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USDA Hardiness Zone 10b

Frost Dates for 92122 — San Diego, California

NOAA 1991–2020 normals from San Diego Miramar NAS, CA (477 ft), 5 miles east.

Updated

Frost is not a yearly event in San Diego: a night at or below 32°F came in 4% of the winters of 1991–2020 at San Diego Miramar NAS, CA, and a 36°F night, cold enough for frost on exposed leaves, in 52%. There is no reliable "last frost date" here; most years have none.

Winters with a freeze
4%

32°F or below, 1991–2020

Winters with 36°F
52%

frost possible on leaves

Coldest month low
46°F

average, December

Hardiness zone
10b

35 to 40°F (1.7 to 4.4°C) coldest night

First snow
Rare

median, 1991–2020

Last snow
Rare

median, 1991–2020

Winters with snow
0%

0 of 19 observed

Snow per year
0"

NOAA normal

Frost risk by date in San Diego

At San Diego Miramar NAS, CA, 5 miles east of San Diego, 4% of the winters of 1991–2020 had at least one night at or below 32°F, and none reached 28°F. Nights of 36°F, enough for frost on exposed leaves, are more common (52% of winters) and, when they come, fall between about December 30 and January 7. January is the month most likely to bring one: a 3% chance in a given year. 62 of the 283 other California stations behind this site's ZIP pages freeze in fewer than half of winters too.

Spring: the chance of another night this cold after the date
Low90%80%70%60%50%40%30%20%10%
36°F52% of yrsDec 15Dec 24Dec 31Jan 4Jan 7Jan 14Jan 25Feb 3Feb 18
32°F4% of yrstoo rare for a date
28°F0% of yrsnever in 1991–2020
Fall: the chance the first night this cold has come by the date
Low10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%
36°F52% of yrsDec 7Dec 14Dec 19Dec 24Dec 30Jan 3Jan 8Jan 21Feb 1
32°F4% of yrstoo rare for a date
28°F0% of yrsnever in 1991–2020

Freeze probabilities 1991–2020 at San Diego Miramar NAS, CA, from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals. Where a temperature is reached in fewer than 99.5% of years, the dates describe only the years that reach it. Not a forecast.

Frost risk on any date in 92122 →Compare San Diego with another place →

Weather by month in San Diego

August is the warmest month at San Diego Miramar NAS, CA, averaging 82°F by day and 65°F at night; December is the coldest at 67°F and 46°F. Every month stays under a 10% chance of a 32°F night; January is the likeliest at 3%.

Warmth for growing adds up to 5,208 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 71% of the 283 California stations. 39% of them (2,023) have built up by the end of June, and August adds the most, 738. Precipitation totals 11.5 inches a year, most in February (2.7") and least in August (0.0"); May to September bring 5% of it.

Monthly normals 1991–2020 at San Diego Miramar NAS, CA
MonthHigh °FLow °FPrecip. in32°F nightNights ≤ 32°FGDD 50°F
Jan67472.33%<1227
Feb67482.71%0217
Mar68501.60%0271
Apr70520.80%0338
May72570.30%0442
Jun75600.10%0530
Jul80640.10%0684
Aug82650.00%0738
Sep82630.10%0671
Oct78580.60%0544
Nov72510.90%0349
Dec67462.01%<1200

Monthly normals 1991–2020 at San Diego Miramar NAS, CA (477 ft), NOAA NCEI. "32°F night": chance of at least one in the month. GDD: growing degree days, base 50°F.

Compared with the next station

The nearest other station, San Diego Montgomery Field, CA, 5 miles southeast of San Diego, has a 32°F night in 6% of winters against 4% here, and a coolest-month low 1°F colder (45°F).

Frost dates for 92115 (San Diego) →

When it snows in San Diego, California

Measurable snow is rare here: only 0 of 19 winters from 1991 to 2020 recorded 0.1 inch or more at Poway Valley, CA, 15.4 miles away, so there is no typical first-snow date to plan around.

Where these figures come from

ZIP 92122 is 5 miles from San Diego Miramar NAS, CA, which stands at 477 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. 6 other ZIP codes share the station; its figures are presented in full for 92126 (San Diego). The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 92122 in zone 10b, the band where the coldest night of the year averaged 35 to 40°F (1.7 to 4.4°C) over 1991–2020; a zone describes winter lows, not frost dates.

Frost dates across California →

Hardiness zone and temperature range: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023 (USDA-ARS, Oregon State University), ZIP-code listing, unchanged. °C converted from °F by this site.

Thirty-year averages, not a forecast: check the forecast before planting out. How stations are matched and which pages are offered to search engines: methodology.

ZIP codes measured at the same station

Other zone 10b places in California