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

Planting zone for 93518 — Caliente, CA

ZIP code 93518 (Caliente, Kern County) is in USDA zone 8b: the coldest winter night averages 15 to 20 °F. The median last spring frost is April 22 and the first fall frost November 13.

Where ZIP 93518 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 22
First frostNov 13
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 Caliente, 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 Caliente, CA

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostApril 22median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMay 14only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostNovember 13median — 10% chance by Oct 22
Growing season201 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around March 28 and returns around December 1.

From the NOAA station Loraine 5 Nne, CA — 4 miles away, elevation 4,236 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 93518

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Mar 11 – Mar 25
SpinachSow outdoors · Mar 11 – Apr 1
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Feb 11 – Feb 25
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Apr 1 – Apr 15
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Mar 25 – Apr 8
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Apr 1 – Apr 15
LettuceSow outdoors · Mar 25 – Apr 8
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Apr 1 – Apr 15
TomatoesStart indoors · Feb 25 – Mar 11
TomatoesTransplant · Apr 29 – May 13
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Feb 11 – Feb 25
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · May 6 – May 20
BeansSow outdoors · Apr 29 – May 13
Sweet cornSow outdoors · Apr 29 – May 13
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · Apr 29 – May 13
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Sep 18 – Oct 2
GarlicPlant cloves · Oct 30 – Dec 4
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Apr 22) and first fall frost (Nov 13) 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 93518 came on Feb 3 — 15 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Feb 18).

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 Caliente, CA

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 93518 is Tollhouse — gravelly sandy loam, somewhat excessively drained.

TextureGravelly sandy loamdrains and warms fast; dries out and needs more feeding
pH6.7neutral; 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: Tollhouse-Sorrell-Rock outcrop complex, 30 to 60 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 93518; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Caliente, CA

Summer high89 °Faverage high, August
Winter low32 °Faverage low, January
Hot days54days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights64nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days3,276base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 33 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 46 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growIntermediateday-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully
Precipitation10.7 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 32 °F 55°32° JanFebruary: average high 56 °F, low 32 °F 56°32° FebMarch: average high 58 °F, low 35 °F 58°35° MarApril: average high 64 °F, low 37 °F 64°37° AprMay: average high 72 °F, low 43 °F 72°43° MayJune: average high 82 °F, low 51 °F 82°51° JunJuly: average high 88 °F, low 57 °F 88°57° JulAugust: average high 89 °F, low 56 °F 89°56° AugSeptember: average high 84 °F, low 51 °F 84°51° SepOctober: average high 73 °F, low 45 °F 73°45° OctNovember: average high 63 °F, low 38 °F 63°38° NovDecember: average high 54 °F, low 32 °F 54°32° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″1″2″3″January: 2.12 in precipitation 2.1 JanFebruary: 1.73 in precipitation 1.7 FebMarch: 1.99 in precipitation 2.0 MarApril: 0.97 in precipitation 1.0 AprMay: 0.49 in precipitation 0.5 MayJune: 0.11 in precipitation 0.1 JunJuly: 0.07 in precipitation 0.1 JulAugust: 0.02 in precipitation 0.0 AugSeptember: 0.16 in precipitation 0.2 SepOctober: 0.42 in precipitation 0.4 OctNovember: 1.06 in precipitation 1.1 NovDecember: 1.56 in precipitation 1.6 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Loraine 5 Nne, CA (4 mi away); precipitation: Walker Basin 0.9 E, CA (2 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

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

935319a
Keene, CA · 13 mi
932058b
Bodfish, CA · 13 mi
932409a
Lake Isabella, CA · 16 mi
932839a
Weldon, CA · 18 mi
935818b
Tehachapi, CA · 19 mi
935618b
Tehachapi, CA · 20 mi
932858b
Wofford Heights, CA · 25 mi
935018b
Mojave, CA · 27 mi

California planting zones →

Questions about 93518

What planting zone is ZIP code 93518?

ZIP code 93518 (Caliente, 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 Caliente, CA?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 93518 is April 22; after May 14 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Loraine 5 Nne station.

When is the first frost in Caliente, CA?

The median first fall frost near 93518 is November 13, giving a median frost-free growing season of 201 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 93518?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Feb 25 – Mar 11 and set transplants outside around Apr 29 – May 13, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 93518 get?

About 10.7 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Walker Basin 0.9 E station).

How hot do summers get in Caliente, CA?

The average high peaks at 89 °F in August, with about 54 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 93518 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Tollhouse at the center of ZIP 93518: gravelly sandy loam, somewhat excessively drained, pH about 6.7 (neutral).

Did spring come early in Caliente, CA in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 93518 came on Feb 3 in 2026, 15 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Feb 18), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Caliente, CA?

Intermediate onions: the longest day near 93518 is 14 h 33 min, so day-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully.