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

Planting zone for 62931 — Elizabethtown, IL

ZIP code 62931 (Elizabethtown, Hardin County) is in USDA zone 7a: the coldest winter night averages 0 to 5 °F. The median last spring frost is April 19 and the first fall frost October 20.

Where ZIP 62931 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 19
First frostOct 20
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 Elizabethtown, 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 Elizabethtown, IL

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostApril 19median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMay 8only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostOctober 20median — 10% chance by Oct 7
Growing season181 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around April 6 and returns around October 29.

From the NOAA station Rosiclare 5nw, IL — 8 miles away, elevation 400 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 62931

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Mar 8 – Mar 22
SpinachSow outdoors · Mar 8 – Mar 29
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Feb 8 – Feb 22
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Mar 29 – Apr 12
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Mar 22 – Apr 5
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Mar 29 – Apr 12
LettuceSow outdoors · Mar 22 – Apr 5
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Mar 29 – Apr 12
TomatoesStart indoors · Feb 22 – Mar 8
TomatoesTransplant · Apr 26 – May 10
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Feb 8 – Feb 22
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · May 3 – May 17
BeansSow outdoors · Apr 26 – May 10
Sweet cornSow outdoors · Apr 26 – May 10
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · Apr 26 – May 10
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Aug 25 – Sep 8
GarlicPlant cloves · Oct 6 – Nov 10
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Apr 19) and first fall frost (Oct 20) 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 62931 came on Mar 2 — 7 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).

Native plants for zone 7a in Illinois

633 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in Illinois, and rated by the USDA to survive 0 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 7a. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

Trees 81

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 110

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 226

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 186

American beachgrass2.5 ft · blooms spring · high shade tolerance · to −28 °Farctic brome3 ft · blooms early summer · low shade tolerance · to −33 °Fautumn bluegrass1.5 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −8 °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 °F

Vines 13

American bittersweet15 ft · blooms spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °FAmerican wisteria50 ft · blooms spring · low shade tolerance · to −3 °Fcatbird grape30 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −13 °Fcupseed30 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −3 °Fdevil's darning needles15 ft · blooms mid summer · medium shade tolerance · to −38 °Ffrost grape83 ft · blooms late spring · medium 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 Elizabethtown, IL.

Soil in Elizabethtown, IL

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 62931 is Wellston — silt loam, well drained.

TextureSilt loama good balance for most vegetables
pH5.8moderately acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageWell drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter2%moderate
Hydrologic groupBwater soaks in moderately
Farmland classNot prime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Wellston silt loam, 18 to 35 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 62931; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Elizabethtown, IL

Summer high86 °Faverage high, July
Winter low22 °Faverage low, January
Hot days31days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights109nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days3,804base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 45 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 34 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growIntermediateday-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully
Precipitation50.9 inper year, rain and melted snow
Snowfall3 inper year; 9 days with snow on the ground

Average high and low, by month

10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°100°32 °FJanuary: average high 41 °F, low 22 °F 41°22° JanFebruary: average high 46 °F, low 25 °F 46°25° FebMarch: average high 56 °F, low 33 °F 56°33° MarApril: average high 68 °F, low 43 °F 68°43° AprMay: average high 75 °F, low 53 °F 75°53° MayJune: average high 83 °F, low 62 °F 83°62° JunJuly: average high 86 °F, low 65 °F 86°65° JulAugust: average high 86 °F, low 63 °F 86°63° AugSeptember: average high 80 °F, low 55 °F 80°55° SepOctober: average high 69 °F, low 43 °F 69°43° OctNovember: average high 56 °F, low 33 °F 56°33° NovDecember: average high 45 °F, low 26 °F 45°26° Dec

Precipitation by month inches · ❄ = snowfall

0″1″2″3″4″5″6″January: 3.90 in precipitation, 0.9 in snowfall 3.9❄1 JanFebruary: 3.71 in precipitation, 1.4 in snowfall 3.7❄1 FebMarch: 5.08 in precipitation, 0.2 in snowfall 5.1 MarApril: 5.12 in precipitation 5.1 AprMay: 5.35 in precipitation 5.3 MayJune: 4.61 in precipitation 4.6 JunJuly: 4.40 in precipitation 4.4 JulAugust: 3.24 in precipitation 3.2 AugSeptember: 3.24 in precipitation 3.2 SepOctober: 3.57 in precipitation, 0.2 in snowfall 3.6 OctNovember: 4.23 in precipitation 4.2 NovDecember: 4.44 in precipitation, 0.6 in snowfall 4.4❄1 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Rosiclare 5nw, IL (8 mi away); precipitation: Rosiclare 5nw, IL (8 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

All 8 nearest ZIP codes share zone 7a.

629197a
Cave In Rock, IL · 7 mi
629827a
Rosiclare, IL · 8 mi
629477a
Herod, IL · 10 mi
629547a
Junction, IL · 12 mi
629347a
Equality, IL · 13 mi
424597a
Sturgis, KY · 14 mi
420647a
Marion, KY · 16 mi
629287a
Eddyville, IL · 16 mi

Illinois planting zones →

Questions about 62931

What planting zone is ZIP code 62931?

ZIP code 62931 (Elizabethtown, IL) 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 Elizabethtown, IL?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 62931 is April 19; after May 8 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Rosiclare 5nw station.

When is the first frost in Elizabethtown, IL?

The median first fall frost near 62931 is October 20, giving a median frost-free growing season of 181 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 62931?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Feb 22 – Mar 8 and set transplants outside around Apr 26 – May 10, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 62931 get?

About 50.9 inches of precipitation a year and 3 inches of snowfall (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Rosiclare 5nw station).

How hot do summers get in Elizabethtown, IL?

The average high peaks at 86 °F in July, with about 31 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 62931 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Wellston at the center of ZIP 62931: silt loam, well drained, pH about 5.8 (moderately acidic).

Did spring come early in Elizabethtown, IL in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 62931 came on Mar 2 in 2026, 7 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Mar 9), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Elizabethtown, IL?

Intermediate onions: the longest day near 62931 is 14 h 45 min, so day-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully.

Did the zone for 62931 change?

Yes. The 2012 USDA map put 62931 in zone 6b; the 2023 map puts it in zone 7a. The newer map uses 1991–2020 data and more weather stations.