Yakima, Washington: planting zone & frost dates
Yakima is in USDA plant hardiness zone 7a, where the average coldest winter night reaches 0 to 5°F (-17.8 to -15.0°C). The typical last spring frost is around Apr 18 and the first fall frost around Oct 17.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Apr 28 | Oct 9 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Apr 18 | Oct 17 |
| Median (50%) | Apr 8 | Oct 23 |
How to read this: after the spring "10% risk" date, a 32°F frost happens in only about 1 year in 10. In fall, the "10% risk" date is the early end — a frost before it happens about 1 year in 10.
Frost data comes from NOAA station YAKIMA #2, WA (USC00459463), 0.9 mi (1.5 km) from the city center and 30 ft lower than the city center (-9 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 11 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Yakima
All 4 ZIP codes covering Yakima are in zone 7a.
Vegetable planting calendar for Yakima
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Apr 18, first frost Oct 17). Shift a week later in cold spots or low-lying ground.
| Crop | Start indoors | Transplant / plant out | Direct sow | Fall crop sow/plant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Feb 21 – Mar 7 | Apr 25 – May 9 | — | — |
| Pepper | Feb 7 – Feb 21 | May 2 – May 16 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Mar 7 – Mar 21 | Apr 4 – Apr 25 | Mar 21 – May 2 | Aug 8 – Sep 5 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Apr 25 – May 30 | Jul 25 – Aug 8 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Apr 25 – May 23 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Mar 21 – Mar 28 | Apr 25 – May 9 | Apr 25 – May 16 | Jul 25 – Aug 8 |
| Cucumber | Mar 21 – Mar 28 | May 2 – May 9 | Apr 25 – May 16 | Jul 25 – Aug 8 |
| Carrot | — | — | Mar 28 – May 2 | Jul 25 – Aug 8 |
| Onion | Jan 24 – Feb 7 | Mar 21 – Apr 4 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Mar 21 – Apr 11 | — | — |
| Basil | Mar 7 – Mar 21 | May 2 – May 16 | May 2 – May 23 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Mar 7 – Apr 4 | Aug 22 – Sep 19 |
| Kale | Feb 21 – Mar 7 | Mar 21 – Apr 11 | Mar 21 – Apr 11 | Aug 8 – Sep 5 |
| Broccoli | Feb 21 – Mar 7 | Apr 4 – Apr 25 | — | Jul 25 – Aug 8 |
| Peas | — | — | Mar 7 – Mar 28 | Aug 8 – Aug 22 |
| Eggplant | Feb 7 – Feb 21 | May 2 – May 16 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Feb 21 – Mar 7 | Mar 21 – Apr 4 | — | Jul 25 – Aug 8 |
| Radish | — | — | Mar 14 – May 2 | Sep 5 – Oct 3 |
| Strawberry | — | Mar 21 – Apr 11 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Mar 28 – May 9 | Aug 8 – Aug 22 |
Nearby cities in Washington
- Kennewick — zone 7b, last frost Apr 2, first frost Oct 25
- Pasco — zone 7a, last frost May 2, first frost Oct 4
- Auburn — zone 8b, last frost Mar 29, first frost Nov 3
- Kent — zone 8b, last frost Mar 29, first frost Nov 3
- Renton — zone 9a, last frost Mar 22, first frost Nov 7
- Bellevue — zone 8b, last frost Mar 16, first frost Nov 15
More: all Washington cities · other zone 7a cities: Louisville, KY, Wichita, KS, Cleveland, OH, Lexington, KY, St. Louis, MO, Boise, ID, Amarillo, TX, Providence, RI
Yakima gardening questions
When is the last frost in Yakima, WA?
Plan around Apr 18. At NOAA's Yakima #2, WA station, 0.9 mi from the city center, there is a 30% chance of a 32°F frost after that date. Half of springs have their last frost by Apr 8, and after Apr 28 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Mar 16. The 90% and 10% dates are 36 days apart, close to the 36-day median for cities on this site.
When should I plant tomatoes in Yakima, WA?
Start seeds indoors Feb 21 – Mar 7 and set transplants outside Apr 25 – May 9, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 182 days between the 30% frost dates, enough for most varieties including 80–85-day slicers. More: tomato planting dates by zone.
How long is the growing season in Yakima?
About 196 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 172 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 218 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Oct 9 and a 30% chance by Oct 17. That ranks 14th longest of 18 Washington cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Yakima?
Count back from the first fall frost (Oct 17): transplant broccoli Jul 25 – Aug 8; sow kale Aug 8 – Sep 5; sow lettuce Aug 8 – Sep 5; sow radishes Sep 5 – Oct 3. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Nov 3. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Yakima's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of Yakima was zone 6b on the 2012 map and is zone 7a on the 2023 map — half a zone warmer, like about 56% of U.S. ZIP codes. The shift comes from a newer 1991–2020 averaging period plus more weather stations and better mapping; it does not mean last frost comes earlier. Why the 2023 map is warmer.
How does Yakima compare with Kennewick, WA?
Yakima is zone 7a and Kennewick is zone 7b. The typical last spring frost in Yakima (Apr 18) comes about 16 days later than in Kennewick, WA (Apr 2), 71 miles away, and the first fall frost is Oct 17 versus Oct 25. Yakima sits about 616 ft higher, which explains part of the gap. The two cities use different NOAA stations.