Frost Dates in Hawaii

Q: When is the first frost in Hawaii?

Hawaii essentially has no frost season at garden elevations. Sea-level Hawaii never frosts — only the summits of Mauna Kea, Mauna Loa, and Haleakala freeze, well above any garden.

Q: What growing zone is Hawaii?

Hawaii spans USDA hardiness zones 9a–13a. Gardening here is limited by heat, rain, and wind — not frost.

Q: Can I grow vegetables year-round in Hawaii?

Yes — with no freeze to end the season, planting calendars here revolve around wet/dry seasons and heat rather than frost dates. Cool-season crops go in during the mildest months; heat-lovers run the rest of the year.

Spoiler: the growing season here doesn't end. Here's what that means for your garden.

Frost-free — the growing season never ends here

First frost

None

Growing season

365 days

USDA zones

9a–13a

Where Hawaii sits on the frost line

NOAA 1991 to 2020 normals

Hawaii never crosses the line. While the frost front sweeps the mainland from September through December, gardens here keep growing — the planning calendar runs on rainfall and heat instead of freeze dates.

Sea-level Hawaii never frosts — only the summits of Mauna Kea, Mauna Loa, and Haleakala freeze, well above any garden.

Down to your street

Frost dates for your exact ZIP

The dates above are the state median. Enter a ZIP code to snap to the nearest of 150 NOAA reference stations and read that station’s own first and last freeze instead:

Frosted meadow at sunrise with bare trees on the horizon — Microclimates made visible: open, low ground silvers over while the wooded edge stays green — the same night, one field apart.

City by city

Frost dates across Hawaii

State averages hide huge local spread — elevation, cold-air drainage, urban heat, and nearby water routinely move frost dates by two to four weeks within the same state. Median dates for representative Hawaii stations:

City	Typical first frost	Typical last frost
Honolulu	Rarely freezes	—
Hilo	Rarely freezes	—
Waimea (Kamuela)	Rarely freezes	—

Not near these cities? The ZIP lookup above snaps any US address to its nearest reference station. It is the same tool as the site’s national frost date lookup.

Common questions

Hawaii frost date FAQ

When is the first frost in Hawaii?

What growing zone is Hawaii?

Can I grow vegetables year-round in Hawaii?

Keep planning

Plan the rest of the season

Frost dates for your ZIPSnap to your nearest reference station — first and last freeze with a countdown.Hawaii fall foliagePeak color December 1–January 15 — usually beats the frost by two weeks.Hawaii hummingbird departuresWhen to take feeders down.Hawaii tick forecastTicks stay active right up to that first hard freeze. Check live risk before fall hikes.

More West frost dates

Dates are median first/last 32°F freeze approximations from NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals for representative stations, bracketed by roughly the 10%/90% range. Any single year varies; microclimates vary more. National picture: first frost dates for every state