Data: 2023 USDA zones (PRISM/OSU) · NOAA 1991–2020 normals · updated Oct 29, 2026

Planting zone for 70050 — Empire, LA

ZIP code 70050 (Empire, Plaquemines Parish) is in USDA zone 10a: the coldest winter night averages 30 to 35 °F.

Where ZIP 70050 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.

Zone10a30 to 35 °F

Coldest night−1.1 to 1.7 °C

Last frostrare

First frostrare

2012 zone9b

Was 9b 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 10a means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Empire, 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 Buras, LA — 6 miles away, elevation 7 ft) the median growing season is 346 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 70050 came on Jan 15 — 7 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Jan 22).

average
Jan 222026
Jan 15

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 10a in Louisiana

520 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in Louisiana, and rated by the USDA to survive 30 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 10a. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

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 Empire, LA.

Soil in Empire, LA

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 70050 is Schriever — clay, poorly drained.

TextureClayholds water and nutrients; slow to drain and warm up

pH7.3neutral; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0

DrainagePoorly drainedconsider raised beds

Organic matter2.25%moderate

Hydrologic groupDwater soaks in very slowly

Farmland classprime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Schriever clay, 0 to 1 percent slopes, rarely flooded.

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 70050; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Empire, LA

Summer high90 °Faverage high, July

Winter low47 °Faverage low, January

Hot days34days a year at 90 °F or more

Freezing nights3nights a year at 32 °F or less

Growing degree days7,513base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat

Longest day14 h 02 mindaylight on June 21

Shortest day10 h 16 mindaylight on December 21

Onions to growShort-daysummer days stay under about 14 h 20 min, so long-day varieties won’t bulb

Precipitation62.8 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

Precipitation by month inches

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Buras, LA (6 mi away); precipitation: Buras, LA (6 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

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

7004110a

Buras, LA · 8 mi

7003810a

Boothville, LA · 12 mi

700829b

Pointe A La Hache, LA · 16 mi

700839b

Port Sulphur, LA · 17 mi

7009110a

Venice, LA · 27 mi

7035810a

Grand Isle, LA · 29 mi

700409b

Braithwaite, LA · 32 mi

700859b

Saint Bernard, LA · 32 mi

Louisiana planting zones →

Questions about 70050

What planting zone is ZIP code 70050?

ZIP code 70050 (Empire, LA) is in USDA hardiness zone 10a on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches 30 to 35 °F (−1.1 to 1.7 °C).

How much rain and snow does 70050 get?

About 62.8 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Buras station).

How hot do summers get in Empire, LA?

The average high peaks at 90 °F in July, with about 34 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 70050 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Schriever at the center of ZIP 70050: clay, poorly drained, pH about 7.3 (neutral).

Did spring come early in Empire, LA in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 70050 came on Jan 15 in 2026, 7 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Jan 22), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Empire, LA?

Short-day onions: the longest day near 70050 is 14 h 02 min, so summer days stay under about 14 h 20 min, so long-day varieties won’t bulb.

Did the zone for 70050 change?

Yes. The 2012 USDA map put 70050 in zone 9b; the 2023 map puts it in zone 10a. The newer map uses 1991–2020 data and more weather stations.