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

Planting zone for 26187 — Williamstown, WV

ZIP code 26187 (Williamstown, Wood County) is in USDA zone 6b: the coldest winter night averages −5 to 0 °F. The median last spring frost is April 23 and the first fall frost October 22.

Where ZIP 26187 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 23
First frostOct 22
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 Williamstown, WV…

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 Williamstown, WV

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostApril 23median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMay 11only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostOctober 22median — 10% chance by Oct 8
Growing season180 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around April 9 and returns around November 1.

From the NOAA station Parkersburg Wood Co. Airport, WV — within 1 mile, elevation 830 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 26187

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Mar 12 – Mar 26
SpinachSow outdoors · Mar 12 – Apr 2
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Feb 12 – Feb 26
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Apr 2 – Apr 16
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Mar 26 – Apr 9
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Apr 2 – Apr 16
LettuceSow outdoors · Mar 26 – Apr 9
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Apr 2 – Apr 16
TomatoesStart indoors · Feb 26 – Mar 12
TomatoesTransplant · Apr 30 – May 14
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Feb 12 – Feb 26
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · May 7 – May 21
BeansSow outdoors · Apr 30 – May 14
Sweet cornSow outdoors · Apr 30 – May 14
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · Apr 30 – May 14
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Aug 27 – Sep 10
GarlicPlant cloves · Oct 8 – Nov 12
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Apr 23) and first fall frost (Oct 22) 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 26187 came on Mar 9 — 10 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Mar 19).

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 West Virginia

506 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in West Virginia, and rated by the USDA to survive −5 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 6b. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

Trees 68

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 102

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 178

American bur-reed3 ft · blooms indeterminate · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican eelgrass1 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican pokeweed7 ft · blooms mid summer · low shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican speedwell0.8 ft · blooms mid summer · low shade tolerance · to −38 °FAmerican vetch1.3 ft · blooms late spring · high shade tolerance · to −38 °FAmerican water horehound1.8 ft · blooms early summer · low shade tolerance · to −38 °F

Grasses 134

arctic 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 °Fbig bluestem6 ft · blooms summer · high shade tolerance · to −46 °Fbitter panicgrass5 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −18 °F

Vines 11

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 °Fheartleaf peppervine2 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −8 °Fmuscadine30 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −18 °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 Williamstown, WV.

Soil in Williamstown, WV

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 26187 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 classFarmland of statewide importanceUSDA classification

Map unit: Monongahela and Tilsit silt loams, 10 to 20 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 26187; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Williamstown, WV

Summer high85 °Faverage high, July
Winter low24 °Faverage low, January
Hot days19days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights106nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days3,612base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 57 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 23 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growIntermediateday-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully
Precipitation42.5 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°100°32 °FJanuary: average high 40 °F, low 24 °F 40°24° JanFebruary: average high 44 °F, low 26 °F 44°26° FebMarch: average high 54 °F, low 33 °F 54°33° MarApril: average high 67 °F, low 42 °F 67°42° AprMay: average high 75 °F, low 52 °F 75°52° MayJune: average high 82 °F, low 60 °F 82°60° JunJuly: average high 85 °F, low 64 °F 85°64° JulAugust: average high 85 °F, low 62 °F 85°62° AugSeptember: average high 79 °F, low 55 °F 79°55° SepOctober: average high 67 °F, low 44 °F 67°44° OctNovember: average high 55 °F, low 35 °F 55°35° NovDecember: average high 44 °F, low 28 °F 44°28° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″1″2″3″4″5″January: 3.27 in precipitation 3.3 JanFebruary: 3.11 in precipitation 3.1 FebMarch: 3.67 in precipitation 3.7 MarApril: 3.62 in precipitation 3.6 AprMay: 4.17 in precipitation 4.2 MayJune: 4.44 in precipitation 4.4 JunJuly: 4.45 in precipitation 4.5 JulAugust: 3.38 in precipitation 3.4 AugSeptember: 3.18 in precipitation 3.2 SepOctober: 2.98 in precipitation 3.0 OctNovember: 2.88 in precipitation 2.9 NovDecember: 3.36 in precipitation 3.4 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Parkersburg Wood Co. Airport, WV (within 1 mile); precipitation: Parkersburg Wood Co. Airport, WV (within 1 mile). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

All 8 nearest ZIP codes share zone 6b.

261056b
Vienna, WV · 4 mi
457506b
Marietta, OH · 4 mi
261046b
Parkersburg, WV · 6 mi
261846b
Waverly, WV · 7 mi
457296b
Fleming, OH · 9 mi
261346b
Belmont, WV · 9 mi
457146b
Belpre, OH · 10 mi
261036b
Parkersburg, WV · 10 mi

West Virginia planting zones →

Questions about 26187

What planting zone is ZIP code 26187?

ZIP code 26187 (Williamstown, WV) 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 Williamstown, WV?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 26187 is April 23; after May 11 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Parkersburg Wood Co. Airport station.

When is the first frost in Williamstown, WV?

The median first fall frost near 26187 is October 22, giving a median frost-free growing season of 180 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 26187?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Feb 26 – Mar 12 and set transplants outside around Apr 30 – May 14, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 26187 get?

About 42.5 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Parkersburg Wood Co. Airport station).

How hot do summers get in Williamstown, WV?

The average high peaks at 85 °F in July, with about 19 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 26187 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Monongahela at the center of ZIP 26187: silt loam, moderately well drained, pH about 5.0 (strongly acidic).

Did spring come early in Williamstown, WV in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 26187 came on Mar 9 in 2026, 10 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Mar 19), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Williamstown, WV?

Intermediate onions: the longest day near 26187 is 14 h 57 min, so day-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully.