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

Planting zone for 69033 — Imperial, NE

ZIP code 69033 (Imperial, Chase County) is in USDA zone 5b: the coldest winter night averages −15 to −10 °F. The median last spring frost is May 7 and the first fall frost October 5.

Where ZIP 69033 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.

Zone5b−15 to −10 °F
Coldest night−26.1 to −23.3 °C
Last frostMay 7
First frostOct 5
2012 zone5b

Same zone as on the 2012 map. The zone is the one at the center of the ZIP code; hilly ZIPs can span two zones. What zone 5b means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Imperial, NE…

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 Imperial, NE

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostMay 7median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMay 18only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostOctober 5median — 10% chance by Sep 24
Growing season150 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around April 29 and returns around October 13.

From the NOAA station Imperial, NE — 4 miles away, elevation 3,294 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 69033

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Mar 26 – Apr 9
SpinachSow outdoors · Mar 26 – Apr 16
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Feb 26 – Mar 12
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Apr 16 – Apr 30
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Apr 9 – Apr 23
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Apr 16 – Apr 30
LettuceSow outdoors · Apr 9 – Apr 23
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Apr 16 – Apr 30
TomatoesStart indoors · Mar 12 – Mar 26
TomatoesTransplant · May 14 – May 28
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Feb 26 – Mar 12
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · May 21 – Jun 4
BeansSow outdoors · May 14 – May 28
Sweet cornSow outdoors · May 14 – May 28
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · May 14 – May 28
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Aug 10 – Aug 24
GarlicPlant cloves · Sep 21 – Oct 26
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (May 7) and first fall frost (Oct 5) 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 69033 came on Feb 26 — 29 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Mar 27).

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 5b in Nebraska

420 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in Nebraska, and rated by the USDA to survive −15 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 5b. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

Trees 31

American basswood100 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −46 °FAmerican elm120 ft · blooms early spring · medium shade tolerance · to −46 °FAmerican sycamore100 ft · blooms spring · medium shade tolerance · to −34 °Fbitternut hickory75 ft · blooms mid spring · high shade tolerance · to −47 °Fblack locust60 ft · blooms spring · high shade tolerance · to −37 °Fblack oak80 ft · blooms early spring · medium shade tolerance · to −30 °F

Shrubs 55

alderleaf mountain mahogany15 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −41 °FAmerican black currant3 ft · blooms early spring · to −46 °FAmerican hazelnut10 ft · blooms spring · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican plum24 ft · blooms mid spring · high shade tolerance · to −38 °Fantelope bitterbrush6 ft · blooms early spring · medium shade tolerance · to −36 °Fbig sagebrush4 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −43 °F

Wildflowers & perennials 190

alkali buttercup1 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Falpine sweetvetch2 ft · blooms early summer · high shade tolerance · to −62 °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 °FAmerican speedwell0.8 ft · blooms mid summer · low shade tolerance · to −38 °F

Grasses 130

alkali cordgrass3 ft · blooms late summer · high shade tolerance · to −38 °Falkali sacaton3 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −38 °Fawlfruit sedge4 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Fbasin wildrye5 ft · blooms early spring · high shade tolerance · to −43 °Fbeaked spikerush3 ft · blooms late spring · high shade tolerance · to −28 °FBebb's sedge3 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °F

Vines 7

American bittersweet15 ft · blooms spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °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 °FVirginia creeper1 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −28 °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 Imperial, NE.

Soil in Imperial, NE

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 69033 is Duda — loamy sand, somewhat excessively drained.

TextureLoamy sanddrains and warms fast; dries out and needs more feeding
pH6.7neutral; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageSomewhat excessively drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter1.25%low — add compost
Hydrologic groupAwater soaks in fast
Farmland classNot prime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Duda-Tassel loamy sands, 3 to 6 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 69033; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Imperial, NE

Summer high91 °Faverage high, July
Winter low12 °Faverage low, January
Hot days44days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights170nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days3,064base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day15 h 05 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 16 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growLong-daysummer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too)
Precipitation20.1 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

0°10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°100°32 °FJanuary: average high 42 °F, low 12 °F 42°12° JanFebruary: average high 45 °F, low 15 °F 45°15° FebMarch: average high 56 °F, low 23 °F 56°23° MarApril: average high 64 °F, low 31 °F 64°31° AprMay: average high 73 °F, low 44 °F 73°44° MayJune: average high 85 °F, low 55 °F 85°55° JunJuly: average high 91 °F, low 60 °F 91°60° JulAugust: average high 89 °F, low 58 °F 89°58° AugSeptember: average high 81 °F, low 48 °F 81°48° SepOctober: average high 67 °F, low 33 °F 67°33° OctNovember: average high 54 °F, low 22 °F 54°22° NovDecember: average high 43 °F, low 14 °F 43°14° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″1″2″3″4″January: 0.39 in precipitation 0.4 JanFebruary: 0.65 in precipitation 0.7 FebMarch: 0.93 in precipitation 0.9 MarApril: 2.05 in precipitation 2.0 AprMay: 3.15 in precipitation 3.1 MayJune: 3.14 in precipitation 3.1 JunJuly: 3.09 in precipitation 3.1 JulAugust: 2.42 in precipitation 2.4 AugSeptember: 1.58 in precipitation 1.6 SepOctober: 1.53 in precipitation 1.5 OctNovember: 0.66 in precipitation 0.7 NovDecember: 0.51 in precipitation 0.5 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Imperial, NE (4 mi away); precipitation: Imperial 5.4 Wnw, NE (2 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

All 8 nearest ZIP codes share zone 5b.

690275b
Enders, NE · 10 mi
690235b
Champion, NE · 12 mi
690455b
Wauneta, NE · 18 mi
691685b
Venango, NE · 20 mi
691505b
Madrid, NE · 20 mi
691405b
Grant, NE · 20 mi
691345b
Elsie, NE · 24 mi
807215b
Amherst, CO · 26 mi

Nebraska planting zones →

Questions about 69033

What planting zone is ZIP code 69033?

ZIP code 69033 (Imperial, NE) is in USDA hardiness zone 5b on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches −15 to −10 °F (−26.1 to −23.3 °C).

When is the last frost in Imperial, NE?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 69033 is May 7; after May 18 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Imperial station.

When is the first frost in Imperial, NE?

The median first fall frost near 69033 is October 5, giving a median frost-free growing season of 150 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 69033?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Mar 12 – Mar 26 and set transplants outside around May 14 – May 28, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 69033 get?

About 20.1 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Imperial 5.4 Wnw station).

How hot do summers get in Imperial, NE?

The average high peaks at 91 °F in July, with about 44 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 69033 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Duda at the center of ZIP 69033: loamy sand, somewhat excessively drained, pH about 6.7 (neutral).

Did spring come early in Imperial, NE in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 69033 came on Feb 26 in 2026, 29 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Mar 27), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Imperial, NE?

Long-day onions: the longest day near 69033 is 15 h 05 min, so summer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too).