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

Planting zone for 70011 — Metairie, LA

ZIP code 70011 (Metairie, Jefferson Parish) is in USDA zone 9b: the coldest winter night averages 25 to 30 °F.

Where ZIP 70011 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.

Zone9b25 to 30 °F
Coldest night−3.9 to −1.1 °C
Last frostrare
First frostrare
2012 zone9b

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 9b means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Metairie, LA…

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

A 32 °F frost doesn't happen here in most winters. At the nearest station (NOAA station New Orleans Audubon, LA — 5 miles away, elevation 20 ft) the median growing season is 341 days. When frost does come, it is a midwinter night or two; cover tender plants when a freeze is forecast.

Frost data: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

When spring arrived in 2026

In 2026, spring leaf-out near 70011 came on Jan 11 — 12 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Jan 23).

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 9b in Louisiana

519 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in Louisiana, and rated by the USDA to survive 25 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 9b. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

Trees 69

Shrubs 108

Wildflowers & perennials 170

Grasses 150

Vines 14

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 Metairie, LA.

Soil in Metairie, LA

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 70011 is Cancienne — silty clay loam, somewhat poorly drained.

TextureSilty clay loamholds water and nutrients; slow to drain and warm up
pH5.7moderately acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageSomewhat poorly drainedconsider raised beds
Organic matter2.25%moderate
Hydrologic groupCwater soaks in slowly
Farmland classprime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Cancienne silty clay loam, 0 to 1 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 70011; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Metairie, LA

Summer high94 °Faverage high, July
Winter low47 °Faverage low, January
Hot days106days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights4nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days8,076base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 05 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day10 h 13 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growShort-daysummer days stay under about 14 h 20 min, so long-day varieties won’t bulb
Precipitation68.3 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

40°50°60°70°80°90°100°January: average high 64 °F, low 47 °F 64°47° JanFebruary: average high 68 °F, low 51 °F 68°51° FebMarch: average high 75 °F, low 56 °F 75°56° MarApril: average high 81 °F, low 62 °F 81°62° AprMay: average high 88 °F, low 69 °F 88°69° MayJune: average high 93 °F, low 75 °F 93°75° JunJuly: average high 94 °F, low 77 °F 94°77° JulAugust: average high 94 °F, low 77 °F 94°77° AugSeptember: average high 90 °F, low 74 °F 90°74° SepOctober: average high 83 °F, low 65 °F 83°65° OctNovember: average high 73 °F, low 55 °F 73°55° NovDecember: average high 66 °F, low 49 °F 66°49° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″2″4″6″8″January: 5.49 in precipitation 5.5 JanFebruary: 4.40 in precipitation 4.4 FebMarch: 4.85 in precipitation 4.8 MarApril: 4.53 in precipitation 4.5 AprMay: 5.12 in precipitation 5.1 MayJune: 8.78 in precipitation 8.8 JunJuly: 7.79 in precipitation 7.8 JulAugust: 7.58 in precipitation 7.6 AugSeptember: 6.57 in precipitation 6.6 SepOctober: 3.27 in precipitation 3.3 OctNovember: 4.37 in precipitation 4.4 NovDecember: 5.51 in precipitation 5.5 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: New Orleans Audubon, LA (5 mi away); precipitation: Metairie, LA (within 1 mile). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

All 8 nearest ZIP codes share zone 9b.

All 12 ZIP codes in Metairie → · Louisiana planting zones →

Questions about 70011

What planting zone is ZIP code 70011?

ZIP code 70011 (Metairie, LA) is in USDA hardiness zone 9b on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches 25 to 30 °F (−3.9 to −1.1 °C).

How much rain and snow does 70011 get?

About 68.3 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Metairie station).

How hot do summers get in Metairie, LA?

The average high peaks at 94 °F in July, with about 106 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 70011 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Cancienne at the center of ZIP 70011: silty clay loam, somewhat poorly drained, pH about 5.7 (moderately acidic).

Did spring come early in Metairie, LA in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 70011 came on Jan 11 in 2026, 12 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Jan 23), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Metairie, LA?

Short-day onions: the longest day near 70011 is 14 h 05 min, so summer days stay under about 14 h 20 min, so long-day varieties won’t bulb.