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

Planting zone for 71949 — Jessieville, AR

ZIP code 71949 (Jessieville, Garland County) is in USDA zone 7b: the coldest winter night averages 5 to 10 °F. The median last spring frost is April 3 and the first fall frost November 4.

Where ZIP 71949 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.

Zone7b5 to 10 °F
Coldest night−15 to −12.2 °C
Last frostApr 3
First frostNov 4
2012 zone7b

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 7b means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Jessieville, AR…

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 Jessieville, AR

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostApril 3median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsApril 20only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostNovember 4median — 10% chance by Oct 21
Growing season216 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around March 18 and returns around November 16.

From the NOAA station Blakely Mtn Dam, AR — 8 miles away, elevation 427 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 71949

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Feb 20 – Mar 6
SpinachSow outdoors · Feb 20 – Mar 13
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Jan 23 – Feb 6
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Mar 13 – Mar 27
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Mar 6 – Mar 20
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Mar 13 – Mar 27
LettuceSow outdoors · Mar 6 – Mar 20
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Mar 13 – Mar 27
TomatoesStart indoors · Feb 6 – Feb 20
TomatoesTransplant · Apr 10 – Apr 24
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Jan 23 – Feb 6
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · Apr 17 – May 1
BeansSow outdoors · Apr 10 – Apr 24
Sweet cornSow outdoors · Apr 10 – Apr 24
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · Apr 10 – Apr 24
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Sep 9 – Sep 23
GarlicPlant cloves · Oct 21 – Nov 25
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Apr 3) and first fall frost (Nov 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 71949 came on Feb 14 — 5 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Feb 19).

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 Jessieville, AR

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 71949 is Bismarck — gravelly silt loam, somewhat excessively drained.

TextureGravelly silt loama good balance for most vegetables
pH5.3strongly acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageSomewhat excessively drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter1.25%low — add compost
Hydrologic groupDwater soaks in very slowly
Farmland classNot prime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Bismarck-Carnasaw complex, 20 to 40 percent slopes, very stony.

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 71949; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Jessieville, AR

Summer high91 °Faverage high, July
Winter low29 °Faverage low, January
Hot days58days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights80nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days4,621base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 29 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 50 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growIntermediateday-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully
Precipitation53.6 inper year, rain and melted snow
Snowfall3 inper year

Average high and low, by month

20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°100°32 °FJanuary: average high 50 °F, low 29 °F 50°29° JanFebruary: average high 54 °F, low 32 °F 54°32° FebMarch: average high 63 °F, low 38 °F 63°38° MarApril: average high 72 °F, low 46 °F 72°46° AprMay: average high 79 °F, low 56 °F 79°56° MayJune: average high 87 °F, low 63 °F 87°63° JunJuly: average high 91 °F, low 67 °F 91°67° JulAugust: average high 91 °F, low 66 °F 91°66° AugSeptember: average high 84 °F, low 60 °F 84°60° SepOctober: average high 73 °F, low 48 °F 73°48° OctNovember: average high 61 °F, low 38 °F 61°38° NovDecember: average high 52 °F, low 32 °F 52°32° Dec

Precipitation by month inches · ❄ = snowfall

0″1″2″3″4″5″6″January: 3.33 in precipitation, 1.1 in snowfall 3.3❄1 JanFebruary: 3.97 in precipitation, 1.8 in snowfall 4.0❄2 FebMarch: 4.98 in precipitation, 0.2 in snowfall 5.0 MarApril: 5.66 in precipitation 5.7 AprMay: 5.72 in precipitation 5.7 MayJune: 4.50 in precipitation 4.5 JunJuly: 4.36 in precipitation 4.4 JulAugust: 3.47 in precipitation 3.5 AugSeptember: 3.73 in precipitation 3.7 SepOctober: 4.26 in precipitation 4.3 OctNovember: 5.11 in precipitation 5.1 NovDecember: 4.48 in precipitation, 0.1 in snowfall 4.5 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Blakely Mtn Dam, AR (8 mi away); precipitation: Jessieville, AR (8 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

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

719568a
Mountain Pine, AR · 7 mi
719028a
Hot Springs National Park, AR · 10 mi
719038a
Hot Springs National Park, AR · 10 mi
719688a
Royal, AR · 12 mi
719108a
Hot Springs Village, AR · 12 mi
719098a
Hot Springs Village, AR · 13 mi
728578a
Plainview, AR · 14 mi
719707b
Story, AR · 16 mi

Arkansas planting zones →

Questions about 71949

What planting zone is ZIP code 71949?

ZIP code 71949 (Jessieville, AR) is in USDA hardiness zone 7b on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches 5 to 10 °F (−15 to −12.2 °C).

When is the last frost in Jessieville, AR?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 71949 is April 3; after April 20 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Blakely Mtn Dam station.

When is the first frost in Jessieville, AR?

The median first fall frost near 71949 is November 4, giving a median frost-free growing season of 216 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 71949?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Feb 6 – Feb 20 and set transplants outside around Apr 10 – Apr 24, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 71949 get?

About 53.6 inches of precipitation a year and 3 inches of snowfall (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Jessieville station).

How hot do summers get in Jessieville, AR?

The average high peaks at 91 °F in July, with about 58 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 71949 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Bismarck at the center of ZIP 71949: gravelly silt loam, somewhat excessively drained, pH about 5.3 (strongly acidic).

Did spring come early in Jessieville, AR in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 71949 came on Feb 14 in 2026, 5 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Feb 19), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Jessieville, AR?

Intermediate onions: the longest day near 71949 is 14 h 29 min, so day-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully.