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

Planting zone for 92549 — Idyllwild, CA

ZIP code 92549 (Idyllwild, Riverside County) is in USDA zone 8a: the coldest winter night averages 10 to 15 °F. The median last spring frost is May 16 and the first fall frost October 24.

Where ZIP 92549 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.

Zone8a10 to 15 °F
Coldest night−12.2 to −9.4 °C
Last frostMay 16
First frostOct 24
2012 zone8a

Same zone as on the 2012 map. The zone is the one at the center of the ZIP code; hilly ZIPs can span two zones. What zone 8a means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Idyllwild, 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 in Idyllwild, CA

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostMay 16median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsJune 5only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostOctober 24median — 10% chance by Oct 1
Growing season160 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around April 24 and returns around November 10.

From the NOAA station Idyllwild Fire Dept, CA — 4 miles away, elevation 5,381 ft. NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, 32 °F threshold. Low spots and valleys can freeze later in spring than the station.

When to plant vegetables in 92549

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Apr 4 – Apr 18
SpinachSow outdoors · Apr 4 – Apr 25
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Mar 7 – Mar 21
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Apr 25 – May 9
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Apr 18 – May 2
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Apr 25 – May 9
LettuceSow outdoors · Apr 18 – May 2
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Apr 25 – May 9
TomatoesStart indoors · Mar 21 – Apr 4
TomatoesTransplant · May 23 – Jun 6
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Mar 7 – Mar 21
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · May 30 – Jun 13
BeansSow outdoors · May 23 – Jun 6
Sweet cornSow outdoors · May 23 – Jun 6
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · May 23 – Jun 6
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Aug 29 – Sep 12
GarlicPlant cloves · Oct 10 – Nov 14
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (May 16) and first fall frost (Oct 24) with the rules of thumb U.S. extension services publish. Cool-season crops take a light frost; warm-season crops do best once the soil is above about 60 °F.

When spring arrived in 2026

In 2026, spring leaf-out near 92549 came on Mar 1 — 44 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Apr 14).

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 Idyllwild, CA

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 92549 is Lithic Xerorthents — very gravelly loamy sand, excessively drained.

TextureVery gravelly loamy sanddrains and warms fast; dries out and needs more feeding
pH6.7neutral; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageExcessively drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter0.5%low — add compost
Hydrologic groupDwater soaks in very slowly
Farmland classNot prime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Lithic Xerorthents, cool-Rock outcrop complex, 50 to 100 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 92549; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Idyllwild, CA

Summer high86 °Faverage high, August
Winter low30 °Faverage low, February
Hot days18days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights107nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days2,838base 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
Precipitation19.9 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°100°32 °FJanuary: average high 55 °F, low 31 °F 55°31° JanFebruary: average high 55 °F, low 30 °F 55°30° FebMarch: average high 59 °F, low 32 °F 59°32° MarApril: average high 64 °F, low 35 °F 64°35° AprMay: average high 71 °F, low 41 °F 71°41° MayJune: average high 80 °F, low 48 °F 80°48° JunJuly: average high 85 °F, low 55 °F 85°55° JulAugust: average high 86 °F, low 55 °F 86°55° AugSeptember: average high 81 °F, low 50 °F 81°50° SepOctober: average high 72 °F, low 42 °F 72°42° OctNovember: average high 62 °F, low 35 °F 62°35° NovDecember: average high 54 °F, low 30 °F 54°30° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″1″2″3″4″5″6″January: 5.79 in precipitation 5.8 JanFebruary: 3.32 in precipitation 3.3 FebMarch: 1.79 in precipitation 1.8 MarApril: 0.30 in precipitation 0.3 AprMay: 0.38 in precipitation 0.4 MayJune: 0.03 in precipitation 0.0 JunJuly: 0.58 in precipitation 0.6 JulAugust: 0.61 in precipitation 0.6 AugSeptember: 0.33 in precipitation 0.3 SepOctober: 0.35 in precipitation 0.3 OctNovember: 3.35 in precipitation 3.4 NovDecember: 3.06 in precipitation 3.1 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Idyllwild Fire Dept, CA (4 mi away); precipitation: Long Valley 2, CA (2 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

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

9226210a
Palm Springs, CA · 8 mi
9226310a
Palm Springs, CA · 9 mi
922309b
Cabazon, CA · 9 mi
9225810a
North Palm Springs, CA · 11 mi
922829b
Whitewater, CA · 11 mi
9226410a
Palm Springs, CA · 12 mi
9223410a
Cathedral City, CA · 12 mi
9223510a
Cathedral City, CA · 12 mi

California planting zones →

Questions about 92549

What planting zone is ZIP code 92549?

ZIP code 92549 (Idyllwild, CA) is in USDA hardiness zone 8a on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches 10 to 15 °F (−12.2 to −9.4 °C).

When is the last frost in Idyllwild, CA?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 92549 is May 16; after June 5 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Idyllwild Fire Dept station.

When is the first frost in Idyllwild, CA?

The median first fall frost near 92549 is October 24, giving a median frost-free growing season of 160 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 92549?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Mar 21 – Apr 4 and set transplants outside around May 23 – Jun 6, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 92549 get?

About 19.9 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Long Valley 2 station).

How hot do summers get in Idyllwild, CA?

The average high peaks at 86 °F in August, with about 18 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 92549 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Lithic Xerorthents at the center of ZIP 92549: very gravelly loamy sand, excessively drained, pH about 6.7 (neutral).

Did spring come early in Idyllwild, CA in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 92549 came on Mar 1 in 2026, 44 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Apr 14), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Idyllwild, CA?

Intermediate onions: the longest day near 92549 is 14 h 24 min, so day-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully.