Fall in zone 8aPhoto: George Chernilevsky, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Frost dates for ZIP 96027 (Etna, CA)
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, Orleans, CA (17 miles away).
- Average last spring frostMar 1250% chance of a 32°F freeze after this date
- Average first fall frostNov 2650% chance of a 32°F freeze by this date
- Growing season (frost-free)262 daysmedian, 32°F threshold
- USDA hardiness zone8a10 to 15°F avg. coldest night
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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
73°F 55°F or warmer
24-hour average · latest 69°F, as of Oct 18, 2:00 AM CDT
Estimate Not a measurement at this ZIP: distance-weighted average of French Gulch (54 mi), Redding 12 WNW (61 mi).
4-inch depth
74°F 55°F or warmer
24-hour average · latest 75°F, as of Oct 18, 2:00 AM CDT
Estimate Not a measurement at this ZIP: distance-weighted average of French Gulch (54 mi), Redding 12 WNW (61 mi).
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 96027 load here. You can also open the NWS forecast for this ZIP.
Pre-emergent
Soil is 74°F at 4 inches (estimated soil temperature, not a station reading). Fall pre-emergent (annual bluegrass, winter weeds): window open as soil cools through the 70s and 60s.
Fertilizer window
Lawn region: California coastal and valleys. Timing only; always follow the product label.
- Bermudagrass (warm-season): Spring: Several weeks after the lawn is fully green (April–May) (about Apr 27 here, using green-up about 3–4 weeks after your average last frost); Summer: Every 4–6 weeks through mid-August (heaviest feeder of the group); Late: Light, low-nitrogen/high-potassium feeding about 4 weeks before first frost, or skip. Avoid: Heavy late-fall nitrogen (linked to spring dead spot).
- Tall fescue (cool-season): Early fall: September (main feeding); Late fall: November, while still green; Late winter: Optional light feeding February–March. Avoid: Feeding after mid-spring and through summer in the transition zone (stress and brown patch).
Plant now
- Lettuce: fall transplant Oct 1–22
- Spinach: fall sowing Oct 1–22
- Arugula: fall sowing Oct 1–29
- Radish: fall sowing Oct 15–29
- Garlic: fall sowing Oct 15–Nov 12
- Shallot: fall sowing Oct 15–Nov 12
Prune now
No frost-timed pruning windows are open this week.
Your average first frost is Nov 26: 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) | Jan 26 |
| 50% (the "average" last frost) | Mar 12 |
| 10% (cautious: only 1 year in 10 freezes later) | Apr 9 |
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) | Oct 31 |
| 50% (the "average" first frost) | Nov 26 |
| 90% (late: most years have frozen by now) | Dec 21 |
Light frost, freeze and hard freeze
| Threshold | Last spring (50%) | First fall (50%) |
|---|---|---|
| 36°F (light frost possible on clear, calm nights) | Apr 12 | Nov 5 |
| 32°F (freeze) | Mar 12 | Nov 26 |
| 28°F (hard freeze) | Jan 28 | Dec 17 |
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 96027
Dates count from your average last spring frost (Mar 12) and first fall frost (Nov 26). 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 | Jan 15–29 | Mar 19–Apr 2 (transplant) | Jul 30–Aug 27 (transplant) |
| Pepper (sweet and hot) | Jan 1–15 | Mar 26–Apr 9 (transplant) | Aug 6–27 (transplant) |
| Eggplant | Jan 1–15 | Mar 26–Apr 9 (transplant) | Aug 6–27 (transplant) |
| Tomatillo | Jan 15–29 | Mar 19–Apr 2 (transplant) | – |
| Lettuce | Jan 15–29 | Feb 19–Mar 12 (transplant) Feb 12–Mar 26 (sow outdoors) | Oct 1–22 (transplant) Sep 17–Oct 15 (sowing) |
| Spinach | – | Jan 29–Feb 19 (sow outdoors) | Oct 1–22 (sowing) |
| Kale | Jan 15–29 | Feb 12–26 (transplant) Feb 12–26 (sow outdoors) | Sep 3–Oct 1 (transplant) Aug 20–Sep 17 (sowing) |
| Collards | Jan 15–29 | Feb 12–Mar 12 (transplant) Feb 12–Mar 12 (sow outdoors) | Sep 3–Oct 1 (transplant) Aug 20–Sep 17 (sowing) |
| Broccoli | Jan 1–15 | Feb 12–26 (transplant) | Aug 20–Sep 17 (transplant) |
| Cabbage | Jan 1–15 | Feb 12–26 (transplant) | Aug 20–Sep 17 (transplant) |
| Cauliflower | Jan 1–15 | Feb 26–Mar 12 (transplant) | Aug 20–Sep 17 (transplant) |
| Brussels sprouts | Dec 18–Jan 1 | Feb 12–26 (transplant) | Aug 6–27 (transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Jan 15–29 | Feb 12–26 (transplant) Feb 12–26 (sow outdoors) | Sep 17–Oct 1 (sowing) |
| Bok choy / Asian greens | – | Feb 12–26 (sow outdoors) | Oct 1–15 (sowing) |
| Arugula | – | Feb 12–Mar 12 (sow outdoors) | Oct 1–29 (sowing) |
| Mustard greens | – | Feb 12–Mar 5 (sow outdoors) | Oct 1–15 (sowing) |
| Swiss chard | Jan 29–Feb 12 | Feb 26–Mar 19 (transplant) Feb 26–Mar 26 (sow outdoors) | Sep 17–Oct 1 (sowing) |
| Beet | – | Feb 12–Mar 12 (sow outdoors) | Sep 17–Oct 1 (sowing) |
| Carrot | – | Feb 19–Mar 19 (sow outdoors) | Sep 3–17 (sowing) |
| Radish | – | Feb 5–Mar 19 (sow outdoors) | Oct 15–29 (sowing) |
| Turnip | – | Feb 12–Mar 5 (sow outdoors) | Sep 17–Oct 1 (sowing) |
| Parsnip | – | Feb 19–Mar 12 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pea (garden, snap, snow) | – | Jan 15–Feb 12 (sow outdoors) | Sep 3–17 (sowing) |
| Onion (bulbing) | Dec 18–Jan 1 | Jan 29–Feb 12 (transplant) | – |
| Green onion / scallion | – | Jan 29–Feb 26 (sow outdoors) | Sep 17–Oct 1 (sowing) |
| Leek | Dec 18–Jan 1 | Feb 12–26 (transplant) | – |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 15–Nov 12 (sowing) |
| Shallot | – | Jan 29–Feb 12 (transplant) | Oct 15–Nov 12 (sowing) |
| Potato | – | Feb 12–26 (transplant) | Aug 6–20 (transplant) |
| Sweet potato | – | Apr 2–16 (transplant) | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Mar 19–Apr 2 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, bush (snap) | – | Mar 19–Apr 2 (sow outdoors) | Sep 3–17 (sowing) |
| Bean, pole | – | Mar 19–Apr 2 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Lima bean | – | Mar 26–Apr 9 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Southern pea (cowpea, black-eyed pea) | – | Apr 2–23 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cucumber | Feb 12–19 | Mar 19–Apr 2 (transplant) Mar 19–Apr 2 (sow outdoors) | Sep 3–17 (sowing) |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Feb 12–19 | Mar 19–Apr 2 (transplant) Mar 19–Apr 2 (sow outdoors) | Sep 3–17 (sowing) |
| Winter squash | Feb 12–19 | Mar 19–Apr 2 (transplant) Mar 19–Apr 2 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pumpkin | – | Mar 19–Apr 2 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Watermelon | Feb 12–19 | Mar 26–Apr 9 (transplant) Mar 26–Apr 9 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cantaloupe / muskmelon | Feb 12–19 | Mar 26–Apr 9 (transplant) Mar 26–Apr 9 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Okra | Jan 29–Feb 12 | Mar 26–Apr 9 (transplant) Mar 26–Apr 9 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Celery | Dec 18–Jan 1 | Mar 19–26 (transplant) | – |
| Basil | Jan 29–Feb 12 | Mar 19–Apr 2 (transplant) Mar 19–Apr 2 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cilantro | – | Feb 26–Mar 26 (sow outdoors) | Oct 1–15 (sowing) |
| Parsley | Jan 1–15 | Feb 26–Mar 12 (transplant) Feb 19–Mar 12 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Dill | – | Mar 12–26 (sow outdoors) | Oct 1–15 (sowing) |
| Sunflower | – | Mar 12–26 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Asparagus (crowns) | – | Feb 12–26 (transplant) | – |
| Rhubarb (crowns) | – | Feb 12–26 (transplant) | – |
| Strawberry (plants) | – | Feb 12–26 (transplant) | Sep 17–Oct 15 (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: Orleans, CA (NOAA GHCN-Daily ID USC00046508), elevation 403 ft, 16.6 miles from the ZIP's center point. NOAA completeness flag: R (representative, 10+ years).
Nearby stations
| Station | Distance | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cecilville, CA | 18 mi | Apr 27 | Oct 21 |
| Callahan, CA | 21 mi | May 20 | Oct 5 |
| Yreka, CA | 37 mi | Apr 30 | Oct 18 |
The average last-frost dates of these stations span 70 days, a rough guide to local variation. See data sources & methods.
Frost questions for 96027
When is the last frost in 96027?
The average (50% chance) last spring freeze of 32°F for ZIP 96027 is March 12. For a more cautious planting date, use April 9, when only 1 year in 10 still sees a later freeze.
When is the first frost in 96027?
The average first fall freeze is November 26. In 1 year in 10 it comes by October 31.
What hardiness zone is 96027?
ZIP 96027 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 96027 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
96031 95568 96032 Fort Jones 96037 Greenview 95556 96039 Happy Camp 96014 96085
Other ZIP codes in Siskiyou County
95568 96014 96023 96025 96031 96032 96034 96037 96038 96039 96044 96050 96057 96058 96064 96067 96085 96086 96094 96097 All Siskiyou County frost dates · California frost dates
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- Freeze alerts
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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.