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

Planting zone for 69160 — Sidney, NE

ZIP code 69160 (Sidney, Cheyenne County) is in USDA zone 5b: the coldest winter night averages −15 to −10 °F. The median last spring frost is May 8 and the first fall frost October 4.

Where ZIP 69160 is

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 8
First frostOct 4
2012 zone5a

Was 5a 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 5b means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Sidney, 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 Sidney, NE

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostMay 8median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMay 20only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostOctober 4median — 10% chance by Sep 21
Growing season149 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around April 27 and returns around October 14.

From the NOAA station Sidney 6 Nnw, NE — within 1 mile, elevation 4,321 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 69160

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Mar 27 – Apr 10
SpinachSow outdoors · Mar 27 – Apr 17
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Feb 27 – Mar 13
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Apr 17 – May 1
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Apr 10 – Apr 24
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Apr 17 – May 1
LettuceSow outdoors · Apr 10 – Apr 24
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Apr 17 – May 1
TomatoesStart indoors · Mar 13 – Mar 27
TomatoesTransplant · May 15 – May 29
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Feb 27 – Mar 13
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · May 22 – Jun 5
BeansSow outdoors · May 15 – May 29
Sweet cornSow outdoors · May 15 – May 29
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · May 15 – May 29
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Aug 9 – Aug 23
GarlicPlant cloves · Sep 20 – Oct 25
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (May 8) and first fall frost (Oct 4) 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 69160 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).

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 Sidney, NE.

Soil in Sidney, NE

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 69160 is Sidney — loam, well drained.

TextureLoama good balance for most vegetables
pH7.9alkaline; 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: Sidney-Canyon complex, 3 to 9 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 69160; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Sidney, NE

Summer high88 °Faverage high, July
Winter low17 °Faverage low, January
Hot days36days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights170nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days2,796base 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)
Precipitation18.2 inper year, rain and melted snow
Snowfall29 inper year

Average high and low, by month

10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°100°32 °FJanuary: average high 41 °F, low 17 °F 41°17° JanFebruary: average high 43 °F, low 19 °F 43°19° FebMarch: average high 53 °F, low 26 °F 53°26° MarApril: average high 60 °F, low 33 °F 60°33° AprMay: average high 69 °F, low 43 °F 69°43° MayJune: average high 81 °F, low 53 °F 81°53° JunJuly: average high 88 °F, low 59 °F 88°59° JulAugust: average high 86 °F, low 57 °F 86°57° AugSeptember: average high 78 °F, low 48 °F 78°48° SepOctober: average high 64 °F, low 35 °F 64°35° OctNovember: average high 51 °F, low 25 °F 51°25° NovDecember: average high 41 °F, low 17 °F 41°17° Dec

Precipitation by month inches · ❄ = snowfall

0″1″2″3″4″January: 0.30 in precipitation, 3.8 in snowfall 0.3❄4 JanFebruary: 0.50 in precipitation, 4.9 in snowfall 0.5❄5 FebMarch: 0.95 in precipitation, 4.3 in snowfall 0.9❄4 MarApril: 1.88 in precipitation, 3.2 in snowfall 1.9❄3 AprMay: 3.00 in precipitation, 0.7 in snowfall 3.0❄1 MayJune: 3.15 in precipitation 3.1 JunJuly: 2.60 in precipitation 2.6 JulAugust: 2.11 in precipitation 2.1 AugSeptember: 1.65 in precipitation, 0.1 in snowfall 1.6 SepOctober: 1.15 in precipitation, 2.4 in snowfall 1.1❄2 OctNovember: 0.51 in precipitation, 3.7 in snowfall 0.5❄4 NovDecember: 0.44 in precipitation, 5.7 in snowfall 0.4❄6 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Sidney 6 Nnw, NE (within 1 mile); precipitation: Sidney 6 Nnw, NE (within 1 mile). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

All 8 nearest ZIP codes share zone 5b.

691625b
Sidney, NE · 6 mi
691415b
Gurley, NE · 7 mi
691315b
Dalton, NE · 14 mi
691495b
Lodgepole, NE · 17 mi
691565b
Potter, NE · 19 mi
807475b
Peetz, CO · 22 mi
807265b
Crook, CO · 24 mi
691335b
Dix, NE · 25 mi

All 2 ZIP codes in Sidney → · Nebraska planting zones →

Questions about 69160

What planting zone is ZIP code 69160?

ZIP code 69160 (Sidney, 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 Sidney, NE?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 69160 is May 8; after May 20 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Sidney 6 Nnw station.

When is the first frost in Sidney, NE?

The median first fall frost near 69160 is October 4, giving a median frost-free growing season of 149 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 69160?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Mar 13 – Mar 27 and set transplants outside around May 15 – May 29, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 69160 get?

About 18.2 inches of precipitation a year and 29 inches of snowfall (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Sidney 6 Nnw station).

How hot do summers get in Sidney, NE?

The average high peaks at 88 °F in July, with about 36 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 69160 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Sidney at the center of ZIP 69160: loam, well drained, pH about 7.9 (alkaline).

Did spring come early in Sidney, NE in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 69160 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 Sidney, NE?

Long-day onions: the longest day near 69160 is 15 h 09 min, so summer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too).

Did the zone for 69160 change?

Yes. The 2012 USDA map put 69160 in zone 5a; the 2023 map puts it in zone 5b. The newer map uses 1991–2020 data and more weather stations.