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

Planting zone for 93208 — Camp Nelson, CA

ZIP code 93208 (Camp Nelson, Tulare County) is in USDA zone 8b: the coldest winter night averages 15 to 20 °F.

Where ZIP 93208 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.

Zone8b15 to 20 °F
Coldest night−9.4 to −6.7 °C
Last frostrare
First frostrare
2012 zone8b

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 8b means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Camp Nelson, 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 Porterville, CA — 22 miles away, elevation 394 ft) the median growing season is 330 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 93208 came on Feb 3 — 16 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Feb 19).

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 Camp Nelson, CA

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 93208 is Chawanakee — coarse sandy loam, somewhat excessively drained.

TextureCoarse sandy loamdrains and warms fast; dries out and needs more feeding
pH6.1slightly 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: Chawanakee-Rock outcrop-Chaix complex, 50 to 75 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 93208; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Camp Nelson, CA

Summer high98 °Faverage high, July
Winter low39 °Faverage low, December
Hot days122days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights15nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days5,946base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 37 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 42 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growIntermediateday-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully
Precipitation16.5 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

30°40°50°60°70°80°90°100°110°32 °FJanuary: average high 59 °F, low 40 °F 59°40° JanFebruary: average high 65 °F, low 43 °F 65°43° FebMarch: average high 71 °F, low 47 °F 71°47° MarApril: average high 76 °F, low 50 °F 76°50° AprMay: average high 84 °F, low 56 °F 84°56° MayJune: average high 93 °F, low 63 °F 93°63° JunJuly: average high 98 °F, low 68 °F 98°68° JulAugust: average high 97 °F, low 67 °F 97°67° AugSeptember: average high 92 °F, low 62 °F 92°62° SepOctober: average high 82 °F, low 53 °F 82°53° OctNovember: average high 68 °F, low 44 °F 68°44° NovDecember: average high 59 °F, low 39 °F 59°39° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″1″2″3″4″January: 3.76 in precipitation 3.8 JanFebruary: 3.14 in precipitation 3.1 FebMarch: 1.74 in precipitation 1.7 MarApril: 1.30 in precipitation 1.3 AprMay: 0.57 in precipitation 0.6 MayJune: 0.12 in precipitation 0.1 JunJuly: 0.07 in precipitation 0.1 JulAugust: 0.02 in precipitation 0.0 AugSeptember: 0.08 in precipitation 0.1 SepOctober: 0.64 in precipitation 0.6 OctNovember: 1.68 in precipitation 1.7 NovDecember: 3.39 in precipitation 3.4 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Porterville, CA (22 mi away); precipitation: Springville 1.4 Ssw, CA (11 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

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

932659b
Springville, CA · 7 mi
932077b
California Hot Springs, CA · 16 mi
932579b
Porterville, CA · 17 mi
932388b
Kernville, CA · 21 mi
932626b
Sequoia National Park, CA · 21 mi
932609a
Posey, CA · 22 mi
932719b
Three Rivers, CA · 25 mi
932449b
Lemon Cove, CA · 26 mi

California planting zones →

Questions about 93208

What planting zone is ZIP code 93208?

ZIP code 93208 (Camp Nelson, CA) is in USDA hardiness zone 8b on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches 15 to 20 °F (−9.4 to −6.7 °C).

How much rain and snow does 93208 get?

About 16.5 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Springville 1.4 Ssw station).

How hot do summers get in Camp Nelson, CA?

The average high peaks at 98 °F in July, with about 122 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 93208 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Chawanakee at the center of ZIP 93208: coarse sandy loam, somewhat excessively drained, pH about 6.1 (slightly acidic).

Did spring come early in Camp Nelson, CA in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 93208 came on Feb 3 in 2026, 16 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Feb 19), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Camp Nelson, CA?

Intermediate onions: the longest day near 93208 is 14 h 37 min, so day-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully.