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

Planting zone for 80746 — Paoli, CO

ZIP code 80746 (Paoli, Phillips County) is in USDA zone 5b: the coldest winter night averages −15 to −10 °F. The median last spring frost is May 11 and the first fall frost October 3.

Where ZIP 80746 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.

Zone5b−15 to −10 °F
Coldest night−26.1 to −23.3 °C
Last frostMay 11
First frostOct 3
2012 zone5b

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 5b means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Paoli, CO…

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 Paoli, CO

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostMay 11median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMay 23only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostOctober 3median — 10% chance by Sep 20
Growing season144 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around May 1 and returns around October 12.

From the NOAA station Holyoke, CO — 7 miles away, elevation 3,780 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 80746

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Mar 30 – Apr 13
SpinachSow outdoors · Mar 30 – Apr 20
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Mar 2 – Mar 16
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Apr 20 – May 4
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Apr 13 – Apr 27
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Apr 20 – May 4
LettuceSow outdoors · Apr 13 – Apr 27
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Apr 20 – May 4
TomatoesStart indoors · Mar 16 – Mar 30
TomatoesTransplant · May 18 – Jun 1
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Mar 2 – Mar 16
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · May 25 – Jun 8
BeansSow outdoors · May 18 – Jun 1
Sweet cornSow outdoors · May 18 – Jun 1
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · May 18 – Jun 1
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Aug 8 – Aug 22
GarlicPlant cloves · Sep 19 – Oct 24
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (May 11) and first fall frost (Oct 3) 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 80746 came on Mar 1 — 25 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Mar 26).

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 Paoli, CO

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 80746 is Rago — loam, well drained.

TextureLoama good balance for most vegetables
pH7.2neutral; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageWell drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter2%moderate
Hydrologic groupCwater soaks in slowly
Farmland classFarmland of statewide importanceUSDA classification

Map unit: Rago and Kuma loams.

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 80746; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Paoli, CO

Summer high88 °Faverage high, July
Winter low13 °Faverage low, January
Hot days40days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights170nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days2,755base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day15 h 05 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 16 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growLong-daysummer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too)
Precipitation17.9 inper year, rain and melted snow
Snowfall30 inper year; 31 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 42 °F, low 13 °F 42°13° JanFebruary: average high 44 °F, low 15 °F 44°15° FebMarch: average high 54 °F, low 23 °F 54°23° MarApril: average high 62 °F, low 31 °F 62°31° AprMay: average high 71 °F, low 43 °F 71°43° MayJune: average high 83 °F, low 53 °F 83°53° JunJuly: average high 88 °F, low 59 °F 88°59° JulAugust: average high 86 °F, low 56 °F 86°56° AugSeptember: average high 79 °F, low 47 °F 79°47° SepOctober: average high 65 °F, low 33 °F 65°33° OctNovember: average high 53 °F, low 21 °F 53°21° NovDecember: average high 42 °F, low 13 °F 42°13° Dec

Precipitation by month inches · ❄ = snowfall

0″1″2″3″January: 0.32 in precipitation, 4.5 in snowfall 0.3❄5 JanFebruary: 0.51 in precipitation, 6.1 in snowfall 0.5❄6 FebMarch: 0.86 in precipitation, 4.4 in snowfall 0.9❄4 MarApril: 1.92 in precipitation, 3.7 in snowfall 1.9❄4 AprMay: 2.83 in precipitation, 0.2 in snowfall 2.8 MayJune: 2.76 in precipitation 2.8 JunJuly: 2.75 in precipitation 2.8 JulAugust: 2.39 in precipitation 2.4 AugSeptember: 1.40 in precipitation, 0.2 in snowfall 1.4 SepOctober: 1.23 in precipitation, 1.9 in snowfall 1.2❄2 OctNovember: 0.52 in precipitation, 3.9 in snowfall 0.5❄4 NovDecember: 0.44 in precipitation, 5.5 in snowfall 0.4❄6 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Holyoke, CO (7 mi away); precipitation: Holyoke, CO (7 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

All 8 nearest ZIP codes share zone 5b.

807315b
Haxtun, CO · 8 mi
807345b
Holyoke, CO · 11 mi
807215b
Amherst, CO · 17 mi
807495b
Sedgwick, CO · 19 mi
807445b
Ovid, CO · 19 mi
807285b
Fleming, CO · 22 mi
807375b
Julesburg, CO · 24 mi
691685b
Venango, NE · 27 mi

Colorado planting zones →

Questions about 80746

What planting zone is ZIP code 80746?

ZIP code 80746 (Paoli, CO) 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 Paoli, CO?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 80746 is May 11; after May 23 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Holyoke station.

When is the first frost in Paoli, CO?

The median first fall frost near 80746 is October 3, giving a median frost-free growing season of 144 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 80746?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Mar 16 – Mar 30 and set transplants outside around May 18 – Jun 1, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 80746 get?

About 17.9 inches of precipitation a year and 30 inches of snowfall (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Holyoke station).

How hot do summers get in Paoli, CO?

The average high peaks at 88 °F in July, with about 40 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 80746 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Rago at the center of ZIP 80746: loam, well drained, pH about 7.2 (neutral).

Did spring come early in Paoli, CO in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 80746 came on Mar 1 in 2026, 25 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Mar 26), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Paoli, CO?

Long-day onions: the longest day near 80746 is 15 h 05 min, so summer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too).