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

Planting zone for 17831 — Hummels Wharf, PA

ZIP code 17831 (Hummels Wharf, Snyder County) is in USDA zone 6b: the coldest winter night averages −5 to 0 °F. The median last spring frost is April 27 and the first fall frost October 16.

Where ZIP 17831 is

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 frostApr 27
First frostOct 16
2012 zone6a

Was 6a 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 6b means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Hummels Wharf, 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 Hummels Wharf, PA

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostApril 27median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMay 12only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostOctober 16median — 10% chance by Oct 3
Growing season172 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around April 14 and returns around October 29.

From the NOAA station Selinsgrove Penn Vly Airport, PA — 2 miles away, elevation 443 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 17831

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Mar 16 – Mar 30
SpinachSow outdoors · Mar 16 – Apr 6
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Feb 16 – Mar 2
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Apr 6 – Apr 20
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Mar 30 – Apr 13
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Apr 6 – Apr 20
LettuceSow outdoors · Mar 30 – Apr 13
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Apr 6 – Apr 20
TomatoesStart indoors · Mar 2 – Mar 16
TomatoesTransplant · May 4 – May 18
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Feb 16 – Mar 2
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · May 11 – May 25
BeansSow outdoors · May 4 – May 18
Sweet cornSow outdoors · May 4 – May 18
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · May 4 – May 18
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 (Apr 27) 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 17831 came on Mar 30 — 5 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Apr 4).

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 6b in Pennsylvania

605 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in Pennsylvania, and rated by the USDA to survive −5 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 6b. 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 122

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 209

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 173

American beachgrass2.5 ft · blooms spring · high shade tolerance · to −28 °Farctic brome3 ft · blooms early summer · low shade tolerance · to −33 °FAtlantic mannagrass3 ft · blooms summer · low shade tolerance · to −8 °Fautumn bluegrass1.5 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −8 °Fawlfruit sedge4 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °FBailey's sedge2.1 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −33 °F

Vines 10

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 °Fgraybark grape50 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −8 °Friverbank grape45 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °Fsummer grape30 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −23 °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 Hummels Wharf, PA.

Soil in Hummels Wharf, PA

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 17831 is Monongahela — silt loam, moderately well drained.

TextureSilt loama good balance for most vegetables
pH5.0strongly acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageModerately well drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter3%moderate
Hydrologic groupC/Dslow when drained; wet otherwise
Farmland classprime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Monongahela silt loam, 0 to 3 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 17831; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Hummels Wharf, PA

Summer high84 °Faverage high, July
Winter low20 °Faverage low, January
Hot days15days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights128nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days3,006base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day15 h 06 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 14 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growLong-daysummer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too)
Precipitation40.9 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32 °FJanuary: average high 36 °F, low 20 °F 36°20° JanFebruary: average high 39 °F, low 21 °F 39°21° FebMarch: average high 49 °F, low 29 °F 49°29° MarApril: average high 62 °F, low 38 °F 62°38° AprMay: average high 72 °F, low 49 °F 72°49° MayJune: average high 81 °F, low 59 °F 81°59° JunJuly: average high 84 °F, low 62 °F 84°62° JulAugust: average high 82 °F, low 60 °F 82°60° AugSeptember: average high 76 °F, low 52 °F 76°52° SepOctober: average high 64 °F, low 41 °F 64°41° OctNovember: average high 52 °F, low 32 °F 52°32° NovDecember: average high 41 °F, low 25 °F 41°25° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″1″2″3″4″5″January: 2.68 in precipitation 2.7 JanFebruary: 2.06 in precipitation 2.1 FebMarch: 3.06 in precipitation 3.1 MarApril: 3.56 in precipitation 3.6 AprMay: 3.55 in precipitation 3.5 MayJune: 3.94 in precipitation 3.9 JunJuly: 4.18 in precipitation 4.2 JulAugust: 3.73 in precipitation 3.7 AugSeptember: 4.51 in precipitation 4.5 SepOctober: 3.78 in precipitation 3.8 OctNovember: 3.05 in precipitation 3.0 NovDecember: 2.81 in precipitation 2.8 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Selinsgrove Penn Vly Airport, PA (2 mi away); precipitation: Selinsgrove Penn Vly Airport, PA (2 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

All 8 nearest ZIP codes share zone 6b.

178766b
Shamokin Dam, PA · 2 mi
178706b
Selinsgrove, PA · 3 mi
178016b
Sunbury, PA · 4 mi
178896b
Winfield, PA · 5 mi
178236b
Dornsife, PA · 7 mi
178336b
Kreamer, PA · 7 mi
178576b
Northumberland, PA · 7 mi
178556b
New Berlin, PA · 8 mi

Pennsylvania planting zones →

Questions about 17831

What planting zone is ZIP code 17831?

ZIP code 17831 (Hummels Wharf, 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 Hummels Wharf, PA?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 17831 is April 27; after May 12 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Selinsgrove Penn Vly Airport station.

When is the first frost in Hummels Wharf, PA?

The median first fall frost near 17831 is October 16, giving a median frost-free growing season of 172 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 17831?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Mar 2 – Mar 16 and set transplants outside around May 4 – May 18, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 17831 get?

About 40.9 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Selinsgrove Penn Vly Airport station).

How hot do summers get in Hummels Wharf, PA?

The average high peaks at 84 °F in July, with about 15 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 17831 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Monongahela at the center of ZIP 17831: silt loam, moderately well drained, pH about 5.0 (strongly acidic).

Did spring come early in Hummels Wharf, PA in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 17831 came on Mar 30 in 2026, 5 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Apr 4), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Hummels Wharf, PA?

Long-day onions: the longest day near 17831 is 15 h 06 min, so summer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too).

Did the zone for 17831 change?

Yes. The 2012 USDA map put 17831 in zone 6a; the 2023 map puts it in zone 6b. The newer map uses 1991–2020 data and more weather stations.