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

Planting zone for 94945 — Novato, CA

ZIP code 94945 (Novato, Marin County) is in USDA zone 9b: the coldest winter night averages 25 to 30 °F.

Where ZIP 94945 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 Novato, 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 San Rafael Civic Center, CA — 9 miles away, elevation 121 ft) the median growing season is 349 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 94945 came on Jan 29 — about the same time as 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 Novato, CA

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 94945 is Tocaloma — loam, well drained.

TextureLoama good balance for most vegetables
pH6.1slightly acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageWell drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter1.5%low — add compost
Hydrologic groupBwater soaks in moderately
Farmland classNot prime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Tocaloma-Saurin association, very steep.

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 94945; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Novato, CA

Summer high81 °Faverage high, July
Winter low42 °Faverage low, December
Hot days20days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights3nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days3,652base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 49 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 31 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growIntermediateday-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully
Precipitation31.8 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32 °FJanuary: average high 57 °F, low 43 °F 57°43° JanFebruary: average high 61 °F, low 44 °F 61°44° FebMarch: average high 65 °F, low 46 °F 65°46° MarApril: average high 68 °F, low 48 °F 68°48° AprMay: average high 72 °F, low 51 °F 72°51° MayJune: average high 78 °F, low 54 °F 78°54° JunJuly: average high 81 °F, low 55 °F 81°55° JulAugust: average high 81 °F, low 56 °F 81°56° AugSeptember: average high 81 °F, low 54 °F 81°54° SepOctober: average high 75 °F, low 51 °F 75°51° OctNovember: average high 65 °F, low 46 °F 65°46° NovDecember: average high 57 °F, low 42 °F 57°42° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″2″4″6″January: 6.37 in precipitation 6.4 JanFebruary: 6.00 in precipitation 6.0 FebMarch: 4.93 in precipitation 4.9 MarApril: 1.66 in precipitation 1.7 AprMay: 1.24 in precipitation 1.2 MayJune: 0.28 in precipitation 0.3 JunJuly: 0.00 in precipitation 0.0 JulAugust: 0.05 in precipitation 0.1 AugSeptember: 0.09 in precipitation 0.1 SepOctober: 1.64 in precipitation 1.6 OctNovember: 3.20 in precipitation 3.2 NovDecember: 6.30 in precipitation 6.3 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: San Rafael Civic Center, CA (9 mi away); precipitation: Novato 2.7 Wnw, CA (2 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

All 8 nearest ZIP codes share zone 9b.

949989b
Novato, CA · <1 mi
949489b
Novato, CA · 2 mi
949159b
San Rafael, CA · 3 mi
949479b
Novato, CA · 4 mi
949499b
Novato, CA · 5 mi
949039b
San Rafael, CA · 7 mi
949549b
Petaluma, CA · 8 mi
949469b
Nicasio, CA · 8 mi

All 5 ZIP codes in Novato → · California planting zones →

Questions about 94945

What planting zone is ZIP code 94945?

ZIP code 94945 (Novato, 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 94945 get?

About 31.8 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Novato 2.7 Wnw station).

How hot do summers get in Novato, CA?

The average high peaks at 81 °F in July, with about 20 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 94945 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Tocaloma at the center of ZIP 94945: loam, well drained, pH about 6.1 (slightly acidic).

Did spring come early in Novato, CA in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 94945 came on Jan 29 in 2026, about the same as the 1991–2020 average (Jan 30), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Novato, CA?

Intermediate onions: the longest day near 94945 is 14 h 49 min, so day-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully.