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

Planting zone for 94563 — Orinda, CA

ZIP code 94563 (Orinda, Contra Costa County) is in USDA zone 9b: the coldest winter night averages 25 to 30 °F.

Where ZIP 94563 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.

Zone9b25 to 30 °F
Coldest night−3.9 to −1.1 °C
Last frostrare
First frostrare
2012 zone9b

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 9b means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Orinda, 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 Berkeley, CA — 3 miles away, elevation 312 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 94563 came on Jan 27 — 3 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Jan 30).

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 Orinda, CA

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 94563 is Lodo — clay loam, somewhat excessively drained.

TextureClay loamholds water and nutrients; slow to drain and warm up
pH6.5neutral; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageSomewhat excessively drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter3.5%moderate
Hydrologic groupDwater soaks in very slowly
Farmland classNot prime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Lodo clay loam, 50 to 75 percent slopes, very rocky, MLRA 15.

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 94563; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Orinda, CA

Summer high76 °Faverage high, September
Winter low43 °Faverage low, January
Hot days6days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights1nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days3,213base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 47 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 32 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growIntermediateday-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully
Precipitation24.7 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32 °FJanuary: average high 59 °F, low 43 °F 59°43° JanFebruary: average high 62 °F, low 45 °F 62°45° FebMarch: average high 65 °F, low 46 °F 65°46° MarApril: average high 67 °F, low 47 °F 67°47° AprMay: average high 70 °F, low 49 °F 70°49° MayJune: average high 74 °F, low 52 °F 74°52° JunJuly: average high 74 °F, low 53 °F 74°53° JulAugust: average high 75 °F, low 54 °F 75°54° AugSeptember: average high 76 °F, low 54 °F 76°54° SepOctober: average high 73 °F, low 52 °F 73°52° OctNovember: average high 65 °F, low 47 °F 65°47° NovDecember: average high 59 °F, low 43 °F 59°43° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″1″2″3″4″5″6″January: 4.40 in precipitation 4.4 JanFebruary: 4.33 in precipitation 4.3 FebMarch: 3.82 in precipitation 3.8 MarApril: 1.75 in precipitation 1.8 AprMay: 0.78 in precipitation 0.8 MayJune: 0.22 in precipitation 0.2 JunJuly: 0.01 in precipitation 0.0 JulAugust: 0.05 in precipitation 0.1 AugSeptember: 0.13 in precipitation 0.1 SepOctober: 1.03 in precipitation 1.0 OctNovember: 2.65 in precipitation 2.6 NovDecember: 5.53 in precipitation 5.5 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Berkeley, CA (3 mi away); precipitation: Berkeley 4.0 E, 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.

9470510a
Berkeley, CA · 2 mi
9472010a
Berkeley, CA · 3 mi
9461810a
Oakland, CA · 3 mi
9461110a
Oakland, CA · 3 mi
9470410a
Berkeley, CA · 3 mi
9470910a
Berkeley, CA · 3 mi
9471210a
Berkeley, CA · 4 mi
9470810a
Berkeley, CA · 4 mi

California planting zones →

Questions about 94563

What planting zone is ZIP code 94563?

ZIP code 94563 (Orinda, CA) is in USDA hardiness zone 9b on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches 25 to 30 °F (−3.9 to −1.1 °C).

How much rain and snow does 94563 get?

About 24.7 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Berkeley 4.0 E station).

How hot do summers get in Orinda, CA?

The average high peaks at 76 °F in September, with about 6 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 94563 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Lodo at the center of ZIP 94563: clay loam, somewhat excessively drained, pH about 6.5 (neutral).

Did spring come early in Orinda, CA in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 94563 came on Jan 27 in 2026, 3 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Jan 30), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Orinda, CA?

Intermediate onions: the longest day near 94563 is 14 h 47 min, so day-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully.