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Your nature year

Salinas, Californiathrough the year

Also for Watsonville, CA, Hollister, CA, Seaside, CA, Monterey, CA, Soledad, CA: the same nearby places.

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

Within 150 miles we follow 6 places, out to Kaiser Pass Road 145 miles to the east. Pinnacles, 42 miles from Salinas, is the nearest wildflowers spot on this site, usually at its best Mar 1–May 31. For fall foliage, the nearest is Yosemite (129 mi, usually Oct 11–31). Expect about 315 frost-free days in Salinas: the last spring frost usually comes around Jan 29, the first fall one around Dec 10, going by NOAA's Salinas Airport station 2.3 miles away. The USA-NPN spring index puts first leaf here around Jan 26 and first bloom around Feb 22. 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)

Salinas's year at a glance

  • Frost possible
  • Frost-free, ~Jan 29 to ~Dec 10
  • First leaf ~Jan 26
  • First bloom ~Feb 22
  • Fall color under way ~Oct 28 (CA)
  • Today

Near Salinas 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 10 · last spring frost around Jan 29NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Salinas Airport (2.3 mi, 50% dates)
    ~2 months
  • Kaiser Pass Road · 145 mi · Local timing: Sep 25–Nov 30Fall foliage · in its window now
    In season
  • Wildflowers · Pinnacles · 42 miusually Mar 1–May 31
    ~5 months

Salinas's nature year

From the town's own dates and its nearest places
  • Spring green-upJan
  • Last spring frostJan
  • Wildflowers · PinnaclesMar–May
  • Fall color (CA)Oct
  • First fall frostDec

Nearby, season by season

Real places within 150 miles, straight-line

Fall foliage

Wildflowers

Frost and green-up

Last spring frost

Jan 29

Average (50% date)

First fall frost

Dec 10

About 315 days without frost between

Spring green-up

Jan 26

First bloom around Feb 22

Frost: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Salinas Airport (2.3 mi from Salinas), 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 Salinas?

On average around Dec 10, and the last spring frost around Jan 29: about 315 days without frost between. These are NOAA's 1991–2020 normals at Salinas Airport, 2.3 miles away (the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not).

When does spring green-up reach Salinas?

The USA-NPN Spring Index puts first leaf around Jan 26 and first bloom around Feb 22, on average for 1991–2020 at the town.

Where can I see fall foliage near Salinas?

Yosemite, 129 miles (usually Oct 11–31); Kaiser Pass Road, 145 miles (local timing: Sep 25–Nov 30). Distances are straight-line.

Where can I see wildflowers near Salinas?

Pinnacles, 42 miles (usually Mar 1–May 31); San Luis Refuge, 58 miles (local timing: Apr 1–30); San Joaquin River Refuge, 68 miles (local timing: Apr 1–30). 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 →