Frost dates for 96156 — South Lake Tahoe, CA
Gardening where frost is possible all year
The weather station nearest South Lake Tahoe, CA records freezing temperatures in every month often enough that NOAA cannot define a frost-free season. Gardening is still possible — it just means planning for frost at any time:
- Grow fast, cold-tolerant crops: Radishes, Lettuce, Spinach, Kale, Peas, Potatoes, Swiss Chard, Garlic.
- Plant once the soil can be worked — usually late spring to early summer at high elevation — and keep row covers ready for clear, still nights.
- Use season extension: cold frames, low tunnels, wall-of-water cloches or a greenhouse turn a few frost-free weeks into a real season.
- Frost-tender crops (tomatoes, squash, beans) need protection all season; choose the earliest varieties you can find.
How South Lake Tahoe compares
- Nearby Carson City, NV, 30 km away, has a regular frost season (last frost May 4), a reminder of how much elevation and distance from the coast matter.
About these dates
Based on 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals for the South Lake Tahoe Ap, CA weather station, 5 km away (elevation 6,316 ft (1,925 m)).
ZIP codes in South Lake Tahoe: 96150 96151 96152 96154 96155 96156 96157 96158
Frost dates near South Lake Tahoe
- Echo Lake frost any month
- Twin Bridges frost any month
- Tahoma Jun 4 · Oct 3
- Markleeville frost any month
- Homewood Jun 4 · Oct 3
- Kirkwood frost any month
- Kyburz Apr 26 · Nov 2
- Tahoe City Jun 9 · Sep 25
Frequently asked questions
When is the last frost in South Lake Tahoe, CA?
South Lake Tahoe, CA can freeze in any month, so there is no reliable last frost date. The nearest NOAA station averages 222 nights a year at or below 32°F.
What can I grow in South Lake Tahoe, CA?
Fast, cold-tolerant crops such as radishes, lettuce, spinach, kale, peas and potatoes, ideally under row covers, cold frames or a greenhouse. Frost-tender crops like tomatoes need protection all season.