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

Planting zone for 41561 — Rockhouse, KY

ZIP code 41561 (Rockhouse, Pike County) is in USDA zone 7a: the coldest winter night averages 0 to 5 °F. The median last spring frost is April 22 and the first fall frost October 23.

Where ZIP 41561 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 22
First frostOct 23
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 Rockhouse, 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 Rockhouse, KY

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostApril 22median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMay 8only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostOctober 23median — 10% chance by Oct 10
Growing season182 daysfrost-free, median

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

From the NOAA station Breaks Interstate Park, VA — 10 miles away, elevation 1,893 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 41561

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Mar 11 – Mar 25
SpinachSow outdoors · Mar 11 – Apr 1
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Feb 11 – Feb 25
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Apr 1 – Apr 15
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Mar 25 – Apr 8
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Apr 1 – Apr 15
LettuceSow outdoors · Mar 25 – Apr 8
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Apr 1 – Apr 15
TomatoesStart indoors · Feb 25 – Mar 11
TomatoesTransplant · Apr 29 – May 13
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Feb 11 – Feb 25
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · May 6 – May 20
BeansSow outdoors · Apr 29 – May 13
Sweet cornSow outdoors · Apr 29 – May 13
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · Apr 29 – May 13
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Aug 28 – Sep 11
GarlicPlant cloves · Oct 9 – Nov 13
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Apr 22) and first fall frost (Oct 23) 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 41561 came on Mar 3 — 7 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Mar 10).

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 Rockhouse, KY

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 41561 is Grigsby — sandy loam, well drained.

TextureSandy loamdrains and warms fast; dries out and needs more feeding
pH6.5neutral; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageWell drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter2.5%moderate
Hydrologic groupAwater soaks in fast
Farmland classprime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Grigsby-Yeager complex, occasionally 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 41561; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Rockhouse, KY

Summer high82 °Faverage high, July
Winter low23 °Faverage low, January
Hot days4days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights118nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days3,261base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 44 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 35 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growIntermediateday-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully
Precipitation47.5 inper year, rain and melted snow
Snowfall1 inper year; 1 days with snow on the ground

Average high and low, by month

10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32 °FJanuary: average high 43 °F, low 23 °F 43°23° JanFebruary: average high 47 °F, low 26 °F 47°26° FebMarch: average high 56 °F, low 32 °F 56°32° MarApril: average high 67 °F, low 41 °F 67°41° AprMay: average high 73 °F, low 50 °F 73°50° MayJune: average high 80 °F, low 58 °F 80°58° JunJuly: average high 82 °F, low 62 °F 82°62° JulAugust: average high 82 °F, low 62 °F 82°62° AugSeptember: average high 77 °F, low 55 °F 77°55° SepOctober: average high 66 °F, low 43 °F 66°43° OctNovember: average high 56 °F, low 33 °F 56°33° NovDecember: average high 46 °F, low 27 °F 46°27° Dec

Precipitation by month inches · ❄ = snowfall

0″1″2″3″4″5″6″January: 3.46 in precipitation, 1.1 in snowfall 3.5❄1 JanFebruary: 3.23 in precipitation, 0.2 in snowfall 3.2 FebMarch: 3.97 in precipitation 4.0 MarApril: 4.27 in precipitation 4.3 AprMay: 4.38 in precipitation 4.4 MayJune: 5.11 in precipitation 5.1 JunJuly: 5.22 in precipitation 5.2 JulAugust: 4.26 in precipitation 4.3 AugSeptember: 3.47 in precipitation 3.5 SepOctober: 3.21 in precipitation 3.2 OctNovember: 2.85 in precipitation 2.9 NovDecember: 4.02 in precipitation, 0.1 in snowfall 4.0 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Breaks Interstate Park, VA (10 mi away); precipitation: Fishtrap Lake, KY (7 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

All 8 nearest ZIP codes share zone 7a.

415427a
Lookout, KY · 1 mi
415227a
Elkhorn City, KY · 4 mi
415347a
Hellier, KY · 4 mi
415627a
Shelbiana, KY · 5 mi
415597a
Regina, KY · 5 mi
415127a
Ashcamp, KY · 6 mi
415137a
Belcher, KY · 7 mi
415387a
Jonancy, KY · 7 mi

Kentucky planting zones →

Questions about 41561

What planting zone is ZIP code 41561?

ZIP code 41561 (Rockhouse, 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 Rockhouse, KY?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 41561 is April 22; after May 8 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Breaks Interstate Park station.

When is the first frost in Rockhouse, KY?

The median first fall frost near 41561 is October 23, giving a median frost-free growing season of 182 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 41561?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Feb 25 – Mar 11 and set transplants outside around Apr 29 – May 13, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 41561 get?

About 47.5 inches of precipitation a year and 1 inches of snowfall (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Fishtrap Lake station).

How hot do summers get in Rockhouse, KY?

The average high peaks at 82 °F in July, with about 4 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 41561 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Grigsby at the center of ZIP 41561: sandy loam, well drained, pH about 6.5 (neutral).

Did spring come early in Rockhouse, KY in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 41561 came on Mar 3 in 2026, 7 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Mar 10), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Rockhouse, KY?

Intermediate onions: the longest day near 41561 is 14 h 44 min, so day-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully.

Did the zone for 41561 change?

Yes. The 2012 USDA map put 41561 in zone 6b; the 2023 map puts it in zone 7a. The newer map uses 1991–2020 data and more weather stations.