Data: 2023 USDA zones (PRISM/OSU) · NOAA 1991–2020 normals · updated

Planting zone for Princeton, WV

Princeton, WV is in USDA zone 7a across its 2 ZIP codes. The median last spring frost is April 30 and the first fall frost October 10.

Princeton on the zone map

Outlined: its 2 ZIP code areas · tap the map for the zone at any spot · scroll or pinch to zoom

Not the official USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Zones come from the 2023 USDA hardiness-zone data by the PRISM Group, Oregon State University; we re-mapped and recolored them. The official map is at planthardiness.ars.usda.gov.

Zone7a0 to 5 °F
ZIP codes2
Last frostApr 30
First frostOct 10
Growing season161 days

7a 2 ZIPs

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Princeton, WV…

Forecast data: National Weather Service (api.weather.gov), public domain. This is not a warning service — for official frost and freeze warnings see weather.gov.

Frost dates in Princeton, WV

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostApril 30median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMay 19only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostOctober 10median — 10% chance by Sep 27
Growing season161 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around April 16 and returns around October 19.

From the NOAA station Athens, WV, elevation 2,497 ft. NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, 32 °F threshold. Low spots and valleys can freeze later in spring than the station.

When to plant vegetables in Princeton

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Mar 19 – Apr 2
SpinachSow outdoors · Mar 19 – Apr 9
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Feb 19 – Mar 5
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Apr 9 – Apr 23
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Apr 2 – Apr 16
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Apr 9 – Apr 23
LettuceSow outdoors · Apr 2 – Apr 16
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Apr 9 – Apr 23
TomatoesStart indoors · Mar 5 – Mar 19
TomatoesTransplant · May 7 – May 21
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Feb 19 – Mar 5
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · May 14 – May 28
BeansSow outdoors · May 7 – May 21
Sweet cornSow outdoors · May 7 – May 21
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · May 7 – May 21
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Aug 15 – Aug 29
GarlicPlant cloves · Sep 26 – Oct 31
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Apr 30) and first fall frost (Oct 10) with the rules of thumb U.S. extension services publish. Cool-season crops take a light frost; warm-season crops do best once the soil is above about 60 °F.

When spring arrived in 2026

In 2026, spring leaf-out near 24740 came on Mar 8 — 7 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Mar 15).

JanFebMarAprMayJun

The Spring Index marks the day when accumulated warmth is enough for lilac and honeysuckle to leaf out — a widely used signal that the growing season has started. Source: USA National Phenology Network, www.usanpn.org — Spring Indices, first leaf, 2026 (data as of 2026-09-08) and 30-year average 1991–2020 (CC BY 4.0).

Native plants for zone 7a in West Virginia

515 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in West Virginia, and rated by the USDA to survive 0 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 7a. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

Trees 69

American basswood100 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −46 °FAmerican beech80 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −44 °FAmerican chestnut115 ft · blooms early summer · high shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican elm120 ft · blooms early spring · medium shade tolerance · to −46 °FAmerican sycamore100 ft · blooms spring · medium shade tolerance · to −34 °Farborvitae50 ft · blooms mid spring · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °F

Shrubs 103

alderleaf buckthorn3 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −33 °FAllegheny serviceberry35 ft · blooms early spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Falternateleaf dogwood25 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −47 °FAmerican black currant3 ft · blooms early spring · to −46 °FAmerican hazelnut10 ft · blooms spring · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican holly40 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −20 °F

Wildflowers & perennials 181

American bur-reed3 ft · blooms indeterminate · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican eelgrass1 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican pokeweed7 ft · blooms mid summer · low shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican speedwell0.8 ft · blooms mid summer · low shade tolerance · to −38 °FAmerican vetch1.3 ft · blooms late spring · high shade tolerance · to −38 °FAmerican water horehound1.8 ft · blooms early summer · low shade tolerance · to −38 °F

Grasses 137

arctic brome3 ft · blooms early summer · low shade tolerance · to −33 °Fawlfruit sedge4 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °FBailey's sedge2.1 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −33 °Fbeaked spikerush3 ft · blooms late spring · high shade tolerance · to −28 °Fbig bluestem6 ft · blooms summer · high shade tolerance · to −46 °Fbitter panicgrass5 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −18 °F

Vines 12

American bittersweet15 ft · blooms spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °FAmerican wisteria50 ft · blooms spring · low shade tolerance · to −3 °Fdevil's darning needles15 ft · blooms mid summer · medium shade tolerance · to −38 °Ffrost grape83 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −23 °Fgraybark grape50 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −8 °Fheartleaf peppervine2 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −8 °F

Source: USDA, NRCS. 2026. The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov), National Plant Data Team — state distribution, native status and the “Temperature, Minimum” characteristic. Check light, moisture and soil needs before buying; local nurseries and your state native plant society can confirm what thrives in Princeton, WV.

Soil in Princeton, WV

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 24740 is Gilpin — slightly decomposed plant material, well drained.

TextureSlightly decomposed plant materialtop layer
pH5.0strongly acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageWell drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter72%high
Hydrologic groupCwater soaks in slowly
Farmland classNot prime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Gilpin-Berks channery silt loams, warm, 35 to 70 percent slopes.

Soil Survey Staff, Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA. Soil Survey Geographic (SSURGO) Database, via Soil Data Access, accessed 2026-10-29. The soil at the center point of ZIP 24740; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Princeton, WV

Summer high82 °Faverage high, July
Winter low22 °Faverage low, January
Hot days3days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights125nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days2,943base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 45 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 35 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growIntermediateday-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully
Precipitation41 inper year, rain and melted snow
Snowfall24 inper year; 22 days with snow on the ground

Average high and low, by month

10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32 °FJanuary: average high 43 °F, low 22 °F 43°22° JanFebruary: average high 46 °F, low 24 °F 46°24° FebMarch: average high 53 °F, low 30 °F 53°30° MarApril: average high 66 °F, low 40 °F 66°40° AprMay: average high 73 °F, low 48 °F 73°48° MayJune: average high 78 °F, low 56 °F 78°56° JunJuly: average high 82 °F, low 60 °F 82°60° JulAugust: average high 81 °F, low 58 °F 81°58° AugSeptember: average high 75 °F, low 52 °F 75°52° SepOctober: average high 65 °F, low 40 °F 65°40° OctNovember: average high 57 °F, low 31 °F 57°31° NovDecember: average high 45 °F, low 27 °F 45°27° Dec

Precipitation by month inches · ❄ = snowfall

0″1″2″3″4″5″January: 2.99 in precipitation, 7.5 in snowfall 3.0❄8 JanFebruary: 2.99 in precipitation, 5.7 in snowfall 3.0❄6 FebMarch: 3.72 in precipitation, 4.9 in snowfall 3.7❄5 MarApril: 3.65 in precipitation, 0.5 in snowfall 3.6❄1 AprMay: 4.73 in precipitation 4.7 MayJune: 3.83 in precipitation 3.8 JunJuly: 4.31 in precipitation 4.3 JulAugust: 3.30 in precipitation 3.3 AugSeptember: 3.11 in precipitation 3.1 SepOctober: 2.60 in precipitation, 0.1 in snowfall 2.6 OctNovember: 2.52 in precipitation, 0.7 in snowfall 2.5❄1 NovDecember: 3.22 in precipitation, 4.5 in snowfall 3.2❄5 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Athens, WV (4 mi away); precipitation: Princeton, WV (2 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

ZIP codes in Princeton

247397a
0 to 5 °F
247407a
0 to 5 °F

West Virginia planting zones →

Questions about Princeton

What planting zone is Princeton, WV?

Princeton, WV is in USDA hardiness zone 7a on the 2023 map (7a: 0 to 5 °F).

When is the last frost in Princeton, WV?

The median last spring frost is April 30 and the median first fall frost is October 10 (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Athens station).

When can I plant a garden in Princeton, WV?

Cool-season crops like peas and spinach go in around Mar 19 – Apr 9; tomatoes, peppers, beans and squash after about May 7, once frost risk has passed.

What kind of onions grow in Princeton, WV?

Intermediate onions: the longest day is 14 h 45 min, so day-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully.

How much rain and snow does Princeton, WV get?

About 41 inches of precipitation a year and 24 inches of snowfall (NOAA 1991–2020 normals).