When to Store Your Motorcycle in Lakewood, WA
As freezing nights reach Lakewood around November 21, riding gets impractical and it's time to store the motorcycle properly instead of idling it now and then. Riding tends to open again after the last freeze near March 11. It's a short step from frost to a hard freeze: roughly 20 days on average.
Typical first first 32°F freeze near Nov 21; local deadline about Nov 21. The live 10-day outlook loads here.
Local freeze dates for Lakewood
| Threshold | Early (1-in-10) | Median | Late (9-in-10) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 32°F (light freeze) | Nov 3 | Nov 21 | Dec 10 |
| 28°F (hard freeze) | Nov 18 | Dec 11 | Jan 19 |
| 24°F (severe) | Nov 26 | Dec 19 | Feb 5 |
NOAA station: Tacoma Narrows AP · 7.1 mi away · 292 ft elevation.
- Hard freezes are rare and late in Lakewood, which is exactly why they catch people off guard when they do come.
- The 62-day gap between the earliest and latest freeze dates here is wide, so the live outlook matters more than the calendar.
The reference station for Lakewood is Tacoma Narrows AP (7.1 mi, 292 ft). First freeze there: 32°F by Nov 21, 28°F by Dec 11, 24°F by Dec 19. Year to year the 28°F date has ranged from Nov 18 to Jan 19 — about 62 days apart. Spring's last 32°F freeze clears around Mar 11. Snowfall averages 6 inches a year, first reaching an inch near November.
Lakewood usually sees its first 32°F night about Nov 21, with the first 28°F hard freeze close behind near Dec 11. Year to year, the first 32°F night has fallen anywhere from Nov 3 to Dec 10 — about 37 days apart. Spring's final freeze lands near Mar 11 and as late as Apr 2, so that is when outdoor water and stored gear can safely come back online. Snow is light here, near 6 inches a year, so pipe and battery cold usually matters more than plowing.
Your motorcycle checklist
- Fill the tank and add fuel stabilizer, then ride or idle a few minutes so treated fuel reaches the injectors or carbs.Helpful gear: Fuel stabilizer — Recommended pick
- Change the oil and filter before storage so acids in used oil do not sit on internal parts all winter.
- Put the battery on a tender for the whole layup rather than starting the bike for a few minutes now and then.Helpful gear: Battery tender — Recommended pick
- Set tire pressure to spec and, if you can, lift the wheels with stands so the tires do not flat-spot.Helpful gear: Front paddock stand — Recommended pick
- Lube the chain and wipe down bare metal with a light protectant to fend off corrosion.
- Plug the exhaust and airbox loosely so mice cannot nest, and set traps nearby as a backup.
- Cover the bike with a breathable cover indoors so moisture does not get trapped against the paint.Helpful gear: Breathable motorcycle cover — Recommended pick
- In spring, remove the plugs, check tire pressure and brakes, and reconnect the battery before the first ride.
What to have on hand
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What this means locally
Compared with nearby cities, Lakewood's first-freeze date near Nov 21 sits later than Tacoma (Nov 14) and later than Puyallup (Oct 30). Washington's deadlines span Oct 4 to Nov 23 statewide — one date for all of Washington would be off by weeks for Lakewood. Once you know Lakewood's freeze date, use it to test your car battery and winterize a boat too.
Other winter jobs in Lakewood
Every task below is dated to Lakewood's own freeze and snow normals.
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Frequently asked questions
Should I start my motorcycle during winter storage?
Do I store a motorcycle with a full or empty tank?
How do I keep mice out of my motorcycle?
Battery tender vs trickle charger?
When does riding season end in Lakewood?
How do I prep a motorcycle for spring?
Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals via Tacoma Narrows AP, live outlook by Open-Meteo. Sources · Methodology. Last updated: July 11, 2026.