Olympia, WA 98501 Frost Dates
When can you plant in Olympia, WA?
The last spring frost here typically falls around 04/29, about 244 days from today. The first fall frost typically arrives around 10/14, about 169 frost-free days later.
The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map puts Olympia in Zone 8a (10 to 15°F average annual minimum); frost dates are NOAA's 1991-2020 station normal, not this year's forecast.
What to do before the first frost
About 7 weeks of growing season left in Olympia before the first fall frost — a cold frame or row cover can stretch harvest weeks past that date.
Why 04/29 isn't a guarantee
04/29 is the middle of 30 years of NOAA records, not a promise. Plant by 04/11 and you're betting against frost in roughly 9 years out of 10. 05/15 is the safer bet, historically only a 1-in-10 chance of frost that late.
How Olympia compares
Olympia's growing season runs about 169 days, ranking 29,314 of 40,283 US ZIP codes measured here, longest to shortest. Within WA, it ranks 510 of 700.
Learn more
the frost range covers how to read the range around Olympia's dates instead of trusting one. local microclimates covers what one yard in Olympia can differ from the 98501 normal.