Your nature year
Santa Clarita, Californiathrough the year
Also for Simi Valley, CA, Moorpark, CA: the same nearby places.
When do frost, green-up and fall color come to Santa Clarita?
Spring green-up reaches town around Jan 24, with first blooms around Feb 16. About 3 weeks pass between first leaf and first bloom here.
At NOAA's Newhall 5nw station, 5.6 miles away, the average first fall frost is Jan 1 and the last spring frost Jan 8, which leaves Santa Clarita some -7 growing days. For a day trip, Channel Islands is 45 miles off; its wildflowers is by late January through March, during a normal year of rainfall (usually). Carrizo Plain (80 mi) is the pick for desert superbloom, late March to early April (usually). We follow 5 places within 150 miles of Santa Clarita; the nearest lies 45 miles to the west. Across California, 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 Santa Clarita 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 Jan 1 · last spring frost around Jan 8NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Newhall 5nw (5.6 mi, 50% dates)~3 months
- San Diego Refuge · 148 mi · Local timing: common in the bird list's Fall (September through October) and Winter (November through February) seasonsWinter wildlife · in its window now
- Wildlife by season · Cabrillo · 141 miUsually: Mid-January is the peak time for migration, but whales are visible from mid- to late December through March~3 months
Your guide around Santa Clarita
Nearby, season by season
Desert superbloom
- Carrizo Plain · 80 miUsually: late March to early April~6 months
Wildflowers
- Channel Islands · 45 miUsually: by late January through March, during a normal year of rainfall~4 months
- Cabrillo · 141 miUsually: typically between late March and early April~6 months
Wildlife by season
- Cabrillo · 141 miUsually: Mid-January is the peak time for migration, but whales are visible from mid- to late December through March~3 months
Winter wildlife
- Kern Refuge · 111 miLocal timing: Birding is best on the refuge from October through March~1 day
- San Diego Refuge · 148 miLocal timing: common in the bird list's Fall (September through October) and Winter (November through February) seasons
Santa Clarita's nature year
- Wildflowers · Channel IslandsJan–Mar
- Jan: Spring green-upJan
- Jan: Last spring frostJan
- Jan: First fall frostJan
- Jan: Wildlife by season · CabrilloJan
- Desert superbloom · Carrizo PlainMar–Apr
- Oct: Fall color (CA)Oct
- Winter wildlife · Kern RefugeOct–Mar
Santa Clarita's year at a glance
- Frost possible
- Frost-free, ~Jan 8 to ~Jan 1
- First leaf ~Jan 24
- First bloom ~Feb 16
- Fall color under way ~Oct 28 (CA)
- Today
Frost and green-up
Last spring frost
Jan 8
Average (50% date)
First fall frost
Jan 1
About -7 days without frost between
Spring green-up
Jan 24
First bloom around Feb 16
Frost: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Newhall 5nw (5.6 mi from Santa Clarita), 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 Santa Clarita?
On average around Jan 1, and the last spring frost around Jan 8: about -7 days without frost between. These are NOAA's 1991–2020 normals at Newhall 5nw, 5.6 miles away (the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not).
When does spring green-up reach Santa Clarita?
The USA-NPN Spring Index puts first leaf around Jan 24 and first bloom around Feb 16, on average for 1991–2020 at the town.
Where can I see desert superbloom near Santa Clarita?
Carrizo Plain, 80 miles (usually: late March to early April). Distances are straight-line.
Where can I see wildflowers near Santa Clarita?
Channel Islands, 45 miles (usually: by late January through March, during a normal year of rainfall); Cabrillo, 141 miles (usually: typically between late March and early April). 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)