Zone 10a · Last frost ~Jan 6 · Soil 66.2°F today (modeled) · See your place on the 2023 USDA zone map
This ZIP is part of El Cajon, La Mesa, Lakeside area, where nearby ZIPs share the same stations and zone. That page compares every ZIP in the area.
Public NOAA/USDA data, updated 2026-10-16 19:24 UTC.
USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map · Lakeside focus
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USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, 2023. Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. Accessed from https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/. Rendered unaltered from the PRISM Group, Oregon State University GIS data (https://prism.oregonstate.edu, accessed 15 Oct 2026) with official zone colors. Roads (TIGER/Line 2023 primary roads), place names (2023 Gazetteer) and state lines (2023 cartographic boundaries 1:500k) are drawn on top. Source: U.S. Census Bureau.
Zone
10a
USDA 2023 · 30 to 35°F
Last frost
Jan 6
avg last frost (50%)
Soil temp Modeled
66.2°F
↓ 10.5° in 7 days
Chill hours
—
starts Nov 1
Rain
1.31″
since Oct 1 · normal 0.26″
Frost dates for 92040
Last spring frost
Jan 6
50% odds
First fall frost
Dec 21
50% odds
Safer spring date
Feb 7
10% chance of later frost
Growing season
350
days (50%)
Earliest-risk fall date (10%): Dec 1.
NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020, annual/seasonal freeze probabilities (32F) · CA EL CAJON (USC00042706) 6.2 km away 27 yrs of record · 85 ft higher than this ZIP
Newsletter · 92040
Frost alerts and planting reminders for 92040. Coming soon.
Ad strip · leaderboard 970×90 / 728×90
7-day forecast · High / Low / Rain / Frost / Wind
High wind: 2 day(s) with gusts ≥40 mph. Stake and protect transplants.
Fri 16
86°70°gust 59 mph💧13%
High wind
Sat 17
83°61°gust 46 mph💧13%
High wind
Sun 18
83°61°gust 17 mph💧1%
Clear
Mon 19
80°58°gust 16 mph💧8%
Clear
Tue 20
70°54°gust 29 mph💧64% · 0.02″
Rain
Wed 21
66°52°gust 23 mph💧67% · 0.52″
Rain
Thu 22
66°50°gust 20 mph💧31% · 0.08″
Clear
NOAA NWS api.weather.gov (SGX). Frost = low ≤32°F · High wind = gust ≥40 mph · 💧 = chance of precipitation and expected amount (NWS quantitative precipitation forecast; blank when NWS gives none) · Rain = chance ≥50%.
What to grow when · 92040
Calendar: San Diego County, inland valleys (guide Regions 3-4). Planting months from UC Master Gardeners of San Diego County; Master Gardener Association of San Diego County. Harvest months add typical days-to-harvest. This month also checks live soil temperature and the 7-day frost forecast. The harvest planner uses the same calendar. Rules: methodology.
ZIP 92040 (Lakeside, CA) is in USDA zone 10a (30 to 35°F average annual extreme minimum), per the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map.
When is the last frost in 92040?
Based on NOAA 1991–2020 normals at Ca El Cajon (6.2 km away), the median last 32°F freeze is Jan 6. In 1 of 10 years it is after Feb 7. The median first fall freeze is Dec 21.
Location: US Census Bureau 2023 Gazetteer, ZCTA internal point
Zone: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023, ZIP datasets (USDA ARS + PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University)
Frost: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020, annual/seasonal freeze probabilities (32F) CA EL CAJON (USC00042706) 6.2 km away 27 yrs of record · 85 ft higher than this ZIP
Forecast: NOAA National Weather Service api.weather.gov (7-day forecast + gridpoint wind gusts)
Soil: Open-Meteo forecast API soil model (non-commercial terms)
Chill: Iowa Environmental Mesonet ASOS archive (NWS/FAA METAR routine + special obs; one value per clock hour)