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Your nature year

Lancaster, Californiathrough the year

Also for Palmdale, CA: the same nearby places.

When do frost, green-up and fall color come to Lancaster?

Spring green-up reaches town around Feb 5, with first blooms around Mar 13. Expect about 212 frost-free days in Lancaster: the last spring frost usually comes around Apr 3, the first fall one around Nov 1, going by NOAA's Lancaster station 3.9 miles away. Across California, fall color is usually well under way by late October. Within 150 miles we follow 3 places, out to Joshua Tree 144 miles to the east. The closest place we follow is Carrizo Plain, 88 miles away, for desert superbloom, usually at its best Mar 21–Apr 10. The town is about 2,329 feet above sea level.

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)

Lancaster's year at a glance

  • Frost possible
  • Frost-free, ~Apr 3 to ~Nov 1
  • First leaf ~Feb 5
  • First bloom ~Mar 13
  • Fall color under way ~Oct 28 (CA)
  • Today

Near Lancaster 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 Nov 1 · last spring frost around Apr 3NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Lancaster (3.9 mi, 50% dates)
    ~5 weeks
  • Desert superbloom · Carrizo Plain · 88 miusually Mar 21–Apr 10
    ~6 months

Lancaster's nature year

From the town's own dates and its nearest places
  • Spring green-upFeb
  • Desert superbloom · Carrizo PlainMar–Apr
  • Last spring frostApr
  • Fall color (CA)Oct
  • First fall frostNov

Nearby, season by season

Real places within 150 miles, straight-line

Desert superbloom

Frost and green-up

Last spring frost

Apr 3

Average (50% date)

First fall frost

Nov 1

About 212 days without frost between

Spring green-up

Feb 5

First bloom around Mar 13

Frost: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Lancaster (3.9 mi from Lancaster), 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 Lancaster?

On average around Nov 1, and the last spring frost around Apr 3: about 212 days without frost between. These are NOAA's 1991–2020 normals at Lancaster, 3.9 miles away (the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not).

When does spring green-up reach Lancaster?

The USA-NPN Spring Index puts first leaf around Feb 5 and first bloom around Mar 13, on average for 1991–2020 at the town.

Where can I see desert superbloom near Lancaster?

Carrizo Plain, 88 miles (usually Mar 21–Apr 10); Death Valley, 137 miles (usually Feb 11–Apr 10); Joshua Tree, 144 miles (usually Jan 1–Apr 20). 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)

All our sources and how we use them →