Fall in zone 8aPhoto: George Chernilevsky, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Frost dates for ZIP 98542 (Lewis County, 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, Toledo FAA AP, WA (6 miles away).
- Average last spring frostApr 550% chance of a 32°F freeze after this date
- Average first fall frostOct 2550% chance of a 32°F freeze by this date
- Growing season (frost-free)196 daysmedian, 32°F threshold
- USDA hardiness zone8a10 to 15°F avg. coldest night
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Frost and freeze alerts from the NWS forecast for 98542, 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 98542 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 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
No vegetable planting windows are open this week.
Prune now
No frost-timed pruning windows are open this week.
Your average first frost is Oct 25: 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 12 |
| 50% (the "average" last frost) | Apr 5 |
| 10% (cautious: only 1 year in 10 freezes later) | May 4 |
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) | Sep 24 |
| 50% (the "average" first frost) | Oct 25 |
| 90% (late: most years have frozen by now) | Nov 20 |
Light frost, freeze and hard freeze
| Threshold | Last spring (50%) | First fall (50%) |
|---|---|---|
| 36°F (light frost possible on clear, calm nights) | May 2 | Oct 2 |
| 32°F (freeze) | Apr 5 | Oct 25 |
| 28°F (hard freeze) | Mar 10 | Nov 9 |
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 98542
Dates count from your average last spring frost (Apr 5) and first fall frost (Oct 25). 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 | Feb 8–22 | Apr 12–26 (transplant) | – |
| Pepper (sweet and hot) | Jan 25–Feb 8 | Apr 19–May 3 (transplant) | – |
| Eggplant | Jan 25–Feb 8 | Apr 19–May 3 (transplant) | – |
| Tomatillo | Feb 8–22 | Apr 12–26 (transplant) | – |
| Lettuce | Feb 8–22 | Mar 15–Apr 5 (transplant) Mar 8–Apr 19 (sow outdoors) | Aug 30–Sep 20 (transplant) Aug 16–Sep 13 (sowing) |
| Spinach | – | Feb 22–Mar 15 (sow outdoors) | Aug 30–Sep 20 (sowing) |
| Kale | Feb 8–22 | Mar 8–22 (transplant) Mar 8–22 (sow outdoors) | Aug 2–30 (transplant) Jul 19–Aug 16 (sowing) |
| Collards | Feb 8–22 | Mar 8–Apr 5 (transplant) Mar 8–Apr 5 (sow outdoors) | Aug 2–30 (transplant) Jul 19–Aug 16 (sowing) |
| Broccoli | Jan 25–Feb 8 | Mar 8–22 (transplant) | Jul 19–Aug 16 (transplant) |
| Cabbage | Jan 25–Feb 8 | Mar 8–22 (transplant) | Jul 19–Aug 16 (transplant) |
| Cauliflower | Jan 25–Feb 8 | Mar 22–Apr 5 (transplant) | Jul 19–Aug 16 (transplant) |
| Brussels sprouts | Jan 11–25 | Mar 8–22 (transplant) | Jul 5–26 (transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Feb 8–22 | Mar 8–22 (transplant) Mar 8–22 (sow outdoors) | Aug 16–30 (sowing) |
| Bok choy / Asian greens | – | Mar 8–22 (sow outdoors) | Aug 30–Sep 13 (sowing) |
| Arugula | – | Mar 8–Apr 5 (sow outdoors) | Aug 30–Sep 27 (sowing) |
| Mustard greens | – | Mar 8–29 (sow outdoors) | Aug 30–Sep 13 (sowing) |
| Swiss chard | Feb 22–Mar 8 | Mar 22–Apr 12 (transplant) Mar 22–Apr 19 (sow outdoors) | Aug 16–30 (sowing) |
| Beet | – | Mar 8–Apr 5 (sow outdoors) | Aug 16–30 (sowing) |
| Carrot | – | Mar 15–Apr 12 (sow outdoors) | Aug 2–16 (sowing) |
| Radish | – | Mar 1–Apr 12 (sow outdoors) | Sep 13–27 (sowing) |
| Turnip | – | Mar 8–29 (sow outdoors) | Aug 16–30 (sowing) |
| Parsnip | – | Mar 15–Apr 5 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pea (garden, snap, snow) | – | Feb 8–Mar 8 (sow outdoors) | Aug 2–16 (sowing) |
| Onion (bulbing) | Jan 11–25 | Feb 22–Mar 8 (transplant) | – |
| Green onion / scallion | – | Feb 22–Mar 22 (sow outdoors) | Aug 16–30 (sowing) |
| Leek | Jan 11–25 | Mar 8–22 (transplant) | – |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 13–Oct 11 (sowing) |
| Shallot | – | Feb 22–Mar 8 (transplant) | Sep 13–Oct 11 (sowing) |
| Potato | – | Mar 8–22 (transplant) | Jul 5–19 (transplant) |
| Sweet potato | – | Apr 26–May 10 (transplant) | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 12–26 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, bush (snap) | – | Apr 12–26 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, pole | – | Apr 12–26 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Lima bean | – | Apr 19–May 3 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Southern pea (cowpea, black-eyed pea) | – | Apr 26–May 17 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cucumber | Mar 8–15 | Apr 12–26 (transplant) Apr 12–26 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Mar 8–15 | Apr 12–26 (transplant) Apr 12–26 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Winter squash | Mar 8–15 | Apr 12–26 (transplant) Apr 12–26 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pumpkin | – | Apr 12–26 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Watermelon | Mar 8–15 | Apr 19–May 3 (transplant) Apr 19–May 3 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cantaloupe / muskmelon | Mar 8–15 | Apr 19–May 3 (transplant) Apr 19–May 3 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Okra | Feb 22–Mar 8 | Apr 19–May 3 (transplant) Apr 19–May 3 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Celery | Jan 11–25 | Apr 12–19 (transplant) | – |
| Basil | Feb 22–Mar 8 | Apr 12–26 (transplant) Apr 12–26 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cilantro | – | Mar 22–Apr 19 (sow outdoors) | Aug 30–Sep 13 (sowing) |
| Parsley | Jan 25–Feb 8 | Mar 22–Apr 5 (transplant) Mar 15–Apr 5 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Dill | – | Apr 5–19 (sow outdoors) | Aug 30–Sep 13 (sowing) |
| Sunflower | – | Apr 5–19 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Asparagus (crowns) | – | Mar 8–22 (transplant) | – |
| Rhubarb (crowns) | – | Mar 8–22 (transplant) | – |
| Strawberry (plants) | – | Mar 8–22 (transplant) | Aug 16–Sep 13 (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: Toledo FAA AP, WA (NOAA GHCN-Daily ID USW00024241), elevation 379 ft, 5.5 miles from the ZIP's center point. NOAA completeness flag: R (representative, 10+ years).
Nearby stations
| Station | Distance | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mayfield Pwr Plt, WA | 7 mi | Apr 7 | Nov 13 |
| Centralia, WA | 17 mi | Apr 22 | Oct 27 |
| Glenoma, WA | 28 mi | Apr 24 | Oct 15 |
The average last-frost dates of these stations span 19 days, a rough guide to local variation. See data sources & methods.
Frost questions for 98542
When is the last frost in 98542?
The average (50% chance) last spring freeze of 32°F for ZIP 98542 is April 5. For a more cautious planting date, use May 4, when only 1 year in 10 still sees a later freeze.
When is the first frost in 98542?
The average first fall freeze is October 25. In 1 year in 10 it comes by September 24.
What hardiness zone is 98542?
ZIP 98542 is in USDA zone 8a (10 to 15°F average coldest winter night), per the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP listing.
What is the soil temperature in 98542 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
98582 98591 Toledo 98570 Onalaska 98565 Napavine 98596 Winlock 98585 98645 98564 Mossyrock
Other ZIP codes in Lewis County
98336 98355 98356 98361 98377 98531 98532 98533 98538 98539 98544 98564 98565 98570 98572 98582 98585 98591 98593 98596 All Lewis County frost dates · Washington frost dates
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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.