When to plant in Novato, CA

Planting dates worked out from Novato's own frost records, not a generic zone chart.

Frost is rare in Novato: in 15 of the last 27 springs there was none at all. Frost dates matter less here than heat, so the planting table below is left out.

Safe to plant out

Feb 27

1 year in 10 has a later frost

Average last frost

Jan 21

about a 50% chance of a later one

Average first fall frost

Dec 20

1 year in 10 by Dec 4

Frost-free days

349

median, 1991–2020

Station used: San Rafael-Civic Ctr · 12.5 km away · station 37 m, town 9 m. How we match towns to stations

Novato's weather over time

How the growing season has shifted here, year by year, from the station's own records.

Each year's last spring frostLong-term trend

See the data as a table

Year	Last spring frost
1894	Jun 14
1895	Mar 16
1904	Feb 25
1905	Feb 13
1948	Feb 7
1949	Feb 14
1950	Feb 3
1951	Mar 3
1952	Jan 9
1954	Jan 25
1955	Mar 1
1957	Feb 2
1960	Jan 2
1961	Jan 7
1962	Feb 27
1963	Jan 21
1966	Mar 17
1968	Jan 11
1969	Jan 9
1971	Jan 5
1972	Feb 2
1973	Jan 8
1975	Jan 30
1976	May 22
1977	Apr 4
1979	Jan 29
1980	Jan 30
1985	Jan 13
1989	Feb 8
1990	Feb 19
1993	May 7
1996	Feb 27
1997	Apr 12
1999	Jan 5
2002	Jan 31
2003	Feb 8
2006	Feb 20
2007	Jan 18
2009	Jan 4
2011	Feb 27
2017	Jan 6
2018	Feb 20
2024	Jan 11

Each year's frost-free daysLong-term trend

See the data as a table

Year	Frost-free days
1947	325
1948	317
1949	299
1950	330
1951	280
1952	355
1953	363
1954	334
1955	301
1957	331
1958	363
1959	363
1960	362
1961	357
1964	363
1966	288
1967	363
1968	343
1969	355
1970	363
1971	339
1972	305
1973	356
1975	334
1976	222
1977	270
1978	362
1979	335
1985	303
1986	363
1988	358
1990	303
1991	363
1992	346
1994	341
1995	363
1996	288
1998	353
1999	359
2000	314
2001	363
2002	333
2005	363
2007	337
2008	349
2009	335
2010	326
2012	351
2014	363
2017	358
2018	313
2023	363
2024	353
2025	363

Each year's average temperature, April to SeptemberLong-term trend

See the data as a table

Year	Growing-season temperature
1904	17.5 °C
1947	18.4 °C
1948	16.9 °C
1949	17.8 °C
1950	17.8 °C
1951	17.0 °C
1952	17.8 °C
1954	17.8 °C
1955	17.2 °C
1957	18.7 °C
1958	19.0 °C
1959	18.9 °C
1960	18.2 °C
1961	18.7 °C
1963	17.5 °C
1964	17.8 °C
1966	18.7 °C
1967	17.8 °C
1968	18.9 °C
1969	18.7 °C
1970	18.2 °C
1971	18.4 °C
1972	18.5 °C
1974	18.4 °C
1975	17.4 °C
1976	18.2 °C
1977	18.0 °C
1978	19.1 °C
1979	19.2 °C
1985	18.2 °C
1986	17.2 °C
1987	18.1 °C
1988	18.6 °C
1990	18.6 °C
1991	17.2 °C
1992	18.4 °C
1994	17.4 °C
1995	17.6 °C
1996	18.1 °C
1997	18.6 °C
1998	17.7 °C
1999	17.1 °C
2001	17.9 °C
2002	17.3 °C
2003	17.7 °C
2005	17.1 °C
2006	17.8 °C
2007	17.5 °C
2008	17.9 °C
2009	17.8 °C
2010	16.6 °C
2012	17.6 °C
2013	18.9 °C
2014	19.3 °C
2015	19.1 °C
2017	19.1 °C
2018	18.1 °C
2023	18.6 °C
2024	19.2 °C
2025	19.4 °C
2026	19.2 °C

What this means for you: Since 1894, Novato's last spring frost has come about 3 days earlier per decade, on average. The frost-free season has grown by about 3 days per decade. Year-to-year swings are large, so keep using the safe date rather than the trend.

Source: daily records from San Rafael-Civic Ctr (NOAA GHCN-Daily). Years with too many missing days are left out.

Nearby towns

Black Point-Green Point Lucas Valley-Marinwood Sleepy Hollow Woodacre Santa Venetia Fairfax