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

Planting zone for 93243 — Lebec, CA

ZIP code 93243 (Lebec, Kern County) is in USDA zone 8b: the coldest winter night averages 15 to 20 °F. The median last spring frost is April 15 and the first fall frost November 26.

Where ZIP 93243 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 frostApr 15
First frostNov 26
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 Lebec, 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 Lebec, CA

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostApril 15median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMay 9only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostNovember 26median — 10% chance by Nov 1
Growing season224 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around March 11 and returns around December 12.

From the NOAA station Sandberg, CA — 9 miles away, elevation 4,511 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 93243

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Mar 4 – Mar 18
SpinachSow outdoors · Mar 4 – Mar 25
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Feb 4 – Feb 18
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Mar 25 – Apr 8
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Mar 18 – Apr 1
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Mar 25 – Apr 8
LettuceSow outdoors · Mar 18 – Apr 1
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Mar 25 – Apr 8
TomatoesStart indoors · Feb 18 – Mar 4
TomatoesTransplant · Apr 22 – May 6
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Feb 4 – Feb 18
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · Apr 29 – May 13
BeansSow outdoors · Apr 22 – May 6
Sweet cornSow outdoors · Apr 22 – May 6
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · Apr 22 – May 6
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Oct 1 – Oct 15
GarlicPlant cloves · Nov 12 – Dec 17
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Apr 15) and first fall frost (Nov 26) 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 93243 came on Feb 4 — 8 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Feb 12).

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 Lebec, CA

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 93243 is Tunis — loam, somewhat excessively drained.

TextureLoama good balance for most vegetables
pH7.0neutral; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageSomewhat excessively drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter1.5%low — add compost
Hydrologic groupDwater soaks in very slowly
Farmland classNot prime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Tunis-Walong 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 93243; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Lebec, CA

Summer high88 °Faverage high, July
Winter low38 °Faverage low, February
Hot days33days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights35nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days4,098base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 30 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 49 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growIntermediateday-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully
Precipitation13.2 inper year, rain and melted snow
Snowfall3 inper year; 1 days with snow on the ground

Average high and low, by month

30°40°50°60°70°80°90°100°32 °FJanuary: average high 52 °F, low 39 °F 52°39° JanFebruary: average high 53 °F, low 38 °F 53°38° FebMarch: average high 57 °F, low 41 °F 57°41° MarApril: average high 62 °F, low 43 °F 62°43° AprMay: average high 70 °F, low 49 °F 70°49° MayJune: average high 80 °F, low 58 °F 80°58° JunJuly: average high 88 °F, low 65 °F 88°65° JulAugust: average high 88 °F, low 65 °F 88°65° AugSeptember: average high 83 °F, low 61 °F 83°61° SepOctober: average high 71 °F, low 53 °F 71°53° OctNovember: average high 60 °F, low 44 °F 60°44° NovDecember: average high 52 °F, low 38 °F 52°38° Dec

Precipitation by month inches · ❄ = snowfall

0″1″2″3″January: 2.65 in precipitation, 0.8 in snowfall 2.6❄1 JanFebruary: 2.99 in precipitation, 1.4 in snowfall 3.0❄1 FebMarch: 2.18 in precipitation, 0.2 in snowfall 2.2 MarApril: 1.05 in precipitation 1.1 AprMay: 0.49 in precipitation 0.5 MayJune: 0.13 in precipitation 0.1 JunJuly: 0.16 in precipitation 0.2 JulAugust: 0.06 in precipitation 0.1 AugSeptember: 0.17 in precipitation 0.2 SepOctober: 0.61 in precipitation 0.6 OctNovember: 0.82 in precipitation 0.8 NovDecember: 1.92 in precipitation, 0.6 in snowfall 1.9❄1 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Sandberg, CA (9 mi away); precipitation: Lebec, CA (3 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

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

932257b
Frazier Park, CA · 13 mi
935329a
Lake Hughes, CA · 19 mi
932039b
Arvin, CA · 19 mi
930408b
Piru, CA · 20 mi
932228b
Pine Mountain Club, CA · 23 mi
935818b
Tehachapi, CA · 23 mi
9138410a
Castaic, CA · 24 mi
935618b
Tehachapi, CA · 25 mi

California planting zones →

Questions about 93243

What planting zone is ZIP code 93243?

ZIP code 93243 (Lebec, 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).

When is the last frost in Lebec, CA?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 93243 is April 15; after May 9 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Sandberg station.

When is the first frost in Lebec, CA?

The median first fall frost near 93243 is November 26, giving a median frost-free growing season of 224 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 93243?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Feb 18 – Mar 4 and set transplants outside around Apr 22 – May 6, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 93243 get?

About 13.2 inches of precipitation a year and 3 inches of snowfall (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Lebec station).

How hot do summers get in Lebec, CA?

The average high peaks at 88 °F in July, with about 33 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 93243 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Tunis at the center of ZIP 93243: loam, somewhat excessively drained, pH about 7.0 (neutral).

Did spring come early in Lebec, CA in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 93243 came on Feb 4 in 2026, 8 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Feb 12), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Lebec, CA?

Intermediate onions: the longest day near 93243 is 14 h 30 min, so day-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully.