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When to plant in White Center, WA

USDA Zone 9a

Here are the average frost dates, USDA hardiness zone, and a month-by-month planting calendar for White Center, Washington — all computed from White Center's nearest NOAA weather station.

A generous ~249-day season lets White Center gardeners direct-sow more and still ripen long-maturity crops like melons and winter squash. In zone 9a, frost is a minor factor for White Center — most perennials thrive, and annual vegetables can go out early and stay late.

Station · SEATTLE BOEING FLD · 4.3 km
Last spring frost
March 13
50% chance · 32°F
First fall frost
November 17
50% chance · 32°F
Growing season
249 days
frost-free
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Frost calendar for White CenterA year-band showing 32°F frost risk from January to December for White Center: last spring frost around March 13, first fall frost around November 17, about 249 frost-free days between.
Shaded months carry frost risk; the clear span is the average frost-free season.

Frost probability

SEATTLE BOEING FLD · 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 White Center’s own odds, recorded at SEATTLE BOEING FLD.

Frost-probability curves for White CenterProbability 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 17, giving about 249 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 28Apr 3Mar 17Oct 17Oct 31Nov 17
32°FApr 1Mar 13Feb 20Nov 1Nov 17Dec 6
28°FMar 10Feb 18Jan 7Nov 12Dec 2Dec 30

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 9 days
Brussels Sprouts
July 28August 11
Fall sowin 23 days
Rutabaga
August 11August 25

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 White Center, drawn to the day from the local frost dates. The dashed line is today.

Nearby weather stations

3 within 10 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.

SEATTLE BOEING FLD
Primary
4 km · 6 m elevation
SPRING
Mar 13
FALL
Nov 17
SEATTLE TACOMA INTL AP
8 km · 113 m elevation
SPRING
Mar 2
FALL
Nov 23
RENTON MUNI AP
10 km · 9 m elevation
SPRING
Mar 13
FALL
Nov 16

White Center planting FAQ

When is the last spring frost in White Center, WA?

Plan for the last spring frost in White Center around March 13 (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 White Center, WA?

In White Center, the first 32°F freeze of fall lands around November 17 on average. Time your last harvests and any season-extension cover before it.

What hardiness zone is White Center in?

White Center is in USDA hardiness zone 9a. In zone 9a, winters are mild — many tender perennials overwinter here.

How long is the growing season in White Center?

White Center has about 249 frost-free days — a long growing season — between the average last spring frost (March 13) and first fall frost (November 17).

When should I plant tomatoes in White Center?

For White Center, sow tomatoes indoors about January 16–January 30 and move the seedlings out around March 20, after the last spring frost.

Planting reminders

Never miss a window in White Center

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

Nearby cities

8 within reach

Frost dates recorded at SEATTLE BOEING FLD, 4 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 White Center, WA — Frost Dates & Zone 9a." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USW00024234. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/washington/white-center.
When to Plant in White Center, WA — Frost Dates & Zone 9a — BlissGarden