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

Planting zone for 69145 — Kimball, NE

ZIP code 69145 (Kimball, Kimball County) is in USDA zone 5a: the coldest winter night averages −20 to −15 °F. The median last spring frost is May 15 and the first fall frost September 26.

Where ZIP 69145 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.

Zone5a−20 to −15 °F
Coldest night−28.9 to −26.1 °C
Last frostMay 15
First frostSep 26
2012 zone5a

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 5a means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Kimball, 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 Kimball, NE

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostMay 15median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMay 31only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostSeptember 26median — 10% chance by Sep 13
Growing season132 daysfrost-free, median

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

From the NOAA station Kimball 2ne, NE — 2 miles away, elevation 4,708 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 69145

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Apr 3 – Apr 17
SpinachSow outdoors · Apr 3 – Apr 24
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Mar 6 – Mar 20
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Apr 24 – May 8
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Apr 17 – May 1
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Apr 24 – May 8
LettuceSow outdoors · Apr 17 – May 1
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Apr 24 – May 8
TomatoesStart indoors · Mar 20 – Apr 3
TomatoesTransplant · May 22 – Jun 5
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Mar 6 – Mar 20
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · May 29 – Jun 12
BeansSow outdoors · May 22 – Jun 5
Sweet cornSow outdoors · May 22 – Jun 5
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · May 22 – Jun 5
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Aug 1 – Aug 15
GarlicPlant cloves · Sep 12 – Oct 17
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (May 15) and first fall frost (Sep 26) 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 69145 came on Mar 2 — 29 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Mar 31).

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 Kimball, NE

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 69145 is Bayard — fine sandy loam, well drained.

TextureFine sandy loamdrains and warms fast; dries out and needs more feeding
pH6.7neutral; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageWell drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter1.5%low — add compost
Hydrologic groupAwater soaks in fast
Farmland classPrime farmland if irrigatedUSDA classification

Map unit: Bayard fine sandy loam, 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 69145; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Kimball, NE

Summer high86 °Faverage high, July
Winter low13 °Faverage low, January
Hot days36days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights184nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days2,259base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day15 h 09 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 12 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growLong-daysummer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too)
Precipitation15.8 inper year, rain and melted snow
Snowfall30 inper year; 30 days with snow on the ground

Average high and low, by month

0°10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°100°32 °FJanuary: average high 40 °F, low 13 °F 40°13° JanFebruary: average high 42 °F, low 14 °F 42°14° FebMarch: average high 52 °F, low 22 °F 52°22° MarApril: average high 58 °F, low 29 °F 58°29° AprMay: average high 67 °F, low 40 °F 67°40° MayJune: average high 80 °F, low 49 °F 80°49° JunJuly: average high 86 °F, low 55 °F 86°55° JulAugust: average high 84 °F, low 53 °F 84°53° AugSeptember: average high 77 °F, low 43 °F 77°43° SepOctober: average high 62 °F, low 31 °F 62°31° OctNovember: average high 50 °F, low 20 °F 50°20° NovDecember: average high 41 °F, low 13 °F 41°13° Dec

Precipitation by month inches · ❄ = snowfall

0″1″2″3″January: 0.28 in precipitation, 3.5 in snowfall 0.3❄4 JanFebruary: 0.40 in precipitation, 4.6 in snowfall 0.4❄5 FebMarch: 0.87 in precipitation, 4.8 in snowfall 0.9❄5 MarApril: 1.70 in precipitation, 3.9 in snowfall 1.7❄4 AprMay: 2.82 in precipitation, 1 in snowfall 2.8❄1 MayJune: 2.35 in precipitation 2.4 JunJuly: 2.07 in precipitation 2.1 JulAugust: 1.77 in precipitation 1.8 AugSeptember: 1.42 in precipitation, 0.3 in snowfall 1.4 SepOctober: 1.20 in precipitation, 1.8 in snowfall 1.2❄2 OctNovember: 0.50 in precipitation, 4.1 in snowfall 0.5❄4 NovDecember: 0.45 in precipitation, 5.8 in snowfall 0.5❄6 Dec

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

Nearby ZIP codes

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

691335b
Dix, NE · 11 mi
691285a
Bushnell, NE · 12 mi
691565b
Potter, NE · 18 mi
820825a
Pine Bluffs, WY · 21 mi
693455a
Harrisburg, NE · 24 mi
807455b
Padroni, CO · 28 mi
693415b
Gering, NE · 34 mi
807475b
Peetz, CO · 34 mi

Nebraska planting zones →

Questions about 69145

What planting zone is ZIP code 69145?

ZIP code 69145 (Kimball, NE) is in USDA hardiness zone 5a on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches −20 to −15 °F (−28.9 to −26.1 °C).

When is the last frost in Kimball, NE?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 69145 is May 15; after May 31 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Kimball 2ne station.

When is the first frost in Kimball, NE?

The median first fall frost near 69145 is September 26, giving a median frost-free growing season of 132 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 69145?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Mar 20 – Apr 3 and set transplants outside around May 22 – Jun 5, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 69145 get?

About 15.8 inches of precipitation a year and 30 inches of snowfall (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Kimball 2ne station).

How hot do summers get in Kimball, NE?

The average high peaks at 86 °F in July, with about 36 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 69145 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Bayard at the center of ZIP 69145: fine sandy loam, well drained, pH about 6.7 (neutral).

Did spring come early in Kimball, NE in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 69145 came on Mar 2 in 2026, 29 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Mar 31), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Kimball, NE?

Long-day onions: the longest day near 69145 is 15 h 09 min, so summer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too).