Fall in zone 8bPhoto: George Chernilevsky, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Frost dates for ZIP 97103 (Astoria, OR)
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, Ft Clatsop Natl Mem, OR (9 miles away).
- Average last spring frostMar 3050% chance of a 32°F freeze after this date
- Average first fall frostNov 1850% chance of a 32°F freeze by this date
- Growing season (frost-free)233 daysmedian, 32°F threshold
- USDA hardiness zone8b15 to 20°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
No soil station with a fresh reading within 62 miles.
4-inch depth
No soil station with a fresh reading within 62 miles.
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 97103 load here. You can also open the NWS forecast for this ZIP.
Pre-emergent
No soil reading near this ZIP. Typical extension timing for your region: spring March to April.
Fertilizer window
Lawn region: Pacific Northwest (west of the Cascades). Timing only; always follow the product label.
- Perennial ryegrass (cool-season): Early fall: September; Late fall: October–November; Overseeded Bermuda: Light feeding once the winter rye is established, if needed. Avoid: Summer feeding.
Plant now
- Arugula: fall sowing Sep 23–Oct 21
- Radish: fall sowing Oct 7–21
- Garlic: fall sowing Oct 7–Nov 4
- Shallot: fall sowing Oct 7–Nov 4
Prune now
No frost-timed pruning windows are open this week.
Your average first frost is Nov 18: 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) | Feb 26 |
| 50% (the "average" last frost) | Mar 30 |
| 10% (cautious: only 1 year in 10 freezes later) | Apr 28 |
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 27 |
| 50% (the "average" first frost) | Nov 18 |
| 90% (late: most years have frozen by now) | Dec 16 |
Light frost, freeze and hard freeze
| Threshold | Last spring (50%) | First fall (50%) |
|---|---|---|
| 36°F (light frost possible on clear, calm nights) | Apr 30 | Oct 25 |
| 32°F (freeze) | Mar 30 | Nov 18 |
| 28°F (hard freeze) | Feb 12 | Dec 13 |
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 97103
Dates count from your average last spring frost (Mar 30) and first fall frost (Nov 18). 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 | Feb 2–16 | Apr 6–20 (transplant) | Jul 22–Aug 19 (transplant) |
| Pepper (sweet and hot) | Jan 19–Feb 2 | Apr 13–27 (transplant) | Jul 29–Aug 19 (transplant) |
| Eggplant | Jan 19–Feb 2 | Apr 13–27 (transplant) | Jul 29–Aug 19 (transplant) |
| Tomatillo | Feb 2–16 | Apr 6–20 (transplant) | – |
| Lettuce | Feb 2–16 | Mar 9–30 (transplant) Mar 2–Apr 13 (sow outdoors) | Sep 23–Oct 14 (transplant) Sep 9–Oct 7 (sowing) |
| Spinach | – | Feb 16–Mar 9 (sow outdoors) | Sep 23–Oct 14 (sowing) |
| Kale | Feb 2–16 | Mar 2–16 (transplant) Mar 2–16 (sow outdoors) | Aug 26–Sep 23 (transplant) Aug 12–Sep 9 (sowing) |
| Collards | Feb 2–16 | Mar 2–30 (transplant) Mar 2–30 (sow outdoors) | Aug 26–Sep 23 (transplant) Aug 12–Sep 9 (sowing) |
| Broccoli | Jan 19–Feb 2 | Mar 2–16 (transplant) | Aug 12–Sep 9 (transplant) |
| Cabbage | Jan 19–Feb 2 | Mar 2–16 (transplant) | Aug 12–Sep 9 (transplant) |
| Cauliflower | Jan 19–Feb 2 | Mar 16–30 (transplant) | Aug 12–Sep 9 (transplant) |
| Brussels sprouts | Jan 5–19 | Mar 2–16 (transplant) | Jul 29–Aug 19 (transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Feb 2–16 | Mar 2–16 (transplant) Mar 2–16 (sow outdoors) | Sep 9–23 (sowing) |
| Bok choy / Asian greens | – | Mar 2–16 (sow outdoors) | Sep 23–Oct 7 (sowing) |
| Arugula | – | Mar 2–30 (sow outdoors) | Sep 23–Oct 21 (sowing) |
| Mustard greens | – | Mar 2–23 (sow outdoors) | Sep 23–Oct 7 (sowing) |
| Swiss chard | Feb 16–Mar 2 | Mar 16–Apr 6 (transplant) Mar 16–Apr 13 (sow outdoors) | Sep 9–23 (sowing) |
| Beet | – | Mar 2–30 (sow outdoors) | Sep 9–23 (sowing) |
| Carrot | – | Mar 9–Apr 6 (sow outdoors) | Aug 26–Sep 9 (sowing) |
| Radish | – | Feb 23–Apr 6 (sow outdoors) | Oct 7–21 (sowing) |
| Turnip | – | Mar 2–23 (sow outdoors) | Sep 9–23 (sowing) |
| Parsnip | – | Mar 9–30 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pea (garden, snap, snow) | – | Feb 2–Mar 2 (sow outdoors) | Aug 26–Sep 9 (sowing) |
| Onion (bulbing) | Jan 5–19 | Feb 16–Mar 2 (transplant) | – |
| Green onion / scallion | – | Feb 16–Mar 16 (sow outdoors) | Sep 9–23 (sowing) |
| Leek | Jan 5–19 | Mar 2–16 (transplant) | – |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 7–Nov 4 (sowing) |
| Shallot | – | Feb 16–Mar 2 (transplant) | Oct 7–Nov 4 (sowing) |
| Potato | – | Mar 2–16 (transplant) | Jul 29–Aug 12 (transplant) |
| Sweet potato | – | Apr 20–May 4 (transplant) | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 6–20 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, bush (snap) | – | Apr 6–20 (sow outdoors) | Aug 26–Sep 9 (sowing) |
| Bean, pole | – | Apr 6–20 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Lima bean | – | Apr 13–27 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Southern pea (cowpea, black-eyed pea) | – | Apr 20–May 11 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cucumber | Mar 2–9 | Apr 6–20 (transplant) Apr 6–20 (sow outdoors) | Aug 26–Sep 9 (sowing) |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Mar 2–9 | Apr 6–20 (transplant) Apr 6–20 (sow outdoors) | Aug 26–Sep 9 (sowing) |
| Winter squash | Mar 2–9 | Apr 6–20 (transplant) Apr 6–20 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pumpkin | – | Apr 6–20 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Watermelon | Mar 2–9 | Apr 13–27 (transplant) Apr 13–27 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cantaloupe / muskmelon | Mar 2–9 | Apr 13–27 (transplant) Apr 13–27 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Okra | Feb 16–Mar 2 | Apr 13–27 (transplant) Apr 13–27 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Celery | Jan 5–19 | Apr 6–13 (transplant) | – |
| Basil | Feb 16–Mar 2 | Apr 6–20 (transplant) Apr 6–20 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cilantro | – | Mar 16–Apr 13 (sow outdoors) | Sep 23–Oct 7 (sowing) |
| Parsley | Jan 19–Feb 2 | Mar 16–30 (transplant) Mar 9–30 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Dill | – | Mar 30–Apr 13 (sow outdoors) | Sep 23–Oct 7 (sowing) |
| Sunflower | – | Mar 30–Apr 13 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Asparagus (crowns) | – | Mar 2–16 (transplant) | – |
| Rhubarb (crowns) | – | Mar 2–16 (transplant) | – |
| Strawberry (plants) | – | Mar 2–16 (transplant) | Sep 9–Oct 7 (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: Ft Clatsop Natl Mem, OR (NOAA GHCN-Daily ID USC00353014), elevation 42 ft, 8.6 miles from the ZIP's center point. NOAA completeness flag: R (representative, 10+ years).
Nearby stations
| Station | Distance | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Astoria Rgnl AP, OR | 9 mi | Mar 26 | Nov 11 |
| Seaside, OR | 15 mi | Apr 2 | Nov 12 |
| Naselle 2 ENE, WA | 17 mi | Apr 24 | Oct 20 |
The average last-frost dates of these stations span 29 days, a rough guide to local variation. See data sources & methods.
Frost questions for 97103
When is the last frost in 97103?
The average (50% chance) last spring freeze of 32°F for ZIP 97103 is March 30. For a more cautious planting date, use April 28, when only 1 year in 10 still sees a later freeze.
When is the first frost in 97103?
The average first fall freeze is November 18. In 1 year in 10 it comes by October 27.
What hardiness zone is 97103?
ZIP 97103 is in USDA zone 8b (15 to 20°F average coldest winter night), per the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP listing.
What is the soil temperature in 97103 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
97146 Warrenton 98643 Rosburg 97121 Warrenton 98614 Chinook 97138 Seaside 98638 Deep River 98647 Skamokawa Valley 98624 Ilwaco
Other ZIP codes in Clatsop County
97102 97110 97121 97138 97145 97146 All Clatsop County frost dates · Oregon frost dates
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Weekly yard timing, plus frost and soil-temperature alerts for your ZIP code.
- 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.