blissgarden.

When to plant in Mountain View, CA

USDA Zone 9b

Everything below — frost dates, hardiness zone, and what to plant when in Mountain View, California — is derived from the closest NOAA station with complete climate normals.

Mountain View enjoys a long ~351-day frost-free season — you can succession-sow, fit in a second crop, and grow long-season heat-lovers with room to spare. In zone 9b, frost is a minor factor for Mountain View — most perennials thrive, and annual vegetables can go out early and stay late.

Station · MOFFETT FEDERAL AIRFIELD · 2.8 km
Last spring frost
January 6
50% chance · 32°F
First fall frost
December 23
50% chance · 32°F
Growing season
351 days
frost-free
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Frost calendar for Mountain ViewA year-band showing 32°F frost risk from January to December for Mountain View: last spring frost around January 6, first fall frost around December 23, about 351 frost-free days between.
Shaded months carry frost risk; the clear span is the average frost-free season.

The average first fall frost in Mountain View is now 7 days earlier than in the 1981–2010 normals. See how frost dates are shifting nationwide →

Frost probability

MOFFETT FEDERAL AIRFIELD · 1991–2020

The 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 Mountain View’s own odds, recorded at MOFFETT FEDERAL AIRFIELD.

Frost-probability curves for Mountain ViewProbability of the last spring frost and first fall frost by date at 32°F. The last spring frost is most likely around January 6 and the first fall frost around December 23, giving about 351 frost-free days.
Last spring frostFirst fall frostbold = 32°F · thin = 28°F / 36°F · dot = 50% date · band = 10–90% window
ThresholdSPRING 10%SPRING 50%SPRING 90%FALL 10%FALL 50%FALL 90%
36°FMar 6Feb 6Jan 3Nov 20Dec 6Dec 30
32°FFeb 4Jan 6Dec 16Dec 3Dec 23Jan 16
28°FJan 22Jan 1Dec 16Dec 13Dec 31Jan 22

Download this table as CSV ↓ — every threshold and probability, plus this city’s planting-window dates.

What to plant now

TODAY · JULY 19

Nothing new to sow or transplant outdoors in the next few weeks — a seasonal lull. Check the full-year calendar below for the next window.

Add the next planting windows to your calendar (.ics) ↓

Full-year planting calendar

Start indoorsTransplantDirect sowFall sow

Each bar is the exact window to take a planting action in Mountain View, drawn to the day from the local frost dates. The dashed line is today.

Nearby weather stations

3 within 13 km · complete 32°F normals

When 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.

MOFFETT FEDERAL AIRFIELD
Primary
3 km · 12 m elevation
SPRING
Jan 6
FALL
Dec 23
PALO ALTO
7 km · 8 m elevation
SPRING
Feb 1
FALL
Dec 7
SKYLINE RIDGE PRESERVE
13 km · 692 m elevation
SPRING
Mar 21
FALL
Dec 15

Mountain View planting FAQ

When is the last spring frost in Mountain View, CA?

Plan for the last spring frost in Mountain View around January 6 (the date it has a 50% chance of a 32°F freeze). Anything frost-sensitive should go out after it.

When is the first fall frost in Mountain View, CA?

The first fall frost in Mountain View typically arrives around December 23 (50% probability at 32°F). Harvest or protect frost-sensitive crops before then.

What hardiness zone is Mountain View in?

Mountain View is in USDA hardiness zone 9b. In zone 9b, winters are mild — many tender perennials overwinter here.

How long is the growing season in Mountain View?

Mountain View has about 351 frost-free days — a long growing season — between the average last spring frost (January 6) and first fall frost (December 23).

When should I plant tomatoes in Mountain View?

For Mountain View, sow tomatoes indoors about November 11–November 25 and move the seedlings out around January 13, after the last spring frost.

Planting reminders

Never miss a window in Mountain View

An email when it’s time to start seeds, transplant, and sow — timed to Mountain View’s frost dates. Double opt-in, one-click unsubscribe, no spam.

Nearby cities

8 within reach

Frost dates recorded at MOFFETT FEDERAL AIRFIELD, 3 km from the city center · 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals · zone from the USDA/PRISM 2023 map. How we compute this.

Cite this page
BlissGarden. "When to Plant in Mountain View, CA — Frost Dates & Zone 9b." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USW00023244. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/california/mountain-view.
When to Plant in Mountain View, CA — Frost Dates & Zone 9b — BlissGarden