Your nature year
Riverside, Californiathrough the year
Also for San Bernardino, CA, Fontana, CA, Moreno Valley, CA, Ontario, CA, Rancho Cucamonga, CA, Corona, CA, Pomona, CA, Menifee, CA, Jurupa Valley, CA, Rialto, CA, Chino, CA, Perris, CA, Upland, CA, Chino Hills, CA, Redlands, CA, Lake Elsinore, CA, Eastvale, CA, Highland, CA, San Jacinto, CA, Yucaipa, CA, Colton, CA, Diamond Bar, CA, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA, Wildomar, CA, Montclair, CA, Claremont, CA, La Verne, CA, Norco, CA, Loma Linda, CA: the same nearby places.
When do frost, green-up and fall color come to Riverside?
We follow 5 places within 150 miles of Riverside; the nearest lies 88 miles to the south. The closest place we follow is Cabrillo, 88 miles away, for wildflowers, typically between late March and early April (usually).
For wildlife by season, the nearest is Cabrillo (88 mi, Mid-January is the peak time for migration, but whales are visible from mid- to late December through March (usually)). Riverside usually sees its last spring frost around Jan 9 and its first fall frost around Dec 25, a frost-free stretch of about 350 days at NOAA's Riverside Fire Stn 3 station, 0.9 miles away. The USA-NPN spring index puts first leaf here around Jan 23 and first bloom around Feb 13. 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 Riverside 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 25 · last spring frost around Jan 9NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Riverside Fire Stn 3 (0.9 mi, 50% dates)~3 months
- San Diego Refuge · 90 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 · 89 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 Riverside
Nearby, season by season
Desert superbloom
- Joshua Tree · 89 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
- Cabrillo · 88 miUsually: typically between late March and early April~6 months
- Laguna Meadow · 91 miLocal timing: Wildflower viewing is best in May and June~7 months
- Channel Islands · 109 miUsually: by late January through March, during a normal year of rainfall~4 months
Wildlife by season
- Cabrillo · 88 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 · 90 miLocal timing: common in the bird list's Fall (September through October) and Winter (November through February) seasons
Riverside's nature year
- Desert superbloom · Joshua TreeJan–Jun
- Jan: Spring green-upJan
- Jan: Last spring frostJan
- Jan: Wildlife by season · CabrilloJan
- Wildflowers · CabrilloMar–Apr
- Winter wildlife · San Diego RefugeNowSep–Feb
- Oct: Fall color (CA)Oct
- Dec: First fall frostDec
Riverside's year at a glance
- Frost possible
- Frost-free, ~Jan 9 to ~Dec 25
- First leaf ~Jan 23
- First bloom ~Feb 13
- Fall color under way ~Oct 28 (CA)
- Today
Frost and green-up
Last spring frost
Jan 9
Average (50% date)
First fall frost
Dec 25
About 350 days without frost between
Spring green-up
Jan 23
First bloom around Feb 13
Frost: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Riverside Fire Stn 3 (0.9 mi from Riverside), 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 Riverside?
On average around Dec 25, and the last spring frost around Jan 9: about 350 days without frost between. These are NOAA's 1991–2020 normals at Riverside Fire Stn 3, 0.9 miles away (the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not).
When does spring green-up reach Riverside?
The USA-NPN Spring Index puts first leaf around Jan 23 and first bloom around Feb 13, on average for 1991–2020 at the town.
Where can I see desert superbloom near Riverside?
Joshua Tree, 89 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.
Where can I see wildflowers near Riverside?
Cabrillo, 88 miles (usually: typically between late March and early April); Laguna Meadow, 91 miles (local timing: Wildflower viewing is best in May and June); Channel Islands, 109 miles (usually: by late January through March, during a normal year of rainfall). 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)