Frost Dates for 93308 — Bakersfield, California

In the 90% of winters that bring a 32°F night, half of springs at Bakersfield Airport, CA see their last 32°F night by January 17; only one in ten is past it by December 23, and one in ten still has one after February 18. Counting the winters with no freeze at all, the risk of a 32°F night after February 18 is under 9% and after January 17 45%. The 32 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is wider than at 55% of the 220 California stations behind this site's ZIP pages, so a fixed calendar date is a gamble here.

In fall the first 32°F night comes by December 15 in half of years, as early as November 30 one year in ten, and holds off past January 12 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F is less common: it came in 41% of winters. The freeze-free season lasts 334 days in a typical year, longer than at 85% of the 219 California stations; it reaches 361 days one year in ten and falls short of 301 one year in ten. On average 10 nights a year drop to 32°F or below. Nights of 36°F, when frost can still settle on leaves in low, open spots, continue 35 days longer, to about February 21, and return around December 1. A 24°F night is unusual: 8% of winters had one.

July is the warmest month at Bakersfield Airport, CA, averaging 98°F by day and 71°F at night; December is the coldest at 59°F and 40°F. From March to October the chance of a 32°F night stays under 10% each month. In spring, February still brings one in 23% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 6,145 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 94% of the 283 California stations. 39% of them (2,373) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 1,079. Precipitation totals 6.6 inches a year, most in January (1.2") and least in July (0.0"); May to September bring 8% of it.

The nearest other station, Bakersfield 5 NW, CA, 5 miles southwest of Bakersfield, has a last frost 14 days later (January 31), a first frost 7 days earlier (December 8), a season 22 days shorter.

Measurable snow is rare here: only 1 of 30 winters from 1991 to 2020 recorded 0.1 inch or more at Bakersfield Airport, CA, 4.5 miles away, so there is no typical first-snow date to plan around.

ZIP 93308 is 5 miles from Bakersfield Airport, CA, which stands at 489 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 93308 in zone 9b, the band where the coldest night of the year averaged 25 to 30°F (-3.9 to -1.1°C) over 1991–2020; a zone describes winter lows, not frost dates.