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

Planting zone for 60096 — Winthrop Harbor, IL

ZIP code 60096 (Winthrop Harbor, Lake County) is in USDA zone 6a: the coldest winter night averages −10 to −5 °F. The median last spring frost is April 30 and the first fall frost October 21.

Where ZIP 60096 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.

Zone6a−10 to −5 °F
Coldest night−23.3 to −20.6 °C
Last frostApr 30
First frostOct 21
2012 zone5b

Was 5b 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 6a means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Winthrop Harbor, IL…

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 Winthrop Harbor, IL

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostApril 30median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMay 16only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostOctober 21median — 10% chance by Oct 5
Growing season173 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around April 16 and returns around November 1.

From the NOAA station Chicago Waukegan Regional Airport, IL — 5 miles away, elevation 728 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 60096

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Mar 19 – Apr 2
SpinachSow outdoors · Mar 19 – Apr 9
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Feb 19 – Mar 5
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Apr 9 – Apr 23
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Apr 2 – Apr 16
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Apr 9 – Apr 23
LettuceSow outdoors · Apr 2 – Apr 16
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Apr 9 – Apr 23
TomatoesStart indoors · Mar 5 – Mar 19
TomatoesTransplant · May 7 – May 21
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Feb 19 – Mar 5
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · May 14 – May 28
BeansSow outdoors · May 7 – May 21
Sweet cornSow outdoors · May 7 – May 21
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · May 7 – May 21
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Aug 26 – Sep 9
GarlicPlant cloves · Oct 7 – Nov 11
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Apr 30) and first fall frost (Oct 21) 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 60096 came on Mar 30 — 14 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Apr 13).

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 6a in Illinois

610 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in Illinois, and rated by the USDA to survive −10 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 6a. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

Trees 78

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 108

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 220

alkali buttercup1 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °FAmerican bur-reed3 ft · blooms indeterminate · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican eelgrass1 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican licorice4 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −38 °FAmerican lotus3 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −36 °FAmerican pokeweed7 ft · blooms mid summer · low shade tolerance · to −33 °F

Grasses 178

American beachgrass2.5 ft · blooms spring · high shade tolerance · to −28 °Farctic 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 sedge4 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Fbeaked spikerush3 ft · blooms late spring · high shade tolerance · to −28 °F

Vines 9

American bittersweet15 ft · blooms spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Fcatbird grape30 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −13 °Fdevil's darning needles15 ft · blooms mid summer · medium shade tolerance · to −38 °Ffrost grape83 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −23 °Friverbank grape45 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °Fsummer grape30 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −23 °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 Winthrop Harbor, IL.

Soil in Winthrop Harbor, IL

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 60096 is Wauconda — silt loam, somewhat poorly drained.

TextureSilt loama good balance for most vegetables
pH7.2neutral; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageSomewhat poorly drainedconsider raised beds
Organic matter3%moderate
Hydrologic groupB/Dmoderate when drained; wet otherwise
Farmland classPrime farmland if drainedUSDA classification

Map unit: Wauconda silt loam, 0 to 2 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 60096; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Winthrop Harbor, IL

Summer high81 °Faverage high, July
Winter low16 °Faverage low, January
Hot days9days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights132nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days2,670base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day15 h 18 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 04 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growLong-daysummer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too)
Precipitation35.3 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32 °FJanuary: average high 31 °F, low 16 °F 31°16° JanFebruary: average high 34 °F, low 18 °F 34°18° FebMarch: average high 44 °F, low 27 °F 44°27° MarApril: average high 56 °F, low 36 °F 56°36° AprMay: average high 67 °F, low 46 °F 67°46° MayJune: average high 77 °F, low 56 °F 77°56° JunJuly: average high 81 °F, low 62 °F 81°62° JulAugust: average high 80 °F, low 61 °F 80°61° AugSeptember: average high 73 °F, low 54 °F 73°54° SepOctober: average high 61 °F, low 43 °F 61°43° OctNovember: average high 48 °F, low 31 °F 48°31° NovDecember: average high 36 °F, low 22 °F 36°22° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″1″2″3″4″5″January: 1.41 in precipitation 1.4 JanFebruary: 1.52 in precipitation 1.5 FebMarch: 2.22 in precipitation 2.2 MarApril: 3.77 in precipitation 3.8 AprMay: 3.92 in precipitation 3.9 MayJune: 4.45 in precipitation 4.5 JunJuly: 3.48 in precipitation 3.5 JulAugust: 3.59 in precipitation 3.6 AugSeptember: 3.57 in precipitation 3.6 SepOctober: 3.25 in precipitation 3.3 OctNovember: 2.26 in precipitation 2.3 NovDecember: 1.86 in precipitation 1.9 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Chicago Waukegan Regional Airport, IL (5 mi away); precipitation: Chicago Waukegan Regional Airport, IL (5 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

4 of the 8 nearest ZIP codes are in a different zone — elevation and distance from water change winter lows quickly.

600996a
Zion, IL · 2 mi
600755b
Russell, IL · 4 mi
531585b
Pleasant Prairie, WI · 4 mi
600866a
North Chicago, IL · 4 mi
600876a
Waukegan, IL · 5 mi
531436a
Kenosha, WI · 6 mi
531425b
Kenosha, WI · 6 mi
600835b
Wadsworth, IL · 7 mi

Illinois planting zones →

Questions about 60096

What planting zone is ZIP code 60096?

ZIP code 60096 (Winthrop Harbor, IL) is in USDA hardiness zone 6a on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches −10 to −5 °F (−23.3 to −20.6 °C).

When is the last frost in Winthrop Harbor, IL?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 60096 is April 30; after May 16 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Chicago Waukegan Regional Airport station.

When is the first frost in Winthrop Harbor, IL?

The median first fall frost near 60096 is October 21, giving a median frost-free growing season of 173 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 60096?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Mar 5 – Mar 19 and set transplants outside around May 7 – May 21, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 60096 get?

About 35.3 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Chicago Waukegan Regional Airport station).

How hot do summers get in Winthrop Harbor, IL?

The average high peaks at 81 °F in July, with about 9 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 60096 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Wauconda at the center of ZIP 60096: silt loam, somewhat poorly drained, pH about 7.2 (neutral).

Did spring come early in Winthrop Harbor, IL in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 60096 came on Mar 30 in 2026, 14 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Apr 13), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Winthrop Harbor, IL?

Long-day onions: the longest day near 60096 is 15 h 18 min, so summer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too).

Did the zone for 60096 change?

Yes. The 2012 USDA map put 60096 in zone 5b; the 2023 map puts it in zone 6a. The newer map uses 1991–2020 data and more weather stations.