Fall in zone 10aPhoto: George Chernilevsky, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Frost dates for ZIP 94085 (Sunnyvale, CA)
Average last spring and first fall frost dates with 10%, 50% and 90% odds, from NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the nearest weather station, Moffett Federal Airfield, CA (2 miles away).
Freezes are uncommon here
NOAA's normals for this station show a 32°F night in about 70% of years (about 2 freezing night(s) a year on average). The dates below describe freeze timing for the station's record; in many years there may be no 32°F freeze at all.
- Average last spring frostJan 650% chance of a 32°F freeze after this date
- Average first fall frostDec 2350% chance of a 32°F freeze by this date
- Growing season (frost-free)353 daysmedian, 32°F threshold
- USDA hardiness zone10a30 to 35°F avg. coldest night
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This week in your yard
As of Oct 18, 2026, from your frost dates, zone and soil temperature. Lawn timing · Vegetables · Pruning · Plants
Freezes are uncommon here, so frost-based timing is rough. Local extension calendars for frost-free areas use months.
Soil temperature now
2-inch depth
No soil station with a fresh reading within 62 miles.
4-inch depth
No soil station with a fresh reading within 62 miles.
Fall: Texas A&M AgriLife times fall pre-emergent (for winter weeds such as annual bluegrass) to soil cooling to about 70°F for several days. The 50–55°F band is the spring trigger. Always read and follow the product label.
7-day forecast and frost risk
The latest National Weather Service 7-day forecast and any Frost Advisory or Freeze Warning for 94085 load here. You can also open the NWS forecast for this ZIP.
Pre-emergent
No soil reading near this ZIP. Typical extension timing for your region: spring February to March; fall September to October.
Fertilizer window
Lawn region: California coastal and valleys. Timing only; always follow the product label.
- Bermudagrass (warm-season): Spring: Several weeks after the lawn is fully green (April–May) (about Feb 21 here, using green-up about 3–4 weeks after your average last frost); Summer: Every 4–6 weeks through mid-August (heaviest feeder of the group); Late: Light, low-nitrogen/high-potassium feeding about 4 weeks before first frost, or skip. Avoid: Heavy late-fall nitrogen (linked to spring dead spot).
- Tall fescue (cool-season): Early fall: September (main feeding); Late fall: November, while still green; Late winter: Optional light feeding February–March. Avoid: Feeding after mid-spring and through summer in the transition zone (stress and brown patch).
Plant now
- Lettuce: fall sowing Oct 14–Nov 11
- Kale: fall transplant Sep 30–Oct 28
- Collards: fall transplant Sep 30–Oct 28
- Brussels sprouts: start seeds indoors Oct 14–28
- Kohlrabi: fall sowing Oct 14–28
- Swiss chard: fall sowing Oct 14–28
- Beet: fall sowing Oct 14–28
- Turnip: fall sowing Oct 14–28
- Onion (bulbing): start seeds indoors Oct 14–28
- Green onion / scallion: fall sowing Oct 14–28
- Leek: start seeds indoors Oct 14–28
- Celery: start seeds indoors Oct 14–28
- Strawberry (plants): fall transplant Oct 14–Nov 11
Coming up in the next 3 weeks
- Pepper (sweet and hot): start seeds indoors Oct 28–Nov 11
- Eggplant: start seeds indoors Oct 28–Nov 11
- Lettuce: fall transplant Oct 28–Nov 18
- Spinach: fall sowing Oct 28–Nov 18
- Broccoli: start seeds indoors Oct 28–Nov 11
- Cabbage: start seeds indoors Oct 28–Nov 11
- Cauliflower: start seeds indoors Oct 28–Nov 11
- Bok choy / Asian greens: fall sowing Oct 28–Nov 11
- Arugula: fall sowing Oct 28–Nov 25
- Mustard greens: fall sowing Oct 28–Nov 11
- Cilantro: fall sowing Oct 28–Nov 11
- Parsley: start seeds indoors Oct 28–Nov 11
Prune now
No frost-timed pruning windows are open this week.
Spring-flowering shrubs are pruned right after their flowers fade, not by date. See the pruning guide.
Last spring frost odds
| Chance of a 32°F freeze after this date | Date |
|---|---|
| 90% (early: most years still freeze after this) | Dec 16 (prior Dec) |
| 50% (the "average" last frost) | Jan 6 |
| 10% (cautious: only 1 year in 10 freezes later) | Feb 4 |
Most gardeners plant frost-tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, basil) after the 50% date, and closer to the 10% date for less risk.
First fall frost odds
| Chance the first 32°F freeze has happened by this date | Date |
|---|---|
| 10% (early: 1 year in 10 freezes this soon) | Dec 3 |
| 50% (the "average" first frost) | Dec 23 |
| 90% (late: most years have frozen by now) | Jan 16 (next year) |
Light frost, freeze and hard freeze
| Threshold | Last spring (50%) | First fall (50%) |
|---|---|---|
| 36°F (light frost possible on clear, calm nights) | Feb 6 | Dec 6 |
| 32°F (freeze) | Jan 6 | Dec 23 |
| 28°F (hard freeze) | Jan 1 | Dec 31 |
n/a means NOAA did not publish a date at that threshold for this station (usually because it rarely gets that cold).
Vegetable planting calendar for 94085
Dates count from your average last spring frost (Jan 6) and first fall frost (Dec 23). Half of years have a frost after the spring date, so give tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, squash) some slack.
| Crop | Start indoors | Spring planting | Fall planting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Nov 11–25 | Jan 13–27 (transplant) | Aug 26–Sep 23 (transplant) |
| Pepper (sweet and hot) | Oct 28–Nov 11 | Jan 20–Feb 3 (transplant) | Sep 2–23 (transplant) |
| Eggplant | Oct 28–Nov 11 | Jan 20–Feb 3 (transplant) | Sep 2–23 (transplant) |
| Tomatillo | Nov 11–25 | Jan 13–27 (transplant) | – |
| Lettuce | Nov 11–25 | Dec 16–Jan 6 (transplant) Dec 9–Jan 20 (sow outdoors) | Oct 28–Nov 18 (transplant) Oct 14–Nov 11 (sowing) |
| Spinach | – | Nov 25–Dec 16 (sow outdoors) | Oct 28–Nov 18 (sowing) |
| Kale | Nov 11–25 | Dec 9–23 (transplant) Dec 9–23 (sow outdoors) | Sep 30–Oct 28 (transplant) Sep 16–Oct 14 (sowing) |
| Collards | Nov 11–25 | Dec 9–Jan 6 (transplant) Dec 9–Jan 6 (sow outdoors) | Sep 30–Oct 28 (transplant) Sep 16–Oct 14 (sowing) |
| Broccoli | Oct 28–Nov 11 | Dec 9–23 (transplant) | Sep 16–Oct 14 (transplant) |
| Cabbage | Oct 28–Nov 11 | Dec 9–23 (transplant) | Sep 16–Oct 14 (transplant) |
| Cauliflower | Oct 28–Nov 11 | Dec 23–Jan 6 (transplant) | Sep 16–Oct 14 (transplant) |
| Brussels sprouts | Oct 14–28 | Dec 9–23 (transplant) | Sep 2–23 (transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Nov 11–25 | Dec 9–23 (transplant) Dec 9–23 (sow outdoors) | Oct 14–28 (sowing) |
| Bok choy / Asian greens | – | Dec 9–23 (sow outdoors) | Oct 28–Nov 11 (sowing) |
| Arugula | – | Dec 9–Jan 6 (sow outdoors) | Oct 28–Nov 25 (sowing) |
| Mustard greens | – | Dec 9–30 (sow outdoors) | Oct 28–Nov 11 (sowing) |
| Swiss chard | Nov 25–Dec 9 | Dec 23–Jan 13 (transplant) Dec 23–Jan 20 (sow outdoors) | Oct 14–28 (sowing) |
| Beet | – | Dec 9–Jan 6 (sow outdoors) | Oct 14–28 (sowing) |
| Carrot | – | Dec 16–Jan 13 (sow outdoors) | Sep 30–Oct 14 (sowing) |
| Radish | – | Dec 2–Jan 13 (sow outdoors) | Nov 11–25 (sowing) |
| Turnip | – | Dec 9–30 (sow outdoors) | Oct 14–28 (sowing) |
| Parsnip | – | Dec 16–Jan 6 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pea (garden, snap, snow) | – | Nov 11–Dec 9 (sow outdoors) | Sep 30–Oct 14 (sowing) |
| Onion (bulbing) | Oct 14–28 | Nov 25–Dec 9 (transplant) | – |
| Green onion / scallion | – | Nov 25–Dec 23 (sow outdoors) | Oct 14–28 (sowing) |
| Leek | Oct 14–28 | Dec 9–23 (transplant) | – |
| Garlic | – | – | Nov 11–Dec 9 (sowing) |
| Shallot | – | Nov 25–Dec 9 (transplant) | Nov 11–Dec 9 (sowing) |
| Potato | – | Dec 9–23 (transplant) | Sep 2–16 (transplant) |
| Sweet potato | – | Jan 27–Feb 10 (transplant) | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Jan 13–27 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, bush (snap) | – | Jan 13–27 (sow outdoors) | Sep 30–Oct 14 (sowing) |
| Bean, pole | – | Jan 13–27 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Lima bean | – | Jan 20–Feb 3 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Southern pea (cowpea, black-eyed pea) | – | Jan 27–Feb 17 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cucumber | Dec 9–16 | Jan 13–27 (transplant) Jan 13–27 (sow outdoors) | Sep 30–Oct 14 (sowing) |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Dec 9–16 | Jan 13–27 (transplant) Jan 13–27 (sow outdoors) | Sep 30–Oct 14 (sowing) |
| Winter squash | Dec 9–16 | Jan 13–27 (transplant) Jan 13–27 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pumpkin | – | Jan 13–27 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Watermelon | Dec 9–16 | Jan 20–Feb 3 (transplant) Jan 20–Feb 3 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cantaloupe / muskmelon | Dec 9–16 | Jan 20–Feb 3 (transplant) Jan 20–Feb 3 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Okra | Nov 25–Dec 9 | Jan 20–Feb 3 (transplant) Jan 20–Feb 3 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Celery | Oct 14–28 | Jan 13–20 (transplant) | – |
| Basil | Nov 25–Dec 9 | Jan 13–27 (transplant) Jan 13–27 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cilantro | – | Dec 23–Jan 20 (sow outdoors) | Oct 28–Nov 11 (sowing) |
| Parsley | Oct 28–Nov 11 | Dec 23–Jan 6 (transplant) Dec 16–Jan 6 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Dill | – | Jan 6–20 (sow outdoors) | Oct 28–Nov 11 (sowing) |
| Sunflower | – | Jan 6–20 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Asparagus (crowns) | – | Dec 9–23 (transplant) | – |
| Rhubarb (crowns) | – | Dec 9–23 (transplant) | – |
| Strawberry (plants) | – | Dec 9–23 (transplant) | Oct 14–Nov 11 (transplant) |
Typical ranges from university extension planting calendars, adjusted to your frost dates. Probabilities, not guarantees. Fall windows that would overlap spring planting are left out, as are fall crops of frost-tender plants where the frost-free season is under 210 days.
Where these numbers come from
Station: Moffett Federal Airfield, CA (NOAA GHCN-Daily ID USW00023244), elevation 39 ft, 2.1 miles from the ZIP's center point. NOAA completeness flag: R (representative, 10+ years).
Nearby stations
| Station | Distance | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | 6 mi | Jan 12 | Dec 22 |
| San Jose, CA | 7 mi | Jan 2 | Dec 25 |
| Palo Alto, CA | 8 mi | Feb 1 | Dec 7 |
The average last-frost dates of these stations span 30 days, a rough guide to local variation. See data sources & methods.
Frost questions for 94085
When is the last frost in 94085?
The average (50% chance) last spring freeze of 32°F for ZIP 94085 is January 6. For a more cautious planting date, use February 4, when only 1 year in 10 still sees a later freeze.
When is the first frost in 94085?
The average first fall freeze is December 23. In 1 year in 10 it comes by December 3.
What hardiness zone is 94085?
ZIP 94085 is in USDA zone 10a (30 to 35°F average coldest winter night), per the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP listing.
What is the soil temperature in 94085 right now?
This page shows the latest 2-inch and 4-inch soil temperature from the nearest public soil station (USDA SCAN, NOAA USCRN or TexMesonet), or a labeled estimate when no station is close, against the 50–55°F spring pre-emergent band.
Nearby ZIP codes
94086 Sunnyvale 94089 Sunnyvale 94087 Sunnyvale 95054 Santa Clara 94041 Mountain View 94043 Mountain View 95051 Santa Clara 95002 San Jose
Other ZIP codes in Santa Clara County
94022 94024 94040 94041 94043 94086 94087 94089 94301 94303 94304 94305 94306 95002 95008 95013 95014 95020 95030 95032 95035 95037 95046 95050 All Santa Clara County frost dates · California frost dates
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Free. One weekly email plus alerts when your ZIP has a frost or a soil-temperature change worth acting on. After you submit, Kit (our email provider) sends a confirmation email: check your email and click the link to confirm. You aren't subscribed until you do. We collect only your email address and ZIP, sent to Kit to deliver The Dial. Unsubscribe anytime.