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

Planting zone for 16946 — Tioga, PA

ZIP code 16946 (Tioga, Tioga County) is in USDA zone 6a: the coldest winter night averages −10 to −5 °F. The median last spring frost is May 6 and the first fall frost October 10.

Where ZIP 16946 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.

Zone6a−10 to −5 °F
Coldest night−23.3 to −20.6 °C
Last frostMay 6
First frostOct 10
2012 zone5b

Was 5b 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 6a means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Tioga, 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 Tioga, PA

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostMay 6median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMay 23only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostOctober 10median — 10% chance by Sep 30
Growing season158 daysfrost-free, median

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

From the NOAA station Tioga Hammond Dam, PA — within 1 mile, elevation 1,230 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 16946

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Mar 25 – Apr 8
SpinachSow outdoors · Mar 25 – Apr 15
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Feb 25 – Mar 11
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Apr 15 – Apr 29
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Apr 8 – Apr 22
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Apr 15 – Apr 29
LettuceSow outdoors · Apr 8 – Apr 22
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Apr 15 – Apr 29
TomatoesStart indoors · Mar 11 – Mar 25
TomatoesTransplant · May 13 – May 27
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Feb 25 – Mar 11
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · May 20 – Jun 3
BeansSow outdoors · May 13 – May 27
Sweet cornSow outdoors · May 13 – May 27
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · May 13 – May 27
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 (May 6) 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 16946 came on Apr 6 — 6 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Apr 12).

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 6a in Pennsylvania

598 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in Pennsylvania, and rated by the USDA to survive −10 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 6a. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

Trees 76

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 121

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 207

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 170

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 9

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 creeper2 ft · blooms summer · high shade tolerance · to −13 °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 Tioga, PA.

Soil in Tioga, PA

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 16946 is Chenango — gravelly loam, well drained.

TextureGravelly loama good balance for most vegetables
pH5.3strongly acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageWell drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter4%moderate
Hydrologic groupAwater soaks in fast
Farmland classprime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Chenango gravelly loam, 2 to 12 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 16946; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Tioga, PA

Summer high82 °Faverage high, July
Winter low15 °Faverage low, January
Hot days8days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights154nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days2,382base 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)
Precipitation36.4 inper year, rain and melted snow
Snowfall43 inper year; 58 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 15 °F 32°15° JanFebruary: average high 35 °F, low 15 °F 35°15° FebMarch: average high 43 °F, low 22 °F 43°22° MarApril: average high 57 °F, low 33 °F 57°33° AprMay: average high 69 °F, low 44 °F 69°44° MayJune: average high 77 °F, low 53 °F 77°53° JunJuly: average high 82 °F, low 58 °F 82°58° JulAugust: average high 80 °F, low 57 °F 80°57° AugSeptember: average high 73 °F, low 50 °F 73°50° SepOctober: average high 60 °F, low 39 °F 60°39° OctNovember: average high 48 °F, low 30 °F 48°30° NovDecember: average high 37 °F, low 22 °F 37°22° Dec

Precipitation by month inches · ❄ = snowfall

0″1″2″3″4″January: 2.21 in precipitation, 10.3 in snowfall 2.2❄10 JanFebruary: 1.71 in precipitation, 11.1 in snowfall 1.7❄11 FebMarch: 2.72 in precipitation, 7.6 in snowfall 2.7❄8 MarApril: 3.28 in precipitation, 1.7 in snowfall 3.3❄2 AprMay: 3.24 in precipitation 3.2 MayJune: 3.75 in precipitation 3.8 JunJuly: 3.79 in precipitation 3.8 JulAugust: 3.53 in precipitation 3.5 AugSeptember: 3.72 in precipitation 3.7 SepOctober: 3.37 in precipitation, 0.2 in snowfall 3.4 OctNovember: 2.58 in precipitation, 2.9 in snowfall 2.6❄3 NovDecember: 2.48 in precipitation, 9.6 in snowfall 2.5❄10 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Tioga Hammond Dam, PA (within 1 mile); precipitation: Tioga Hammond Dam, PA (within 1 mile). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

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

169296a
Lawrenceville, PA · 3 mi
169336a
Mansfield, PA · 8 mi
148586a
Lindley, NY · 8 mi
169205b
Elkland, PA · 8 mi
169366a
Millerton, PA · 9 mi
169356a
Middlebury Center, PA · 10 mi
169425b
Osceola, PA · 11 mi
169326a
Mainesburg, PA · 14 mi

Pennsylvania planting zones →

Questions about 16946

What planting zone is ZIP code 16946?

ZIP code 16946 (Tioga, PA) is in USDA hardiness zone 6a on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches −10 to −5 °F (−23.3 to −20.6 °C).

When is the last frost in Tioga, PA?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 16946 is May 6; after May 23 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Tioga Hammond Dam station.

When is the first frost in Tioga, PA?

The median first fall frost near 16946 is October 10, giving a median frost-free growing season of 158 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 16946?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Mar 11 – Mar 25 and set transplants outside around May 13 – May 27, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 16946 get?

About 36.4 inches of precipitation a year and 43 inches of snowfall (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Tioga Hammond Dam station).

How hot do summers get in Tioga, PA?

The average high peaks at 82 °F in July, with about 8 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 16946 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Chenango at the center of ZIP 16946: gravelly loam, well drained, pH about 5.3 (strongly acidic).

Did spring come early in Tioga, PA in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 16946 came on Apr 6 in 2026, 6 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Apr 12), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Tioga, PA?

Long-day onions: the longest day near 16946 is 15 h 14 min, so summer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too).

Did the zone for 16946 change?

Yes. The 2012 USDA map put 16946 in zone 5b; the 2023 map puts it in zone 6a. The newer map uses 1991–2020 data and more weather stations.