Do I need to cover plants for frost in Modesto, CA this week?
Here's the next 7 days for covering plants in Modesto, checked hour by hour against the published thresholds. Below it: what Modesto's 1991–2020 climate averages say about the months that usually work.
This week in Modesto
Asking the sky…
Fairsky is not a substitute for official warnings. For warnings, go to weather.gov. Verdicts are guidance, not guarantees. Your product's label always wins.
When covering plants usually works in Modesto
- On 1991–2020 averages, Modesto's median last spring freeze (32°F) comes around January 31 and the median first fall freeze around December 5. In half of years the date is later than that, in half earlier.
- Nights of 36°F or colder, when frost can form under clear, calm skies, typically end around March 1 and return around November 22.
- Hard freezes (28°F or colder, which kill most tender plants even under a cover) typically end around January 8 and return around December 21.
- Modesto averages 12 nights a year at or below 32°F, most of them in December (5.6).
| Month | Avg high | Avg low | Days ≥0.10" rain | Nights ≤32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 56° | 39° | 5.6 | 4.7 |
| February | 62° | 42° | 5.7 | 1.1 |
| March | 68° | 45° | 4.7 | 0.0 |
| April | 74° | 48° | 2.5 | 0.0 |
| May | 82° | 54° | 1.7 | 0.0 |
| June | 90° | 59° | 0.4 | 0.0 |
| July | 95° | 63° | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| August | 94° | 62° | 0.1 | 0.0 |
| September | 89° | 59° | 0.3 | 0.0 |
| October | 79° | 52° | 1.1 | 0.0 |
| November | 66° | 43° | 2.7 | 1.0 |
| December | 56° | 39° | 5.5 | 5.6 |
Station: Modesto City Co. Airport (NOAA NCEI USW00023258), about 4 km from central Modesto. “Rain days” count days with 0.10" or more of precipitation.
The rules we check
- Cover tender plants when the overnight low is forecast at 34°F or colder.
- At 35–36°F, Fairsky still says cover when the night looks clear and calm (little cloud, wind 5 mph or less), because the ground can frost before the air hits 32°F. (Fairsky default: no source gave a number)
- 32°F or colder is a freeze.
- 28°F or colder is a hard freeze, which kills most tender vegetation; bring pots inside, since covers may not be enough.
Your product's label always wins. Labels differ by product; in the app you can enter your label's temperature range and rain-free hours, and the verdict uses them instead.
Sources: NWS glossary: frost advisory · NWS glossary: hard freeze
More home and yard jobs in Modesto
- Stain a deckDeck and fence stain: 50–90°F, dry wood, 24 rain-free hours after.
- Paint a house exteriorExterior latex paint: 40°F and up, 5°F above the dew point, 4 dry hours after.
- Pour concreteConcrete: 40–85°F, no rain for 24 hours, no freezing for 48.
- Spray weedsWeed killer: 3–10 mph wind, 45–85°F, 4 rain-free hours after.
- Apply pre-emergentCrabgrass pre-emergent: before soil holds 55°F (about 200 GDD), then water it in.
- Plant grass seedCool-season grass seed: soil about 50–65°F, highs 60–80°F, no washout rain.
- Seal a drivewayAsphalt sealcoat: 55°F and rising, 50°F overnight, 36 rain-free hours.
The app covers 47 activities in all, from mowing to a round of golf: see every activity and its rules.
Cover plants for frost in nearby cities
- Stockton, CA27 miles away
- San Jose, CA53 miles away
- Sacramento, CA71 miles away
- San Francisco, CA78 miles away
- Fresno, CA91 miles away
- Bakersfield, CA191 miles away
All cover plants for frost cities: Cover plants for frost, by city · Home and yard in California
Questions
How is this verdict made?
We take the National Weather Service hourly forecast for Modesto and check each hour against the thresholds listed above. The result is guidance, not a guarantee; your product's label always wins.
Will it frost tonight in Modesto?
Frost is possible when the forecast low is in the mid-30s °F or colder, especially on clear, calm nights. The verdict above checks Modesto's low tonight and this week.
Fairsky is not a substitute for official warnings. For warnings, go to weather.gov.
Live forecasts: National Weather Service / NOAA (public domain), fetched by your browser. Climate averages: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 (public domain). Activity thresholds: product data sheets, ACI and university extension guidance, linked on each page; your product’s label wins.