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

Planting zone for 17097 — Wiconisco, PA

ZIP code 17097 (Wiconisco, Dauphin County) is in USDA zone 6b: the coldest winter night averages −5 to 0 °F. The median last spring frost is May 1 and the first fall frost October 16.

Where ZIP 17097 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.

Zone6b−5 to 0 °F
Coldest night−20.6 to −17.8 °C
Last frostMay 1
First frostOct 16
2012 zone6b

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 6b means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Wiconisco, 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 Wiconisco, PA

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostMay 1median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMay 20only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostOctober 16median — 10% chance by Oct 3
Growing season168 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around April 18 and returns around October 30.

From the NOAA station Dehart Dam, PA — 9 miles away, elevation 538 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 17097

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Mar 20 – Apr 3
SpinachSow outdoors · Mar 20 – Apr 10
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Feb 20 – Mar 6
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Apr 10 – Apr 24
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Apr 3 – Apr 17
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Apr 10 – Apr 24
LettuceSow outdoors · Apr 3 – Apr 17
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Apr 10 – Apr 24
TomatoesStart indoors · Mar 6 – Mar 20
TomatoesTransplant · May 8 – May 22
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Feb 20 – Mar 6
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · May 15 – May 29
BeansSow outdoors · May 8 – May 22
Sweet cornSow outdoors · May 8 – May 22
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · May 8 – May 22
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Aug 21 – Sep 4
GarlicPlant cloves · Oct 2 – Nov 6
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (May 1) and first fall frost (Oct 16) 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 17097 came on Mar 31 — 8 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Apr 8).

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).

Soil in Wiconisco, PA

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 17097 is Laidig — gravelly loam, well drained.

TextureGravelly loama good balance for most vegetables
pH4.6strongly acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageWell drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter2.5%moderate
Hydrologic groupBwater soaks in moderately
Farmland classprime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Laidig gravelly loam, 3 to 8 percent slopes, moderately eroded.

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 17097; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Wiconisco, PA

Summer high84 °Faverage high, July
Winter low20 °Faverage low, January
Hot days14days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights128nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days2,845base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day15 h 05 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 16 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growLong-daysummer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too)
Precipitation50.9 inper year, rain and melted snow
Snowfall28 inper year; 36 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 37 °F, low 20 °F 37°20° JanFebruary: average high 40 °F, low 21 °F 40°21° FebMarch: average high 49 °F, low 28 °F 49°28° MarApril: average high 61 °F, low 37 °F 61°37° AprMay: average high 71 °F, low 47 °F 71°47° MayJune: average high 79 °F, low 56 °F 79°56° JunJuly: average high 84 °F, low 60 °F 84°60° JulAugust: average high 82 °F, low 59 °F 82°59° AugSeptember: average high 75 °F, low 52 °F 75°52° SepOctober: average high 64 °F, low 41 °F 64°41° OctNovember: average high 52 °F, low 32 °F 52°32° NovDecember: average high 42 °F, low 25 °F 42°25° Dec

Precipitation by month inches · ❄ = snowfall

0″1″2″3″4″5″6″January: 3.59 in precipitation, 8.4 in snowfall 3.6❄8 JanFebruary: 2.83 in precipitation, 8.3 in snowfall 2.8❄8 FebMarch: 3.88 in precipitation, 5.1 in snowfall 3.9❄5 MarApril: 4.46 in precipitation, 0.6 in snowfall 4.5❄1 AprMay: 4.42 in precipitation 4.4 MayJune: 4.87 in precipitation 4.9 JunJuly: 5.05 in precipitation 5.0 JulAugust: 4.27 in precipitation 4.3 AugSeptember: 5.63 in precipitation 5.6 SepOctober: 4.54 in precipitation 4.5 OctNovember: 3.30 in precipitation, 0.8 in snowfall 3.3❄1 NovDecember: 4.01 in precipitation, 4.4 in snowfall 4.0❄4 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Dehart Dam, PA (9 mi away); precipitation: Dehart Dam, PA (9 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

All 8 nearest ZIP codes share zone 6b.

170486b
Lykens, PA · <1 mi
170986b
Williamstown, PA · 3 mi
179786b
Spring Glen, PA · 3 mi
179806b
Tower City, PA · 4 mi
170306b
Gratz, PA · 4 mi
179686b
Sacramento, PA · 5 mi
170236b
Elizabethville, PA · 7 mi
170056b
Berrysburg, PA · 7 mi

Pennsylvania planting zones →

Questions about 17097

What planting zone is ZIP code 17097?

ZIP code 17097 (Wiconisco, PA) is in USDA hardiness zone 6b on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches −5 to 0 °F (−20.6 to −17.8 °C).

When is the last frost in Wiconisco, PA?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 17097 is May 1; after May 20 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Dehart Dam station.

When is the first frost in Wiconisco, PA?

The median first fall frost near 17097 is October 16, giving a median frost-free growing season of 168 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 17097?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Mar 6 – Mar 20 and set transplants outside around May 8 – May 22, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 17097 get?

About 50.9 inches of precipitation a year and 28 inches of snowfall (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Dehart Dam station).

How hot do summers get in Wiconisco, PA?

The average high peaks at 84 °F in July, with about 14 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 17097 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Laidig at the center of ZIP 17097: gravelly loam, well drained, pH about 4.6 (strongly acidic).

Did spring come early in Wiconisco, PA in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 17097 came on Mar 31 in 2026, 8 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Apr 8), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Wiconisco, PA?

Long-day onions: the longest day near 17097 is 15 h 05 min, so summer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too).