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

Planting zone for 16731 — Eldred, PA

ZIP code 16731 (Eldred, McKean County) is in USDA zone 5b: the coldest winter night averages −15 to −10 °F. The median last spring frost is May 7 and the first fall frost October 11.

Where ZIP 16731 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.

Zone5b−15 to −10 °F
Coldest night−26.1 to −23.3 °C
Last frostMay 7
First frostOct 11
2012 zone5a

Was 5a on the 2012 map — half a zone warmer now. The zone is the one at the center of the ZIP code; hilly ZIPs can span two zones. What zone 5b means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Eldred, PA…

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 Eldred, PA

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostMay 7median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMay 22only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostOctober 11median — 10% chance by Sep 29
Growing season156 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around April 26 and returns around October 24.

From the NOAA station Olean, NY — 10 miles away, elevation 1,421 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 16731

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Mar 26 – Apr 9
SpinachSow outdoors · Mar 26 – Apr 16
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Feb 26 – Mar 12
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Apr 16 – Apr 30
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Apr 9 – Apr 23
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Apr 16 – Apr 30
LettuceSow outdoors · Apr 9 – Apr 23
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Apr 16 – Apr 30
TomatoesStart indoors · Mar 12 – Mar 26
TomatoesTransplant · May 14 – May 28
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Feb 26 – Mar 12
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · May 21 – Jun 4
BeansSow outdoors · May 14 – May 28
Sweet cornSow outdoors · May 14 – May 28
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · May 14 – May 28
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Aug 16 – Aug 30
GarlicPlant cloves · Sep 27 – Nov 1
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (May 7) and first fall frost (Oct 11) 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 16731 came on Apr 5 — 8 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Apr 13).

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 5b in Pennsylvania

572 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in Pennsylvania, and rated by the USDA to survive −15 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 5b. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

Trees 75

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 113

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 198

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

American 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 spikerush3 ft · blooms late spring · high shade tolerance · to −28 °FBebb's sedge3 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °F

Vines 8

American bittersweet15 ft · blooms spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Fdevil's darning needles15 ft · blooms mid summer · medium shade tolerance · to −38 °Ffrost grape83 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −23 °Friverbank grape45 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °Fsummer grape30 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −23 °Ftrumpet honeysuckle16 ft · blooms late summer · low shade tolerance · to −33 °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 Eldred, PA.

Soil in Eldred, PA

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 16731 is Albrights — silt loam, moderately well drained.

TextureSilt loama good balance for most vegetables
pH5.3strongly acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageModerately well drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter5%high
Hydrologic groupC/Dslow when drained; wet otherwise
Farmland classFarmland of statewide importanceUSDA classification

Map unit: Albrights silt loam, 8 to 15 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 16731; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Eldred, PA

Summer high80 °Faverage high, July
Winter low13 °Faverage low, January
Hot days2days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights150nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days2,261base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day15 h 14 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 07 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growLong-daysummer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too)
Precipitation40.7 inper year, rain and melted snow
Snowfall65 inper year; 74 days with snow on the ground

Average high and low, by month

0°10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32 °FJanuary: average high 32 °F, low 13 °F 32°13° JanFebruary: average high 34 °F, low 15 °F 34°15° FebMarch: average high 43 °F, low 21 °F 43°21° MarApril: average high 57 °F, low 32 °F 57°32° AprMay: average high 68 °F, low 44 °F 68°44° MayJune: average high 76 °F, low 53 °F 76°53° JunJuly: average high 80 °F, low 57 °F 80°57° JulAugust: average high 79 °F, low 55 °F 79°55° AugSeptember: average high 73 °F, low 49 °F 73°49° SepOctober: average high 60 °F, low 38 °F 60°38° OctNovember: average high 47 °F, low 29 °F 47°29° NovDecember: average high 37 °F, low 21 °F 37°21° Dec

Precipitation by month inches · ❄ = snowfall

0″1″2″3″4″5″January: 2.73 in precipitation, 17.6 in snowfall 2.7❄18 JanFebruary: 1.97 in precipitation, 13.7 in snowfall 2.0❄14 FebMarch: 2.63 in precipitation, 10.1 in snowfall 2.6❄10 MarApril: 3.35 in precipitation, 1.8 in snowfall 3.4❄2 AprMay: 3.66 in precipitation 3.7 MayJune: 4.48 in precipitation 4.5 JunJuly: 4.28 in precipitation 4.3 JulAugust: 4.03 in precipitation 4.0 AugSeptember: 3.85 in precipitation 3.9 SepOctober: 3.60 in precipitation, 0.3 in snowfall 3.6 OctNovember: 2.87 in precipitation, 6.3 in snowfall 2.9❄6 NovDecember: 3.22 in precipitation, 14.9 in snowfall 3.2❄15 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Olean, NY (10 mi away); precipitation: Olean, NY (10 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

All 8 nearest ZIP codes share zone 5b.

167505b
Turtlepoint, PA · 5 mi
167295b
Duke Center, PA · 6 mi
147215b
Ceres, NY · 7 mi
147705b
Portville, NY · 7 mi
167455b
Rixford, PA · 7 mi
147885b
Westons Mills, NY · 8 mi
147605b
Olean, NY · 9 mi
167275b
Derrick City, PA · 9 mi

Pennsylvania planting zones →

Questions about 16731

What planting zone is ZIP code 16731?

ZIP code 16731 (Eldred, PA) is in USDA hardiness zone 5b on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches −15 to −10 °F (−26.1 to −23.3 °C).

When is the last frost in Eldred, PA?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 16731 is May 7; after May 22 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Olean station.

When is the first frost in Eldred, PA?

The median first fall frost near 16731 is October 11, giving a median frost-free growing season of 156 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 16731?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Mar 12 – Mar 26 and set transplants outside around May 14 – May 28, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 16731 get?

About 40.7 inches of precipitation a year and 65 inches of snowfall (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Olean station).

How hot do summers get in Eldred, PA?

The average high peaks at 80 °F in July, with about 2 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 16731 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Albrights at the center of ZIP 16731: silt loam, moderately well drained, pH about 5.3 (strongly acidic).

Did spring come early in Eldred, PA in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 16731 came on Apr 5 in 2026, 8 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Apr 13), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Eldred, PA?

Long-day onions: the longest day near 16731 is 15 h 14 min, so summer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too).

Did the zone for 16731 change?

Yes. The 2012 USDA map put 16731 in zone 5a; the 2023 map puts it in zone 5b. The newer map uses 1991–2020 data and more weather stations.