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

Planting zone for 13324 — Cold Brook, NY

ZIP code 13324 (Cold Brook, Herkimer County) is in USDA zone 4b: the coldest winter night averages −25 to −20 °F. The median last spring frost is May 4 and the first fall frost October 13.

Where ZIP 13324 is

Outlined: the ZIP code area · 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.

Zone4b−25 to −20 °F
Coldest night−31.7 to −28.9 °C
Last frostMay 4
First frostOct 13
2012 zone4b

Same zone as on the 2012 map. The zone is the one at the center of the ZIP code; hilly ZIPs can span two zones. What zone 4b means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Cold Brook, NY…

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 Cold Brook, NY

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostMay 4median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMay 23only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostOctober 13median — 10% chance by Sep 29
Growing season161 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around April 21 and returns around October 28.

From the NOAA station Trenton Falls, NY — 12 miles away, elevation 801 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 13324

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Mar 23 – Apr 6
SpinachSow outdoors · Mar 23 – Apr 13
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Feb 23 – Mar 9
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Apr 13 – Apr 27
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Apr 6 – Apr 20
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Apr 13 – Apr 27
LettuceSow outdoors · Apr 6 – Apr 20
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Apr 13 – Apr 27
TomatoesStart indoors · Mar 9 – Mar 23
TomatoesTransplant · May 11 – May 25
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Feb 23 – Mar 9
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · May 18 – Jun 1
BeansSow outdoors · May 11 – May 25
Sweet cornSow outdoors · May 11 – May 25
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · May 11 – May 25
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Aug 18 – Sep 1
GarlicPlant cloves · Sep 29 – Nov 3
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (May 4) and first fall frost (Oct 13) 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 13324 came on Apr 16 — 9 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Apr 25).

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 4b in New York

526 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in New York, and rated by the USDA to survive −25 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 4b. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

Trees 60

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 99

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 hornbeam30 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −34 °F

Wildflowers & perennials 183

alkali buttercup1 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °FAmerican bur-reed3 ft · blooms indeterminate · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican eelgrass1 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican licorice4 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −38 °FAmerican lotus3 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −36 °FAmerican pokeweed7 ft · blooms mid summer · low shade tolerance · to −33 °F

Grasses 166

alkali sacaton3 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −38 °FAmerican beachgrass2.5 ft · blooms spring · high shade tolerance · to −28 °Farctic 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 sedge4 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °F

Vines 5

American bittersweet15 ft · blooms spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Fdevil's darning needles15 ft · blooms mid summer · medium shade tolerance · to −38 °Friverbank grape45 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °Ftrumpet honeysuckle16 ft · blooms late summer · low shade tolerance · to −33 °FVirginia creeper1 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −28 °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 Cold Brook, NY.

Soil in Cold Brook, NY

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 13324 is Skerry — moderately decomposed plant material, moderately well drained.

TextureModerately decomposed plant materialtop layer
pH4.0strongly acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageModerately well drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter70%high
Hydrologic groupB/Dmoderate when drained; wet otherwise
Farmland classNot prime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Skerry-Adirondack complex, 0 to 8 percent slopes, very bouldery.

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 13324; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Cold Brook, NY

Summer high79 °Faverage high, July
Winter low10 °Faverage low, January
Hot days3days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights152nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days2,233base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day15 h 24 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day8 h 58 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growLong-daysummer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too)
Precipitation51.4 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

0°10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32 °FJanuary: average high 29 °F, low 10 °F 29°10° JanFebruary: average high 31 °F, low 13 °F 31°13° FebMarch: average high 39 °F, low 20 °F 39°20° MarApril: average high 54 °F, low 34 °F 54°34° AprMay: average high 67 °F, low 44 °F 67°44° MayJune: average high 74 °F, low 53 °F 74°53° JunJuly: average high 79 °F, low 59 °F 79°59° JulAugust: average high 78 °F, low 57 °F 78°57° AugSeptember: average high 71 °F, low 50 °F 71°50° SepOctober: average high 59 °F, low 40 °F 59°40° OctNovember: average high 46 °F, low 29 °F 46°29° NovDecember: average high 35 °F, low 19 °F 35°19° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″1″2″3″4″5″6″January: 3.58 in precipitation 3.6 JanFebruary: 3.43 in precipitation 3.4 FebMarch: 3.45 in precipitation 3.5 MarApril: 4.01 in precipitation 4.0 AprMay: 4.64 in precipitation 4.6 MayJune: 4.78 in precipitation 4.8 JunJuly: 4.95 in precipitation 5.0 JulAugust: 4.28 in precipitation 4.3 AugSeptember: 4.15 in precipitation 4.2 SepOctober: 5.34 in precipitation 5.3 OctNovember: 4.36 in precipitation 4.4 NovDecember: 4.41 in precipitation 4.4 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Trenton Falls, NY (12 mi away); precipitation: Trenton Falls, NY (12 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

8 of the 8 nearest ZIP codes are in a different zone — elevation and distance from water change winter lows quickly.

134165a
Newport, NY · 10 mi
133525a
Hinckley, NY · 11 mi
134315a
Poland, NY · 11 mi
134355a
Prospect, NY · 12 mi
134065a
Middleville, NY · 12 mi
134385a
Remsen, NY · 12 mi
134545a
Salisbury Center, NY · 13 mi
133045a
Barneveld, NY · 13 mi

New York planting zones →

Questions about 13324

What planting zone is ZIP code 13324?

ZIP code 13324 (Cold Brook, NY) is in USDA hardiness zone 4b on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches −25 to −20 °F (−31.7 to −28.9 °C).

When is the last frost in Cold Brook, NY?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 13324 is May 4; after May 23 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Trenton Falls station.

When is the first frost in Cold Brook, NY?

The median first fall frost near 13324 is October 13, giving a median frost-free growing season of 161 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 13324?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Mar 9 – Mar 23 and set transplants outside around May 11 – May 25, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 13324 get?

About 51.4 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Trenton Falls station).

How hot do summers get in Cold Brook, NY?

The average high peaks at 79 °F in July, with about 3 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 13324 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Skerry at the center of ZIP 13324: moderately decomposed plant material, moderately well drained, pH about 4.0 (strongly acidic).

Did spring come early in Cold Brook, NY in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 13324 came on Apr 16 in 2026, 9 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Apr 25), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Cold Brook, NY?

Long-day onions: the longest day near 13324 is 15 h 24 min, so summer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too).