South El Monte, CA 91733 Frost Dates
When can you plant in South El Monte, CA?
Around 01/04 is the usual last spring frost, about 129 days away. The first fall frost typically arrives around 01/02, about 365 frost-free days later.
South El Monte sits in USDA Zone 10b (35 to 40°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 18 weeks of growing season left in South El Monte before the first fall frost — a cold frame or row cover can stretch harvest weeks past that date.
How much risk comes with planting early here
01/04 is the middle of 30 years of NOAA records, not a promise. Plant by 01/28 and you're betting against frost in roughly 9 years out of 10. 12/19 is the safer bet, historically only a 1-in-10 chance of frost that late.
How South El Monte compares
South El Monte's growing season runs about 365 days, ranking 1,484 of 40,283 US ZIP codes measured here, longest to shortest. Within CA, it ranks 762 of 2,555.
Learn more
zone vs. frost date covers why Zone 10b and South El Monte's frost date answer different questions. the frost range covers how to read the range around South El Monte's dates instead of trusting one.