Raritan, NJ 08869 Frost Dates
When can you plant in Raritan, NJ?
Typically, the last spring freeze lands around 04/30, roughly 245 days out. The first fall frost typically arrives around 10/20, about 172 frost-free days later.
Raritan sits in USDA Zone 7a (0 to 5°F average annual minimum). The dates above are NOAA's 1991-2020 normal at the nearest reporting station, a 30-year average, not a forecast.
What to do before the first frost
About 8 weeks of growing season left in Raritan before the first fall frost — a cold frame or row cover can stretch harvest weeks past that date.
Why 04/30 isn't a guarantee
04/30 is the middle of 30 years of NOAA records, not a promise. Plant by 04/15 and you're betting against frost in roughly 9 years out of 10. 05/14 is the safer bet, historically only a 1-in-10 chance of frost that late.
How Raritan compares
About 172 days separate Raritan's last and first frost, putting it 28,243 of 40,283 ZIP codes nationally. Within NJ, it ranks 871 of 906.
Learn more
the frost range covers how to read the range around Raritan's dates instead of trusting one. local microclimates covers what one yard in Raritan can differ from the 08869 normal.