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

Planting zone for 17842 — Middleburg, PA

ZIP code 17842 (Middleburg, 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 17842 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 frostApr 27
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 Middleburg, 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 Middleburg, 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 — 9 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 17842

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 17842 came on Mar 27 — 8 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).

Soil in Middleburg, PA

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 17842 is Weikert — channery silt loam, somewhat excessively drained.

TextureChannery silt loama good balance for most vegetables
pH5.0strongly acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageSomewhat excessively drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter2.5%moderate
Hydrologic groupDwater soaks in very slowly
Farmland classNot prime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Weikert channery 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 17842; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Middleburg, 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)
Precipitation47.4 inper year, rain and melted snow
Snowfall34 inper year

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 · ❄ = snowfall

0″1″2″3″4″5″January: 3.43 in precipitation, 10.7 in snowfall 3.4❄11 JanFebruary: 2.54 in precipitation, 7.7 in snowfall 2.5❄8 FebMarch: 3.42 in precipitation, 6.9 in snowfall 3.4❄7 MarApril: 3.80 in precipitation, 0.1 in snowfall 3.8 AprMay: 4.44 in precipitation 4.4 MayJune: 4.37 in precipitation 4.4 JunJuly: 4.19 in precipitation 4.2 JulAugust: 4.97 in precipitation 5.0 AugSeptember: 4.66 in precipitation 4.7 SepOctober: 4.31 in precipitation, 0.3 in snowfall 4.3 OctNovember: 3.67 in precipitation, 1.4 in snowfall 3.7❄1 NovDecember: 3.63 in precipitation, 6.6 in snowfall 3.6❄7 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Selinsgrove Penn Vly Airport, PA (9 mi away); precipitation: Beavertown 1 Ne, PA (6 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

All 8 nearest ZIP codes share zone 6b.

178616b
Paxtonville, PA · 3 mi
178626b
Penns Creek, PA · 4 mi
178336b
Kreamer, PA · 4 mi
178276b
Freeburg, PA · 5 mi
178556b
New Berlin, PA · 7 mi
178136b
Beavertown, PA · 7 mi
178806b
Swengel, PA · 7 mi
178536b
Mount Pleasant Mills, PA · 8 mi

Pennsylvania planting zones →

Questions about 17842

What planting zone is ZIP code 17842?

ZIP code 17842 (Middleburg, 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 Middleburg, PA?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 17842 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 Middleburg, PA?

The median first fall frost near 17842 is October 16, giving a median frost-free growing season of 172 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 17842?

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 17842 get?

About 47.4 inches of precipitation a year and 34 inches of snowfall (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Beavertown 1 Ne station).

How hot do summers get in Middleburg, 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 17842 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Weikert at the center of ZIP 17842: channery silt loam, somewhat excessively drained, pH about 5.0 (strongly acidic).

Did spring come early in Middleburg, PA in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 17842 came on Mar 27 in 2026, 8 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Apr 4), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Middleburg, PA?

Long-day onions: the longest day near 17842 is 15 h 06 min, so summer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too).