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

Planting zone for 65305 — Whiteman Air Force Base, MO

ZIP code 65305 (Whiteman Air Force Base, Johnson County) is in USDA zone 6b: the coldest winter night averages −5 to 0 °F. The median last spring frost is April 14 and the first fall frost October 21.

Where ZIP 65305 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.

Zone6b−5 to 0 °F
Coldest night−20.6 to −17.8 °C
Last frostApr 14
First frostOct 21
2012 zone6a

Was 6a 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 6b means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Whiteman Air Force Base, MO…

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 Whiteman Air Force Base, MO

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostApril 14median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMay 4only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostOctober 21median — 10% chance by Oct 6
Growing season189 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around April 3 and returns around October 31.

From the NOAA station Warrensburg 4nw, MO — 14 miles away, elevation 797 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 65305

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Mar 3 – Mar 17
SpinachSow outdoors · Mar 3 – Mar 24
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Feb 3 – Feb 17
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Mar 24 – Apr 7
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Mar 17 – Mar 31
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Mar 24 – Apr 7
LettuceSow outdoors · Mar 17 – Mar 31
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Mar 24 – Apr 7
TomatoesStart indoors · Feb 17 – Mar 3
TomatoesTransplant · Apr 21 – May 5
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Feb 3 – Feb 17
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · Apr 28 – May 12
BeansSow outdoors · Apr 21 – May 5
Sweet cornSow outdoors · Apr 21 – May 5
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · Apr 21 – May 5
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 14) 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 65305 came on Feb 24 — 21 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Mar 17).

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 6b in Missouri

525 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in Missouri, and rated by the USDA to survive −5 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 6b. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

Trees 70

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 °Fbald cypress130 ft · blooms mid spring · medium shade tolerance · to −18 °F

Shrubs 83

alternateleaf dogwood25 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −47 °FAmerican beautyberry6 ft · blooms early summer · medium shade tolerance · to −8 °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 °FAmerican hornbeam30 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −34 °F

Wildflowers & perennials 192

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 157

alkali sacaton3 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −38 °FAmerican cupscale3 ft · blooms early summer · high shade tolerance · to −18 °Fawlfruit sedge4 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °FBicknell's sedge3 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Fbig bluestem6 ft · blooms summer · high shade tolerance · to −46 °Fblister sedge3 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −38 °F

Vines 12

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 °Fgraybark grape50 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −8 °Fheartleaf peppervine2 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −8 °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 Whiteman Air Force Base, MO.

Soil in Whiteman Air Force Base, MO

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 65305 is Haplaquents — silt loam, poorly drained.

TextureSilt loama good balance for most vegetables
pH6.1slightly acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainagePoorly drainedconsider raised beds
Organic matter1%low — add compost
Hydrologic groupC/Dslow when drained; wet otherwise
Farmland classPrime farmland if drainedUSDA classification

Map unit: Haplaquents-Urban land complex, 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 65305; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Whiteman Air Force Base, MO

Summer high90 °Faverage high, July
Winter low18 °Faverage low, January
Hot days40days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights118nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days4,022base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 53 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 27 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growIntermediateday-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully
Precipitation42.4 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 40 °F, low 18 °F 40°18° JanFebruary: average high 45 °F, low 22 °F 45°22° FebMarch: average high 57 °F, low 32 °F 57°32° MarApril: average high 67 °F, low 42 °F 67°42° AprMay: average high 76 °F, low 53 °F 76°53° MayJune: average high 85 °F, low 63 °F 85°63° JunJuly: average high 90 °F, low 67 °F 90°67° JulAugust: average high 89 °F, low 65 °F 89°65° AugSeptember: average high 81 °F, low 55 °F 81°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 23 °F 45°23° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″1″2″3″4″5″6″January: 1.58 in precipitation 1.6 JanFebruary: 1.74 in precipitation 1.7 FebMarch: 3.12 in precipitation 3.1 MarApril: 4.88 in precipitation 4.9 AprMay: 5.25 in precipitation 5.3 MayJune: 5.13 in precipitation 5.1 JunJuly: 5.41 in precipitation 5.4 JulAugust: 3.12 in precipitation 3.1 AugSeptember: 4.10 in precipitation 4.1 SepOctober: 3.53 in precipitation 3.5 OctNovember: 2.59 in precipitation 2.6 NovDecember: 1.94 in precipitation 1.9 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Warrensburg 4nw, MO (14 mi away); precipitation: Warrensburg 1.1 Nne, MO (9 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

All 8 nearest ZIP codes share zone 6b.

653366b
Knob Noster, MO · 4 mi
653376b
La Monte, MO · 8 mi
640936b
Warrensburg, MO · 10 mi
653326b
Green Ridge, MO · 11 mi
647616b
Leeton, MO · 11 mi
653606b
Windsor, MO · 15 mi
640206b
Concordia, MO · 16 mi
653336b
Houstonia, MO · 17 mi

Missouri planting zones →

Questions about 65305

What planting zone is ZIP code 65305?

ZIP code 65305 (Whiteman Air Force Base, MO) is in USDA hardiness zone 6b on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches −5 to 0 °F (−20.6 to −17.8 °C).

When is the last frost in Whiteman Air Force Base, MO?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 65305 is April 14; after May 4 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Warrensburg 4nw station.

When is the first frost in Whiteman Air Force Base, MO?

The median first fall frost near 65305 is October 21, giving a median frost-free growing season of 189 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 65305?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Feb 17 – Mar 3 and set transplants outside around Apr 21 – May 5, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 65305 get?

About 42.4 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Warrensburg 1.1 Nne station).

How hot do summers get in Whiteman Air Force Base, MO?

The average high peaks at 90 °F in July, with about 40 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 65305 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Haplaquents at the center of ZIP 65305: silt loam, poorly drained, pH about 6.1 (slightly acidic).

Did spring come early in Whiteman Air Force Base, MO in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 65305 came on Feb 24 in 2026, 21 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Mar 17), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Whiteman Air Force Base, MO?

Intermediate onions: the longest day near 65305 is 14 h 53 min, so day-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully.

Did the zone for 65305 change?

Yes. The 2012 USDA map put 65305 in zone 6a; the 2023 map puts it in zone 6b. The newer map uses 1991–2020 data and more weather stations.