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

Planting zone for 40027 — Harrods Creek, KY

ZIP code 40027 (Harrods Creek, Jefferson County) is in USDA zone 7a: the coldest winter night averages 0 to 5 °F. The median last spring frost is April 3 and the first fall frost November 3.

Where ZIP 40027 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.

Zone7a0 to 5 °F
Coldest night−17.8 to −15 °C
Last frostApr 3
First frostNov 3
2012 zone6b

Was 6b 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 7a means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Harrods Creek, KY…

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 Harrods Creek, KY

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostApril 3median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsApril 19only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostNovember 3median — 10% chance by Oct 21
Growing season214 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around March 22 and returns around November 13.

From the NOAA station Louisville Bowman Field, KY — 7 miles away, elevation 541 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 40027

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Feb 20 – Mar 6
SpinachSow outdoors · Feb 20 – Mar 13
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Jan 23 – Feb 6
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Mar 13 – Mar 27
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Mar 6 – Mar 20
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Mar 13 – Mar 27
LettuceSow outdoors · Mar 6 – Mar 20
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Mar 13 – Mar 27
TomatoesStart indoors · Feb 6 – Feb 20
TomatoesTransplant · Apr 10 – Apr 24
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Jan 23 – Feb 6
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · Apr 17 – May 1
BeansSow outdoors · Apr 10 – Apr 24
Sweet cornSow outdoors · Apr 10 – Apr 24
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · Apr 10 – Apr 24
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Sep 8 – Sep 22
GarlicPlant cloves · Oct 20 – Nov 24
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Apr 3) and first fall frost (Nov 3) 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 40027 came on Mar 3 — 6 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Mar 9).

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 Harrods Creek, KY

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 40027 is Huntington — silt loam, well drained.

TextureSilt loama good balance for most vegetables
pH7.0neutral; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageWell drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter5%high
Hydrologic groupBwater soaks in moderately
Farmland classPrime farmland if protected from flooding or not frequently flooded during the growing seasonUSDA classification

Map unit: Huntington silt loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes, frequently flooded.

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 40027; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Harrods Creek, KY

Summer high88 °Faverage high, July
Winter low27 °Faverage low, January
Hot days38days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights80nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days4,455base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 50 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 29 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growIntermediateday-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully
Precipitation50.7 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 43 °F, low 27 °F 43°27° JanFebruary: average high 48 °F, low 30 °F 48°30° FebMarch: average high 57 °F, low 38 °F 57°38° MarApril: average high 69 °F, low 48 °F 69°48° AprMay: average high 77 °F, low 57 °F 77°57° MayJune: average high 85 °F, low 66 °F 85°66° JunJuly: average high 88 °F, low 69 °F 88°69° JulAugust: average high 87 °F, low 68 °F 87°68° AugSeptember: average high 81 °F, low 60 °F 81°60° SepOctober: average high 69 °F, low 48 °F 69°48° OctNovember: average high 57 °F, low 38 °F 57°38° NovDecember: average high 46 °F, low 31 °F 46°31° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″1″2″3″4″5″6″January: 3.64 in precipitation 3.6 JanFebruary: 3.51 in precipitation 3.5 FebMarch: 4.65 in precipitation 4.7 MarApril: 5.18 in precipitation 5.2 AprMay: 5.28 in precipitation 5.3 MayJune: 4.74 in precipitation 4.7 JunJuly: 4.78 in precipitation 4.8 JulAugust: 3.34 in precipitation 3.3 AugSeptember: 3.81 in precipitation 3.8 SepOctober: 3.65 in precipitation 3.6 OctNovember: 3.68 in precipitation 3.7 NovDecember: 4.42 in precipitation 4.4 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Louisville Bowman Field, KY (7 mi away); precipitation: Old Brownsboro Place 0.3 Sw, KY (3 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

All 8 nearest ZIP codes share zone 7a.

400257a
Glenview, KY · 2 mi
400597a
Prospect, KY · 3 mi
471307a
Jeffersonville, IN · 3 mi
402417a
Louisville, KY · 4 mi
402427a
Louisville, KY · 4 mi
402227a
Louisville, KY · 5 mi
402077a
Louisville, KY · 5 mi
400417a
Masonic Home, KY · 5 mi

Kentucky planting zones →

Questions about 40027

What planting zone is ZIP code 40027?

ZIP code 40027 (Harrods Creek, KY) is in USDA hardiness zone 7a on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches 0 to 5 °F (−17.8 to −15 °C).

When is the last frost in Harrods Creek, KY?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 40027 is April 3; after April 19 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Louisville Bowman Field station.

When is the first frost in Harrods Creek, KY?

The median first fall frost near 40027 is November 3, giving a median frost-free growing season of 214 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 40027?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Feb 6 – Feb 20 and set transplants outside around Apr 10 – Apr 24, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 40027 get?

About 50.7 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Old Brownsboro Place 0.3 Sw station).

How hot do summers get in Harrods Creek, KY?

The average high peaks at 88 °F in July, with about 38 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 40027 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Huntington at the center of ZIP 40027: silt loam, well drained, pH about 7.0 (neutral).

Did spring come early in Harrods Creek, KY in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 40027 came on Mar 3 in 2026, 6 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Mar 9), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Harrods Creek, KY?

Intermediate onions: the longest day near 40027 is 14 h 50 min, so day-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully.

Did the zone for 40027 change?

Yes. The 2012 USDA map put 40027 in zone 6b; the 2023 map puts it in zone 7a. The newer map uses 1991–2020 data and more weather stations.