15 (sow outdoors) | Sep 19–Oct 3 (sowing) |
| Beet | – | Feb 1–Mar 1 (sow outdoors) | Sep 19–Oct 3 (sowing) |
| Carrot | – | Feb 8–Mar 8 (sow outdoors) | Sep 5–19 (sowing) |
| Radish | – | Jan 25–Mar 8 (sow outdoors) | Oct 17–31 (sowing) |
| Turnip | – | Feb 1–22 (sow outdoors) | Sep 19–Oct 3 (sowing) |
| Parsnip | – | Feb 8–Mar 1 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pea (garden, snap, snow) | – | Jan 4–Feb 1 (sow outdoors) | Sep 5–19 (sowing) |
| Onion (bulbing) | Dec 7–21 | Jan 18–Feb 1 (transplant) | – |
| Green onion / scallion | – | Jan 18–Feb 15 (sow outdoors) | Sep 19–Oct 3 (sowing) |
| Leek | Dec 7–21 | Feb 1–15 (transplant) | – |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 17–Nov 14 (sowing) |
| Shallot | – | Jan 18–Feb 1 (transplant) | Oct 17–Nov 14 (sowing) |
| Potato | – | Feb 1–15 (transplant) | Aug 8–22 (transplant) |
| Sweet potato | – | Mar 22–Apr 5 (transplant) | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Mar 8–22 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, bush (snap) | – | Mar 8–22 (sow outdoors) | Sep 5–19 (sowing) |
| Bean, pole | – | Mar 8–22 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Lima bean | – | Mar 15–29 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Southern pea (cowpea, black-eyed pea) | – | Mar 22–Apr 12 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cucumber | Feb 1–8 | Mar 8–22 (transplant) Mar 8–22 (sow outdoors) | Sep 5–19 (sowing) |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Feb 1–8 | Mar 8–22 (transplant) Mar 8–22 (sow outdoors) | Sep 5–19 (sowing) |
| Winter squash | Feb 1–8 | Mar 8–22 (transplant) Mar 8–22 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pumpkin | – | Mar 8–22 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Watermelon | Feb 1–8 | Mar 15–29 (transplant) Mar 15–29 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cantaloupe / muskmelon | Feb 1–8 | Mar 15–29 (transplant) Mar 15–29 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Okra | Jan 18–Feb 1 | Mar 15–29 (transplant) Mar 15–29 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Celery | Dec 7–21 | Mar 8–15 (transplant) | – |
| Basil | Jan 18–Feb 1 | Mar 8–22 (transplant) Mar 8–22 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cilantro | – | Feb 15–Mar 15 (sow outdoors) | Oct 3–17 (sowing) |
| Parsley | Dec 21–Jan 4 | Feb 15–Mar 1 (transplant) Feb 8–Mar 1 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Dill | – | Mar 1–15 (sow outdoors) | Oct 3–17 (sowing) |
| Sunflower | – | Mar 1–15 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Asparagus (crowns) | – | Feb 1–15 (transplant) | – |
| Rhubarb (crowns) | – | Feb 1–15 (transplant) | – |
| Strawberry (plants) | – | Feb 1–15 (transplant) | Sep 19–Oct 17 (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: Port Townsend, WA (NOAA GHCN-Daily ID USC00456678), elevation 100 ft, 6.0 miles from the ZIP's center point. NOAA completeness flag: R (representative, 10+ years).
Nearby stations
| Station | Distance | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sequim 2 E, WA | 11 mi | Apr 21 | Oct 20 |
| Coupeville 1 S, WA | 13 mi | Mar 17 | Nov 11 |
| Quilcene 2 SW, WA | 17 mi | Apr 11 | Oct 28 |
The average last-frost dates of these stations span 51 days, a rough guide to local variation. See data sources & methods.
Frost questions for 98368
When is the last frost in 98368?
The average (50% chance) last spring freeze of 32°F for ZIP 98368 is March 1. For a more cautious planting date, use March 23, when only 1 year in 10 still sees a later freeze.
When is the first frost in 98368?
The average first fall freeze is November 28. In 1 year in 10 it comes by November 9.
What hardiness zone is 98368?
ZIP 98368 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 98368 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
98339 Port Hadlock-Irondale 98325 Port Hadlock-Irondale 98358 Marrowstone 98253 98365 Port Ludlow 98382 Sequim 98249 Freeland 98239 Coupeville
Other ZIP codes in Jefferson County
98320 98325 98331 98339 98358 98365 98376 All Jefferson County frost dates · Washington frost dates
Never miss a frost: get The Dial
Weekly yard timing, plus frost and soil-temperature alerts for your ZIP code.
- Freeze alerts
- Soil-temp heads-up
- Weekly yard to-dos
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.