Your nature year
Bakersfield, Californiathrough the year
Also for Wasco, CA: the same nearby places.
When do frost, green-up and fall color come to Bakersfield?
Within 150 miles we follow 4 places, out to Kaiser Pass Road 133 miles to the north. Carrizo Plain, 38 miles from Bakersfield, is the nearest desert superbloom spot on this site, usually at its best Mar 21–Apr 10. For wildflowers, the nearest is Pinnacles (131 mi, usually Mar 1–May 31). At NOAA's Bakersfield 5 NW station, 4.6 miles away, the average first fall frost is Dec 8 and the last spring frost Jan 31, which leaves Bakersfield some 311 growing days. The USA-NPN spring index puts first leaf here around Jan 29 and first bloom around Feb 26. At some 376 feet up, Bakersfield is on low ground. Across California, fall color is usually well under way by late October.
Updated Sep 28. Sources: US Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer (places) ↗ (opens in a new tab), US Census Bureau, city and town population estimates, 2024 ↗ (opens in a new tab), NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (annual/seasonal) ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Bakersfield's year at a glance
- Frost possible
- Frost-free, ~Jan 31 to ~Dec 8
- First leaf ~Jan 29
- First bloom ~Feb 26
- Fall color under way ~Oct 28 (CA)
- Today
Near Bakersfield right now
- Fall color is usually well under way by late October in CaliforniaStatewide · USA-NPN volunteer observations, 2020–2025 · not a forecast~4 weeks
- First fall frost usually around Dec 8 · last spring frost around Jan 31NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Bakersfield 5 NW (4.6 mi, 50% dates)~2 months
- Kaiser Pass Road · 133 mi · Local timing: Sep 25–Nov 30Fall foliage · in its window now
- Wildflowers · Pinnacles · 131 miusually Mar 1–May 31~5 months
Bakersfield's nature year
- Spring green-upJan
- Last spring frostJan
- Wildflowers · PinnaclesMar–May
- Desert superbloom · Carrizo PlainMar–Apr
- Fall color (CA)Oct
- First fall frostDec
Nearby, season by season
Fall foliage
- Kaiser Pass Road · 133 miLocal timing: Sep 25–Nov 30
Desert superbloom
- Carrizo Plain · 38 miusually Mar 21–Apr 10~6 months
- Death Valley · 132 miusually Feb 11–Apr 10~4 months
Wildflowers
- Pinnacles · 131 miusually Mar 1–May 31~5 months
Frost and green-up
Last spring frost
Jan 31
Average (50% date)
First fall frost
Dec 8
About 311 days without frost between
Spring green-up
Jan 29
First bloom around Feb 26
Frost: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Bakersfield 5 NW (4.6 mi from Bakersfield), the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not. Green-up: the USA-NPN Spring Index, 1991–2020 average at the town.
Questions people ask
When is the first frost in Bakersfield?
On average around Dec 8, and the last spring frost around Jan 31: about 311 days without frost between. These are NOAA's 1991–2020 normals at Bakersfield 5 NW, 4.6 miles away (the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not).
When does spring green-up reach Bakersfield?
The USA-NPN Spring Index puts first leaf around Jan 29 and first bloom around Feb 26, on average for 1991–2020 at the town.
Where can I see fall foliage near Bakersfield?
Kaiser Pass Road, 133 miles (local timing: Sep 25–Nov 30). Distances are straight-line.
Where can I see desert superbloom near Bakersfield?
Carrizo Plain, 38 miles (usually Mar 21–Apr 10); Death Valley, 132 miles (usually Feb 11–Apr 10). Distances are straight-line.
How we know
US Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer (places) (opens in a new tab) (Sep 27) · US Census Bureau, city and town population estimates, 2024 (opens in a new tab) (Sep 27) · NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (annual/seasonal) (opens in a new tab) (Sep 27) · USA National Phenology Network, Spring Index 1991–2020 averages (opens in a new tab) (Sep 27) · USA National Phenology Network, colored leaves observations (opens in a new tab) (Sep 28)