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

Planting zone for 92253 — La Quinta, CA

ZIP code 92253 (La Quinta, Riverside County) is in USDA zone 10a: the coldest winter night averages 30 to 35 °F.

Where ZIP 92253 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 La Quinta, 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 Indio Fire Stn, CA — 6 miles away, elevation -20 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 92253 came on Jan 16 — 6 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 La Quinta, CA

The center of ZIP 92253 is mapped as Rock outcrop: built-over ground without natural soil data. Garden soil here is usually imported or disturbed — test before you plant.

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 92253; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in La Quinta, CA

Summer high106 °Faverage high, July
Winter low45 °Faverage low, December
Hot days184days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights1nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days9,508base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 23 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 55 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growIntermediateday-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully
Precipitation5 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

30°40°50°60°70°80°90°100°110°120°32 °FJanuary: average high 70 °F, low 47 °F 70°47° JanFebruary: average high 73 °F, low 51 °F 73°51° FebMarch: average high 80 °F, low 57 °F 80°57° MarApril: average high 86 °F, low 63 °F 86°63° AprMay: average high 93 °F, low 69 °F 93°69° MayJune: average high 102 °F, low 77 °F 102°77° JunJuly: average high 106 °F, low 83 °F 106°83° JulAugust: average high 105 °F, low 83 °F 105°83° AugSeptember: average high 101 °F, low 77 °F 101°77° SepOctober: average high 91 °F, low 66 °F 91°66° OctNovember: average high 78 °F, low 53 °F 78°53° NovDecember: average high 69 °F, low 45 °F 69°45° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″1″January: 0.96 in precipitation 1.0 JanFebruary: 0.93 in precipitation 0.9 FebMarch: 0.62 in precipitation 0.6 MarApril: 0.16 in precipitation 0.2 AprMay: 0.04 in precipitation 0.0 MayJune: 0.01 in precipitation 0.0 JunJuly: 0.34 in precipitation 0.3 JulAugust: 0.45 in precipitation 0.5 AugSeptember: 0.35 in precipitation 0.3 SepOctober: 0.23 in precipitation 0.2 OctNovember: 0.27 in precipitation 0.3 NovDecember: 0.68 in precipitation 0.7 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Indio Fire Stn, CA (6 mi away); precipitation: Deep Canyon Lab, CA (5 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

All 8 nearest ZIP codes share zone 10a.

All 3 ZIP codes in La Quinta → · California planting zones →

Questions about 92253

What planting zone is ZIP code 92253?

ZIP code 92253 (La Quinta, 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 92253 get?

About 5 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Deep Canyon Lab station).

How hot do summers get in La Quinta, CA?

The average high peaks at 106 °F in July, with about 184 days a year at 90 °F or more.

Did spring come early in La Quinta, CA in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 92253 came on Jan 16 in 2026, 6 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Jan 22), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in La Quinta, CA?

Intermediate onions: the longest day near 92253 is 14 h 23 min, so day-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully.

Did the zone for 92253 change?

Yes. The 2012 USDA map put 92253 in zone 9b; the 2023 map puts it in zone 10a. The newer map uses 1991–2020 data and more weather stations.