blissgarden.

When to plant in Issaquah, WA

USDA Zone 8b

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

A generous ~248-day season lets Issaquah gardeners direct-sow more and still ripen long-maturity crops like melons and winter squash. Zone 8b means many perennials and even some tender shrubs overwinter in Issaquah, while your frost dates still decide when annuals go out.

Station · RENTON MUNI AP · 13.7 km
Last spring frost
March 13
50% chance · 32°F
First fall frost
November 16
50% chance · 32°F
Growing season
248 days
frost-free
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Frost calendar for IssaquahA year-band showing 32°F frost risk from January to December for Issaquah: last spring frost around March 13, first fall frost around November 16, about 248 frost-free days between.
Shaded months carry frost risk; the clear span is the average frost-free season.

Frost probability

RENTON MUNI AP · 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 Issaquah’s own odds, recorded at RENTON MUNI AP.

Frost-probability curves for IssaquahProbability of the last spring frost and first fall frost by date at 32°F. The last spring frost is most likely around March 13 and the first fall frost around November 16, giving about 248 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°FApr 25Apr 6Mar 21Oct 17Oct 31Nov 17
32°FMar 31Mar 13Feb 19Oct 29Nov 16Dec 9
28°FMar 6Feb 13Jan 1Nov 11Dec 6Jan 9

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

What to plant now

TODAY · JULY 19
Fall sowin 8 days
Brussels Sprouts
July 27August 10
Fall sowin 22 days
Rutabaga
August 10August 24

Add these crops to your calendar (.ics) ↓

Full-year planting calendar

Start indoorsTransplantDirect sowFall sow

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

Nearby weather stations

3 within 19 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.

RENTON MUNI AP
Primary
14 km · 9 m elevation
SPRING
Mar 13
FALL
Nov 16
SNOQUALMIE FALLS
16 km · 134 m elevation
SPRING
Mar 30
FALL
Nov 7
SEATTLE BOEING FLD
19 km · 6 m elevation
SPRING
Mar 13
FALL
Nov 17

Issaquah planting FAQ

When is the last spring frost in Issaquah, WA?

Issaquah's average last spring frost falls near March 13 — 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 Issaquah, WA?

Expect Issaquah's first fall frost near November 16 — a 50% chance of 32°F by that date. Bring in or cover tender crops ahead of it.

What hardiness zone is Issaquah in?

Issaquah is in USDA hardiness zone 8b. In zone 8b, winters are mild — many tender perennials overwinter here.

How long is the growing season in Issaquah?

There are roughly 248 frost-free days in Issaquah (a long growing season), running from the average last frost around March 13 to the first fall frost near November 16.

When should I plant tomatoes in Issaquah?

In Issaquah, start tomato seeds indoors around January 16–January 30, then transplant seedlings outdoors around March 20 once the danger of frost has passed.

Planting reminders

Never miss a window in Issaquah

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

Nearby cities

8 within reach

Frost dates recorded at RENTON MUNI AP, 14 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 Issaquah, WA — Frost Dates & Zone 8b." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USW00094248. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/washington/issaquah.
When to Plant in Issaquah, WA — Frost Dates & Zone 8b — BlissGarden