Your nature year
El Centro, Californiathrough the year
Also for Calexico, CA, Brawley, CA: the same nearby places.
When do frost, green-up and fall color come to El Centro?
The closest place we follow is Laguna Meadow, 52 miles away, for wildflowers, Wildflower viewing is best in May and June (local timing). Joshua Tree (80 mi) is the pick for desert superbloom, January to mid-April low down, early March to early May at 3,000 to 5,000 feet, April through June above 5,000 feet (local timing).
El Centro usually sees its last spring frost around Jan 3 and its first fall frost around Dec 27, a frost-free stretch of about 358 days at the El Centro 2 SSW weather station (1.4 mi). About 3 weeks pass between first leaf and first bloom here. Spring green-up reaches town around Jan 22, with first blooms around Feb 10. Head west for the closest of the 5 places we follow around El Centro. Statewide, California's fall color is usually well under way by late October.
Updated Sep 29. 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)
Near El Centro 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 27 · last spring frost around Jan 3NOAA 1991–2020 normals, El Centro 2 SSW (1.4 mi, 50% dates)~3 months
- San Diego Refuge · 82 mi · Local timing: common in the bird list's Fall (September through October) and Winter (November through February) seasonsWinter wildlife · in its window now
- Desert superbloom · Joshua Tree · 80 miLocal timing: January to mid-April low down, early March to early May at 3,000 to 5,000 feet, April through June above 5,000 feet~3 months
Your guide around El Centro
Nearby, season by season
Spring migration
- Bill Williams River Refuge · 134 miLocal timing: late April to early May~7 months
Desert superbloom
- Joshua Tree · 80 miLocal timing: January to mid-April low down, early March to early May at 3,000 to 5,000 feet, April through June above 5,000 feet~3 months
Wildflowers
- Laguna Meadow · 52 miLocal timing: Wildflower viewing is best in May and June~7 months
- Cabrillo · 98 miUsually: typically between late March and early April~6 months
Wildlife by season
- Cabrillo · 98 miUsually: Mid-January is the peak time for migration, but whales are visible from mid- to late December through March~3 months
Winter wildlife
- San Diego Refuge · 82 miLocal timing: common in the bird list's Fall (September through October) and Winter (November through February) seasons
El Centro's nature year
- Desert superbloom · Joshua TreeJan–Jun
- Jan: Spring green-upJan
- Jan: Last spring frostJan
- Jan: Wildlife by season · CabrilloJan
- Spring migration · Bill Williams River RefugeApr–May
- Wildflowers · Laguna MeadowMay–Jun
- Winter wildlife · San Diego RefugeNowSep–Feb
- Oct: Fall color (CA)Oct
- Dec: First fall frostDec
El Centro's year at a glance
- Frost possible
- Frost-free, ~Jan 3 to ~Dec 27
- First leaf ~Jan 22
- First bloom ~Feb 10
- Fall color under way ~Oct 28 (CA)
- Today
Frost and green-up
Last spring frost
Jan 3
Average (50% date)
First fall frost
Dec 27
About 358 days without frost between
Spring green-up
Jan 22
First bloom around Feb 10
Frost: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at El Centro 2 SSW (1.4 mi from El Centro), 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 El Centro?
On average around Dec 27, and the last spring frost around Jan 3: about 358 days without frost between. These are NOAA's 1991–2020 normals at El Centro 2 SSW, 1.4 miles away (the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not).
When does spring green-up reach El Centro?
The USA-NPN Spring Index puts first leaf around Jan 22 and first bloom around Feb 10, on average for 1991–2020 at the town.
Where can I see spring migration near El Centro?
Bill Williams River Refuge, 134 miles (local timing: late April to early May). Distances are straight-line.
Where can I see desert superbloom near El Centro?
Joshua Tree, 80 miles (local timing: January to mid-April low down, early March to early May at 3,000 to 5,000 feet, April through June above 5,000 feet). 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 29)