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

Planting zone for 42649 — Strunk, KY

ZIP code 42649 (Strunk, McCreary County) is in USDA zone 7a: the coldest winter night averages 0 to 5 °F. The median last spring frost is April 24 and the first fall frost October 18.

Where ZIP 42649 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.

Zone7a0 to 5 °F
Coldest night−17.8 to −15 °C
Last frostApr 24
First frostOct 18
2012 zone6a

Was 6a on the 2012 map — a full 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 Strunk, 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 Strunk, KY

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostApril 24median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMay 11only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostOctober 18median — 10% chance by Oct 4
Growing season177 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around April 10 and returns around October 29.

From the NOAA station Stearns 2s, KY — 5 miles away, elevation 1,221 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 42649

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Mar 13 – Mar 27
SpinachSow outdoors · Mar 13 – Apr 3
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Feb 13 – Feb 27
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Apr 3 – Apr 17
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Mar 27 – Apr 10
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Apr 3 – Apr 17
LettuceSow outdoors · Mar 27 – Apr 10
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Apr 3 – Apr 17
TomatoesStart indoors · Feb 27 – Mar 13
TomatoesTransplant · May 1 – May 15
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Feb 13 – Feb 27
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · May 8 – May 22
BeansSow outdoors · May 1 – May 15
Sweet cornSow outdoors · May 1 – May 15
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · May 1 – May 15
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Aug 23 – Sep 6
GarlicPlant cloves · Oct 4 – Nov 8
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Apr 24) and first fall frost (Oct 18) 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 42649 came on Feb 26 — 9 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Mar 7).

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 Strunk, KY

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 42649 is Shelocta — silt loam, well drained.

TextureSilt loama good balance for most vegetables
pH5.0strongly acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageWell drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter2.75%moderate
Hydrologic groupBwater soaks in moderately
Farmland classNot prime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Shelocta-Sequoia complex, 20 to 35 percent slopes, rocky.

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 42649; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Strunk, KY

Summer high85 °Faverage high, July
Winter low24 °Faverage low, January
Hot days16days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights119nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days3,583base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 40 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 39 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growIntermediateday-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully
Precipitation56.1 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 45 °F, low 24 °F 45°24° JanFebruary: average high 49 °F, low 26 °F 49°26° FebMarch: average high 59 °F, low 33 °F 59°33° MarApril: average high 69 °F, low 41 °F 69°41° AprMay: average high 77 °F, low 51 °F 77°51° MayJune: average high 82 °F, low 59 °F 82°59° JunJuly: average high 85 °F, low 63 °F 85°63° JulAugust: average high 85 °F, low 62 °F 85°62° AugSeptember: average high 80 °F, low 54 °F 80°54° SepOctober: average high 69 °F, low 42 °F 69°42° OctNovember: average high 58 °F, low 32 °F 58°32° NovDecember: average high 48 °F, low 27 °F 48°27° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″2″4″6″January: 4.78 in precipitation 4.8 JanFebruary: 4.46 in precipitation 4.5 FebMarch: 5.17 in precipitation 5.2 MarApril: 4.69 in precipitation 4.7 AprMay: 5.51 in precipitation 5.5 MayJune: 5.25 in precipitation 5.3 JunJuly: 6.12 in precipitation 6.1 JulAugust: 3.67 in precipitation 3.7 AugSeptember: 3.65 in precipitation 3.6 SepOctober: 3.27 in precipitation 3.3 OctNovember: 3.76 in precipitation 3.8 NovDecember: 5.75 in precipitation 5.8 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Stearns 2s, KY (5 mi away); precipitation: Stearns 2s, KY (5 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

All 8 nearest ZIP codes share zone 7a.

426357a
Pine Knot, KY · 3 mi
426387a
Revelo, KY · 4 mi
378927a
Winfield, TN · 6 mi
426317a
Marshes Siding, KY · 9 mi
378417a
Oneida, TN · 11 mi
426537a
Whitley City, KY · 11 mi
378197a
Newcomb, TN · 12 mi
426477a
Stearns, KY · 12 mi

Kentucky planting zones →

Questions about 42649

What planting zone is ZIP code 42649?

ZIP code 42649 (Strunk, 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 Strunk, KY?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 42649 is April 24; after May 11 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Stearns 2s station.

When is the first frost in Strunk, KY?

The median first fall frost near 42649 is October 18, giving a median frost-free growing season of 177 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 42649?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Feb 27 – Mar 13 and set transplants outside around May 1 – May 15, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 42649 get?

About 56.1 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Stearns 2s station).

How hot do summers get in Strunk, KY?

The average high peaks at 85 °F in July, with about 16 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 42649 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Shelocta at the center of ZIP 42649: silt loam, well drained, pH about 5.0 (strongly acidic).

Did spring come early in Strunk, KY in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 42649 came on Feb 26 in 2026, 9 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Mar 7), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Strunk, KY?

Intermediate onions: the longest day near 42649 is 14 h 40 min, so day-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully.

Did the zone for 42649 change?

Yes. The 2012 USDA map put 42649 in zone 6a; the 2023 map puts it in zone 7a. The newer map uses 1991–2020 data and more weather stations.