Data: 2023 USDA zones (PRISM/OSU) · NOAA 1991–2020 normals · updated

Planting zone for 92059 — Pala, CA

ZIP code 92059 (Pala, San Diego County) is in USDA zone 10a: the coldest winter night averages 30 to 35 °F.

Where ZIP 92059 is

Outlined: the ZIP code area · tap the map for the zone at any spot · scroll or pinch to zoom

Not the official USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Zones come from the 2023 USDA hardiness-zone data by the PRISM Group, Oregon State University; we re-mapped and recolored them. The official map is at planthardiness.ars.usda.gov.

Zone10a30 to 35 °F
Coldest night−1.1 to 1.7 °C
Last frostrare
First frostrare
2012 zone9b

Was 9b on the 2012 map — half a zone warmer now. The zone is the one at the center of the ZIP code; hilly ZIPs can span two zones. What zone 10a means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Pala, CA…

Forecast data: National Weather Service (api.weather.gov), public domain. This is not a warning service — for official frost and freeze warnings see weather.gov.

Frost dates

A 32 °F frost doesn't happen here in most winters. At the nearest station (NOAA station Fallbrook 5 Ne, CA — 9 miles away, elevation 1,142 ft) the median growing season is 365 days. When frost does come, it is a midwinter night or two; cover tender plants when a freeze is forecast.

Frost data: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

When spring arrived in 2026

In 2026, spring leaf-out near 92059 came on Jan 17 — 5 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Jan 22).

JanFebMarAprMayJun

The Spring Index marks the day when accumulated warmth is enough for lilac and honeysuckle to leaf out — a widely used signal that the growing season has started. Source: USA National Phenology Network, www.usanpn.org — Spring Indices, first leaf, 2026 (data as of 2026-09-08) and 30-year average 1991–2020 (CC BY 4.0).

Soil in Pala, CA

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 92059 is Cieneba — coarse sandy loam, somewhat excessively drained.

TextureCoarse sandy loamdrains and warms fast; dries out and needs more feeding
pH5.8moderately acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageSomewhat excessively drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter0.75%low — add compost
Hydrologic groupDwater soaks in very slowly
Farmland classNot prime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Cieneba-Fallbrook rocky sandy loams, 30 to 65 percent slopes, eroded.

Soil Survey Staff, Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA. Soil Survey Geographic (SSURGO) Database, via Soil Data Access, accessed 2026-10-29. The soil at the center point of ZIP 92059; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Pala, CA

Summer high89 °Faverage high, August
Winter low46 °Faverage low, February
Hot days60days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights0nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days5,564base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 22 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 56 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growIntermediateday-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully
Precipitation15.3 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

40°50°60°70°80°90°100°January: average high 68 °F, low 47 °F 68°47° JanFebruary: average high 67 °F, low 46 °F 67°46° FebMarch: average high 70 °F, low 48 °F 70°48° MarApril: average high 72 °F, low 51 °F 72°51° AprMay: average high 75 °F, low 53 °F 75°53° MayJune: average high 81 °F, low 56 °F 81°56° JunJuly: average high 87 °F, low 60 °F 87°60° JulAugust: average high 89 °F, low 62 °F 89°62° AugSeptember: average high 88 °F, low 62 °F 88°62° SepOctober: average high 83 °F, low 58 °F 83°58° OctNovember: average high 74 °F, low 52 °F 74°52° NovDecember: average high 67 °F, low 46 °F 67°46° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″1″2″3″4″January: 2.95 in precipitation 3.0 JanFebruary: 3.35 in precipitation 3.4 FebMarch: 2.54 in precipitation 2.5 MarApril: 1.25 in precipitation 1.3 AprMay: 0.39 in precipitation 0.4 MayJune: 0.12 in precipitation 0.1 JunJuly: 0.21 in precipitation 0.2 JulAugust: 0.08 in precipitation 0.1 AugSeptember: 0.19 in precipitation 0.2 SepOctober: 0.83 in precipitation 0.8 OctNovember: 1.16 in precipitation 1.2 NovDecember: 2.23 in precipitation 2.2 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Fallbrook 5 Ne, CA (9 mi away); precipitation: Valley Center 6.4n, CA (5 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

6 of the 8 nearest ZIP codes are in a different zone — elevation and distance from water change winter lows quickly.

California planting zones →

Questions about 92059

What planting zone is ZIP code 92059?

ZIP code 92059 (Pala, CA) is in USDA hardiness zone 10a on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches 30 to 35 °F (−1.1 to 1.7 °C).

How much rain and snow does 92059 get?

About 15.3 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Valley Center 6.4n station).

How hot do summers get in Pala, CA?

The average high peaks at 89 °F in August, with about 60 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 92059 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Cieneba at the center of ZIP 92059: coarse sandy loam, somewhat excessively drained, pH about 5.8 (moderately acidic).

Did spring come early in Pala, CA in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 92059 came on Jan 17 in 2026, 5 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Jan 22), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Pala, CA?

Intermediate onions: the longest day near 92059 is 14 h 22 min, so day-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully.

Did the zone for 92059 change?

Yes. The 2012 USDA map put 92059 in zone 9b; the 2023 map puts it in zone 10a. The newer map uses 1991–2020 data and more weather stations.