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

Planting zone for 30740 — Rocky Face, GA

ZIP code 30740 (Rocky Face, Whitfield County) is in USDA zone 8a: the coldest winter night averages 10 to 15 °F. The median last spring frost is April 2 and the first fall frost November 4.

Where ZIP 30740 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.

Zone8a10 to 15 °F
Coldest night−12.2 to −9.4 °C
Last frostApr 2
First frostNov 4
2012 zone7b

Was 7b 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 8a means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Rocky Face, GA…

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 Rocky Face, GA

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostApril 2median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsApril 21only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostNovember 4median — 10% chance by Oct 22
Growing season214 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around March 19 and returns around November 15.

From the NOAA station Dalton, GA — 11 miles away, elevation 801 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 30740

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Feb 19 – Mar 5
SpinachSow outdoors · Feb 19 – Mar 12
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Jan 22 – Feb 5
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Mar 12 – Mar 26
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Mar 5 – Mar 19
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Mar 12 – Mar 26
LettuceSow outdoors · Mar 5 – Mar 19
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Mar 12 – Mar 26
TomatoesStart indoors · Feb 5 – Feb 19
TomatoesTransplant · Apr 9 – Apr 23
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Jan 22 – Feb 5
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · Apr 16 – Apr 30
BeansSow outdoors · Apr 9 – Apr 23
Sweet cornSow outdoors · Apr 9 – Apr 23
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · Apr 9 – Apr 23
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Sep 9 – Sep 23
GarlicPlant cloves · Oct 21 – Nov 25
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Apr 2) and first fall frost (Nov 4) 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 30740 came on Feb 18 — about the same time as the 1991–2020 average (Feb 18).

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 Rocky Face, GA

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 30740 is Bodine — very gravelly silt loam, somewhat excessively drained.

TextureVery gravelly silt loama good balance for most vegetables
pH4.8strongly acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageSomewhat excessively drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter1.5%low — add compost
Hydrologic groupAwater soaks in fast
Farmland classNot prime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Bodine very gravelly silt loam, 30 to 60 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 30740; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Rocky Face, GA

Summer high90 °Faverage high, August
Winter low31 °Faverage low, January
Hot days38days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights63nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days4,900base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 29 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 49 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growIntermediateday-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully
Precipitation49.5 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°100°32 °FJanuary: average high 51 °F, low 31 °F 51°31° JanFebruary: average high 55 °F, low 34 °F 55°34° FebMarch: average high 65 °F, low 41 °F 65°41° MarApril: average high 73 °F, low 48 °F 73°48° AprMay: average high 80 °F, low 57 °F 80°57° MayJune: average high 86 °F, low 65 °F 86°65° JunJuly: average high 89 °F, low 69 °F 89°69° JulAugust: average high 90 °F, low 68 °F 90°68° AugSeptember: average high 84 °F, low 62 °F 84°62° SepOctober: average high 75 °F, low 49 °F 75°49° OctNovember: average high 63 °F, low 40 °F 63°40° NovDecember: average high 54 °F, low 34 °F 54°34° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″1″2″3″4″5″January: 4.78 in precipitation 4.8 JanFebruary: 4.81 in precipitation 4.8 FebMarch: 4.90 in precipitation 4.9 MarApril: 3.58 in precipitation 3.6 AprMay: 3.95 in precipitation 4.0 MayJune: 4.35 in precipitation 4.3 JunJuly: 3.66 in precipitation 3.7 JulAugust: 3.30 in precipitation 3.3 AugSeptember: 3.98 in precipitation 4.0 SepOctober: 3.17 in precipitation 3.2 OctNovember: 4.11 in precipitation 4.1 NovDecember: 4.94 in precipitation 4.9 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Dalton, GA (11 mi away); precipitation: Ringgold 2 Se, GA (10 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

All 8 nearest ZIP codes share zone 8a.

307208a
Dalton, GA · 4 mi
307198a
Dalton, GA · 6 mi
307228a
Dalton, GA · 7 mi
307558a
Tunnel Hill, GA · 8 mi
307398a
Rock Spring, GA · 9 mi
307218a
Dalton, GA · 10 mi
307288a
La Fayette, GA · 10 mi
307368a
Ringgold, GA · 11 mi

Georgia planting zones →

Questions about 30740

What planting zone is ZIP code 30740?

ZIP code 30740 (Rocky Face, GA) is in USDA hardiness zone 8a on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches 10 to 15 °F (−12.2 to −9.4 °C).

When is the last frost in Rocky Face, GA?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 30740 is April 2; after April 21 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Dalton station.

When is the first frost in Rocky Face, GA?

The median first fall frost near 30740 is November 4, giving a median frost-free growing season of 214 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 30740?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Feb 5 – Feb 19 and set transplants outside around Apr 9 – Apr 23, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 30740 get?

About 49.5 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Ringgold 2 Se station).

How hot do summers get in Rocky Face, GA?

The average high peaks at 90 °F in August, with about 38 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 30740 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Bodine at the center of ZIP 30740: very gravelly silt loam, somewhat excessively drained, pH about 4.8 (strongly acidic).

Did spring come early in Rocky Face, GA in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 30740 came on Feb 18 in 2026, about the same as the 1991–2020 average (Feb 18), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Rocky Face, GA?

Intermediate onions: the longest day near 30740 is 14 h 29 min, so day-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully.

Did the zone for 30740 change?

Yes. The 2012 USDA map put 30740 in zone 7b; the 2023 map puts it in zone 8a. The newer map uses 1991–2020 data and more weather stations.