When to plant in East Palo Alto, CA
USDA Zone 10aEast Palo Alto, California frost dates, USDA zone, and a full-year planting calendar, drawn from the nearest NOAA station and tuned to the local season.
A generous ~309-day season lets East Palo Alto gardeners direct-sow more and still ripen long-maturity crops like melons and winter squash. In zone 10a, frost is a minor factor for East Palo Alto — most perennials thrive, and annual vegetables can go out early and stay late.
The average last spring frost in East Palo Alto is now 6 days earlier than in the 1981–2010 normals. See how frost dates are shifting nationwide →
Frost probability
PALO ALTO · 1991–2020The date the last spring and first fall frost occur, by threshold and probability. A 90% date is later in spring — and earlier in fall — than a 10% date; the 50% · 32°F row is what most gardeners plan around. These are East Palo Alto’s own odds, recorded at PALO ALTO.
| Threshold | SPRING 10% | SPRING 50% | SPRING 90% | FALL 10% | FALL 50% | FALL 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Apr 15 | Mar 11 | Feb 5 | Nov 3 | Nov 21 | Dec 8 |
| 32°F | Mar 4 | Feb 1 | Dec 28 | Nov 20 | Dec 7 | Jan 6 |
| 28°F | Feb 17 | Jan 4 | Dec 15 | Dec 3 | Dec 22 | Jan 25 |
Download this table as CSV ↓ — every threshold and probability, plus this city’s planting-window dates.
What to plant now
TODAY · JULY 19Nothing new to sow or transplant outdoors in the next few weeks — a seasonal lull. Check the full-year calendar below for the next window.
Full-year planting calendar
Each bar is the exact window to take a planting action in East Palo Alto, drawn to the day from the local frost dates. The dashed line is today.
Nearby weather stations
3 within 10 km · complete 32°F normalsWhen stations disagree by more than a few days, that spread is real microclimate variation — elevation, water, urban heat. Judge which station best matches your own yard.
East Palo Alto planting FAQ
When is the last spring frost in East Palo Alto, CA?
East Palo Alto's average last spring frost falls near February 1 — the 50% mark at 32°F in the 1991–2020 normals. Hold tender transplants until the risk has passed, then plant out.
When is the first fall frost in East Palo Alto, CA?
In East Palo Alto, the first 32°F freeze of fall lands around December 7 on average. Time your last harvests and any season-extension cover before it.
What hardiness zone is East Palo Alto in?
East Palo Alto is in USDA hardiness zone 10a. In zone 10a, winters are mild — many tender perennials overwinter here.
How long is the growing season in East Palo Alto?
East Palo Alto has about 309 frost-free days — a long growing season — between the average last spring frost (February 1) and first fall frost (December 7).
When should I plant tomatoes in East Palo Alto?
For East Palo Alto, sow tomatoes indoors about December 7–December 21 and move the seedlings out around February 8, after the last spring frost.
Never miss a window in East Palo Alto
An email when it’s time to start seeds, transplant, and sow — timed to East Palo Alto’s frost dates. Double opt-in, one-click unsubscribe, no spam.
Nearby cities
8 within reach- Menlo Park · 2 km
- Stanford · 6 km
- North Fair Oaks · 6 km
- Palo Alto · 8 km
- Redwood City · 9 km
- Mountain View · 9 km
- Newark · 10 km
- Los Altos · 11 km
Frost dates recorded at PALO ALTO, 3 km from the city center · 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals · zone from the USDA/PRISM 2023 map. How we compute this.
BlissGarden. "When to Plant in East Palo Alto, CA — Frost Dates & Zone 10a." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00046646. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/california/east-palo-alto.