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

Planting zone for 95940 — Feather Falls, CA

ZIP code 95940 (Feather Falls, Butte County) is in USDA zone 9b: the coldest winter night averages 25 to 30 °F. The median last spring frost is May 4 and the first fall frost October 30.

Where ZIP 95940 is

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 frostMay 4
First frostOct 30
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 Feather Falls, 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 Feather Falls, CA

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostMay 4median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMay 31only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostOctober 30median — 10% chance by Oct 7
Growing season174 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around April 15 and returns around November 16.

From the NOAA station Strawberry Valley, CA — 9 miles away, elevation 3,809 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 95940

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Mar 23 – Apr 6
SpinachSow outdoors · Mar 23 – Apr 13
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Feb 23 – Mar 9
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Apr 13 – Apr 27
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Apr 6 – Apr 20
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Apr 13 – Apr 27
LettuceSow outdoors · Apr 6 – Apr 20
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Apr 13 – Apr 27
TomatoesStart indoors · Mar 9 – Mar 23
TomatoesTransplant · May 11 – May 25
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Feb 23 – Mar 9
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · May 18 – Jun 1
BeansSow outdoors · May 11 – May 25
Sweet cornSow outdoors · May 11 – May 25
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · May 11 – May 25
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Sep 4 – Sep 18
GarlicPlant cloves · Oct 16 – Nov 20
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (May 4) and first fall frost (Oct 30) 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 95940 came on Jan 29 — 11 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Feb 9).

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 Feather Falls, CA

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 95940 is Hurlbut family — gravelly loam, well drained.

TextureGravelly loama good balance for most vegetables
pH6.3slightly acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageWell drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter2%moderate
Hydrologic groupBwater soaks in moderately
Farmland classNot prime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Hurlbut-Chaix families complex, 30 to 70 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 95940; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Feather Falls, CA

Summer high85 °Faverage high, July
Winter low30 °Faverage low, January
Hot days15days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights104nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days2,464base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 58 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 22 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growIntermediateday-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully
Precipitation82.5 inper year, rain and melted snow
Snowfall82 inper year; 54 days with snow on the ground

Average high and low, by month

20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°100°32 °FJanuary: average high 51 °F, low 30 °F 51°30° JanFebruary: average high 51 °F, low 30 °F 51°30° FebMarch: average high 54 °F, low 32 °F 54°32° MarApril: average high 59 °F, low 35 °F 59°35° AprMay: average high 68 °F, low 42 °F 68°42° MayJune: average high 77 °F, low 48 °F 77°48° JunJuly: average high 85 °F, low 53 °F 85°53° JulAugust: average high 85 °F, low 51 °F 85°51° AugSeptember: average high 80 °F, low 48 °F 80°48° SepOctober: average high 70 °F, low 41 °F 70°41° OctNovember: average high 57 °F, low 34 °F 57°34° NovDecember: average high 50 °F, low 30 °F 50°30° Dec

Precipitation by month inches · ❄ = snowfall

0″2″4″6″8″10″12″14″16″January: 14.69 in precipitation, 17.7 in snowfall 14.7❄18 JanFebruary: 13.71 in precipitation, 19.4 in snowfall 13.7❄19 FebMarch: 12.83 in precipitation, 17.1 in snowfall 12.8❄17 MarApril: 6.39 in precipitation, 8.1 in snowfall 6.4❄8 AprMay: 4.00 in precipitation, 0.6 in snowfall 4.0❄1 MayJune: 1.23 in precipitation 1.2 JunJuly: 0.02 in precipitation 0.0 JulAugust: 0.20 in precipitation 0.2 AugSeptember: 0.50 in precipitation 0.5 SepOctober: 4.10 in precipitation, 0.5 in snowfall 4.1❄1 OctNovember: 8.60 in precipitation, 3.5 in snowfall 8.6❄4 NovDecember: 16.25 in precipitation, 15.1 in snowfall 16.3❄15 Dec

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

Nearby ZIP codes

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

959169b
Berry Creek, CA · 6 mi
959419a
Forbestown, CA · 7 mi
959309a
Clipper Mills, CA · 8 mi
959259a
Challenge, CA · 10 mi
959818a
Strawberry Valley, CA · 12 mi
959669b
Oroville, CA · 13 mi
959199a
Brownsville, CA · 13 mi
959729b
Rackerby, CA · 14 mi

California planting zones →

Questions about 95940

What planting zone is ZIP code 95940?

ZIP code 95940 (Feather Falls, 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).

When is the last frost in Feather Falls, CA?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 95940 is May 4; after May 31 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Strawberry Valley station.

When is the first frost in Feather Falls, CA?

The median first fall frost near 95940 is October 30, giving a median frost-free growing season of 174 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 95940?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Mar 9 – Mar 23 and set transplants outside around May 11 – May 25, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 95940 get?

About 82.5 inches of precipitation a year and 82 inches of snowfall (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Strawberry Valley station).

How hot do summers get in Feather Falls, CA?

The average high peaks at 85 °F in July, with about 15 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 95940 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Hurlbut family at the center of ZIP 95940: gravelly loam, well drained, pH about 6.3 (slightly acidic).

Did spring come early in Feather Falls, CA in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 95940 came on Jan 29 in 2026, 11 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Feb 9), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Feather Falls, CA?

Intermediate onions: the longest day near 95940 is 14 h 58 min, so day-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully.