Frost dates for ZIP 96011 (Big Bend, 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, Burney, CA (17 miles away).
- Average last spring frostJun 350% chance of a 32°F freeze after this date
- Average first fall frostSep 1450% chance of a 32°F freeze by this date
- Growing season (frost-free)102 daysmedian, 32°F threshold
- USDA hardiness zone8b15 to 20°F avg. coldest night
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This week in your yard
As of Oct 17, 2026, from your frost dates, zone and soil temperature. Lawn timing · Vegetables · Pruning · Plants
Soil temperature now
2-inch depth
73°F 55°F or warmer
24-hour average · latest 77°F, as of Oct 17, 10:00 PM CDT
Estimate Not a measurement at this ZIP: distance-weighted average of French Gulch (39 mi), Redding 12 WNW (47 mi).
4-inch depth
74°F 55°F or warmer
24-hour average · latest 78°F, as of Oct 17, 10:00 PM CDT
Estimate Not a measurement at this ZIP: distance-weighted average of French Gulch (39 mi), Redding 12 WNW (47 mi).
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 96011 load here. You can also open the NWS forecast for this ZIP.
Pre-emergent
Soil is 74°F at 4 inches (estimated soil temperature, not a station reading). Fall pre-emergent (annual bluegrass, winter weeds): window open as soil cools through the 70s and 60s.
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 Jul 19 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
No vegetable planting windows are open this week.
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) | May 15 |
| 50% (the "average" last frost) | Jun 3 |
| 10% (cautious: only 1 year in 10 freezes later) | Jun 19 |
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) | Sep 1 |
| 50% (the "average" first frost) | Sep 14 |
| 90% (late: most years have frozen by now) | Sep 27 |
Light frost, freeze and hard freeze
| Threshold | Last spring (50%) | First fall (50%) |
|---|---|---|
| 36°F (light frost possible on clear, calm nights) | n/a | n/a |
| 32°F (freeze) | Jun 3 | Sep 14 |
| 28°F (hard freeze) | May 13 | Oct 1 |
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 96011
Dates count from your average last spring frost (Jun 3) and first fall frost (Sep 14). 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 | Apr 8–22 | Jun 10–24 (transplant) | – |
| Pepper (sweet and hot) | Mar 25–Apr 8 | Jun 17–Jul 1 (transplant) | – |
| Eggplant | Mar 25–Apr 8 | Jun 17–Jul 1 (transplant) | – |
| Tomatillo | Apr 8–22 | Jun 10–24 (transplant) | – |
| Lettuce | Apr 8–22 | May 13–Jun 3 (transplant) May 6–Jun 17 (sow outdoors) | Jul 20–Aug 10 (transplant) Jul 6–Aug 3 (sowing) |
| Spinach | – | Apr 22–May 13 (sow outdoors) | Jul 20–Aug 10 (sowing) |
| Kale | Apr 8–22 | May 6–20 (transplant) May 6–20 (sow outdoors) | Jun 22–Jul 20 (transplant) Jun 8–Jul 6 (sowing) |
| Collards | Apr 8–22 | May 6–Jun 3 (transplant) May 6–Jun 3 (sow outdoors) | Jun 22–Jul 20 (transplant) Jun 8–Jul 6 (sowing) |
| Broccoli | Mar 25–Apr 8 | May 6–20 (transplant) | Jun 8–Jul 6 (transplant) |
| Cabbage | Mar 25–Apr 8 | May 6–20 (transplant) | Jun 8–Jul 6 (transplant) |
| Cauliflower | Mar 25–Apr 8 | May 20–Jun 3 (transplant) | Jun 8–Jul 6 (transplant) |
| Brussels sprouts | Mar 11–25 | May 6–20 (transplant) | May 25–Jun 15 (transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Apr 8–22 | May 6–20 (transplant) May 6–20 (sow outdoors) | Jul 6–20 (sowing) |
| Bok choy / Asian greens | – | May 6–20 (sow outdoors) | Jul 20–Aug 3 (sowing) |
| Arugula | – | May 6–Jun 3 (sow outdoors) | Jul 20–Aug 17 (sowing) |
| Mustard greens | – | May 6–27 (sow outdoors) | Jul 20–Aug 3 (sowing) |
| Swiss chard | Apr 22–May 6 | May 20–Jun 10 (transplant) May 20–Jun 17 (sow outdoors) | Jul 6–20 (sowing) |
| Beet | – | May 6–Jun 3 (sow outdoors) | Jul 6–20 (sowing) |
| Carrot | – | May 13–Jun 10 (sow outdoors) | Jun 22–Jul 6 (sowing) |
| Radish | – | Apr 29–Jun 10 (sow outdoors) | Aug 3–17 (sowing) |
| Turnip | – | May 6–27 (sow outdoors) | Jul 6–20 (sowing) |
| Parsnip | – | May 13–Jun 3 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pea (garden, snap, snow) | – | Apr 8–May 6 (sow outdoors) | Jun 22–Jul 6 (sowing) |
| Onion (bulbing) | Mar 11–25 | Apr 22–May 6 (transplant) | – |
| Green onion / scallion | – | Apr 22–May 20 (sow outdoors) | Jul 6–20 (sowing) |
| Leek | Mar 11–25 | May 6–20 (transplant) | – |
| Garlic | – | – | Aug 3–31 (sowing) |
| Shallot | – | Apr 22–May 6 (transplant) | Aug 3–31 (sowing) |
| Potato | – | May 6–20 (transplant) | May 25–Jun 8 (transplant) |
| Sweet potato | – | Jun 24–Jul 8 (transplant) | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Jun 10–24 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, bush (snap) | – | Jun 10–24 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, pole | – | Jun 10–24 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Lima bean | – | Jun 17–Jul 1 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Southern pea (cowpea, black-eyed pea) | – | Jun 24–Jul 15 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cucumber | May 6–13 | Jun 10–24 (transplant) Jun 10–24 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Summer squash / zucchini | May 6–13 | Jun 10–24 (transplant) Jun 10–24 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Winter squash | May 6–13 | Jun 10–24 (transplant) Jun 10–24 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pumpkin | – | Jun 10–24 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Watermelon | May 6–13 | Jun 17–Jul 1 (transplant) Jun 17–Jul 1 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cantaloupe / muskmelon | May 6–13 | Jun 17–Jul 1 (transplant) Jun 17–Jul 1 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Okra | Apr 22–May 6 | Jun 17–Jul 1 (transplant) Jun 17–Jul 1 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Celery | Mar 11–25 | Jun 10–17 (transplant) | – |
| Basil | Apr 22–May 6 | Jun 10–24 (transplant) Jun 10–24 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cilantro | – | May 20–Jun 17 (sow outdoors) | Jul 20–Aug 3 (sowing) |
| Parsley | Mar 25–Apr 8 | May 20–Jun 3 (transplant) May 13–Jun 3 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Dill | – | Jun 3–17 (sow outdoors) | Jul 20–Aug 3 (sowing) |
| Sunflower | – | Jun 3–17 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Asparagus (crowns) | – | May 6–20 (transplant) | – |
| Rhubarb (crowns) | – | May 6–20 (transplant) | – |
| Strawberry (plants) | – | May 6–20 (transplant) | Jul 6–Aug 3 (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: Burney, CA (NOAA GHCN-Daily ID USC00041214), elevation 3,198 ft, 17.3 miles from the ZIP's center point. NOAA completeness flag: R (representative, 10+ years).
Nearby stations
| Station | Distance | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mccloud, CA | 19 mi | May 28 | Sep 30 |
| Hat Creek, CA | 20 mi | May 29 | Sep 19 |
| Dunsmuir Trtmt Pl, CA | 22 mi | Apr 23 | Oct 27 |
The average last-frost dates of these stations span 42 days, a rough guide to local variation. See data sources & methods.
Frost questions for 96011
When is the last frost in 96011?
The average (50% chance) last spring freeze of 32°F for ZIP 96011 is June 3. For a more cautious planting date, use June 19, when only 1 year in 10 still sees a later freeze.
When is the first frost in 96011?
The average first fall freeze is September 14. In 1 year in 10 it comes by September 1.
What hardiness zone is 96011?
ZIP 96011 is in USDA zone 8b (15 to 20°F average coldest winter night), per the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP listing.
What is the soil temperature in 96011 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
96013 Burney 96065 Montgomery Creek 96057 McCloud 96084 Round Mountain 96017 Castella 96028 Fall River Mills 96016 Cassel 96051 Lakehead
Other ZIP codes in Shasta County
96001 96002 96003 96007 96008 96013 96016 96017 96019 96028 96033 96040 96047 96051 96062 96065 96069 96071 96073 96084 96087 96088 96096 All Shasta County frost dates · California frost dates
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