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

Planting zone for 92235 — Cathedral City, CA

ZIP code 92235 (Cathedral City, Riverside County) is in USDA zone 10a: the coldest winter night averages 30 to 35 °F.

Where ZIP 92235 is

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 Cathedral City, 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 Palm Springs Regional Airport, CA — 4 miles away, elevation 420 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 92235 came on Jan 16 — 4 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Jan 20).

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 Cathedral City, CA

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 92235 is Carsitas — cobbly sand, excessively drained.

TextureCobbly sanddrains and warms fast; dries out and needs more feeding
pH8.2alkaline; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageExcessively drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter0.75%low — add compost
Hydrologic groupAwater soaks in fast
Farmland classNot prime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Carsitas cobbly sand, 2 to 9 percent slopes.

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 92235; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Cathedral City, CA

Summer high109 °Faverage high, July
Winter low46 °Faverage low, December
Hot days177days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights0nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days9,384base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 24 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 54 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growIntermediateday-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully
Precipitation4.6 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

40°50°60°70°80°90°100°110°120°January: average high 71 °F, low 48 °F 71°48° JanFebruary: average high 74 °F, low 50 °F 74°50° FebMarch: average high 81 °F, low 54 °F 81°54° MarApril: average high 87 °F, low 59 °F 87°59° AprMay: average high 95 °F, low 66 °F 95°66° MayJune: average high 104 °F, low 73 °F 104°73° JunJuly: average high 109 °F, low 79 °F 109°79° JulAugust: average high 108 °F, low 80 °F 108°80° AugSeptember: average high 102 °F, low 74 °F 102°74° SepOctober: average high 91 °F, low 65 °F 91°65° OctNovember: average high 79 °F, low 53 °F 79°53° NovDecember: average high 69 °F, low 46 °F 69°46° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″1″2″January: 1.14 in precipitation 1.1 JanFebruary: 1.11 in precipitation 1.1 FebMarch: 0.51 in precipitation 0.5 MarApril: 0.09 in precipitation 0.1 AprMay: 0.02 in precipitation 0.0 MayJune: 0.00 in precipitation 0.0 JunJuly: 0.25 in precipitation 0.3 JulAugust: 0.14 in precipitation 0.1 AugSeptember: 0.24 in precipitation 0.2 SepOctober: 0.20 in precipitation 0.2 OctNovember: 0.23 in precipitation 0.2 NovDecember: 0.68 in precipitation 0.7 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Palm Springs Regional Airport, CA (4 mi away); precipitation: Palm Springs Regional Airport, CA (4 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

All 8 nearest ZIP codes share zone 10a.

9227010a
Rancho Mirage, CA · 2 mi
9223410a
Cathedral City, CA · 2 mi
9226310a
Palm Springs, CA · 4 mi
9226410a
Palm Springs, CA · 5 mi
9227610a
Thousand Palms, CA · 6 mi
9225510a
Palm Desert, CA · 6 mi
9226010a
Palm Desert, CA · 7 mi
9221110a
Palm Desert, CA · 8 mi

All 2 ZIP codes in Cathedral City → · California planting zones →

Questions about 92235

What planting zone is ZIP code 92235?

ZIP code 92235 (Cathedral City, 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 92235 get?

About 4.6 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Palm Springs Regional Airport station).

How hot do summers get in Cathedral City, CA?

The average high peaks at 109 °F in July, with about 177 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 92235 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Carsitas at the center of ZIP 92235: cobbly sand, excessively drained, pH about 8.2 (alkaline).

Did spring come early in Cathedral City, CA in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 92235 came on Jan 16 in 2026, 4 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Jan 20), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Cathedral City, CA?

Intermediate onions: the longest day near 92235 is 14 h 24 min, so day-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully.

Did the zone for 92235 change?

Yes. The 2012 USDA map put 92235 in zone 9b; the 2023 map puts it in zone 10a. The newer map uses 1991–2020 data and more weather stations.