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

Planting zone for 86446 — Mohave Valley, AZ

ZIP code 86446 (Mohave Valley, Mohave County) is in USDA zone 9a: the coldest winter night averages 20 to 25 °F.

Where ZIP 86446 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.

Zone9a20 to 25 °F
Coldest night−6.7 to −3.9 °C
Last frostrare
First frostrare
2012 zone10a

Was 10a on the 2012 map — a full zone colder now. The zone is the one at the center of the ZIP code; hilly ZIPs can span two zones. What zone 9a means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Mohave Valley, AZ…

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 Needles Airport, CA — 6 miles away, elevation 889 ft) the median growing season is 365 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 86446 came on Jan 18 — 5 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 9a in Arizona

492 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in Arizona, and rated by the USDA to survive 20 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 9a. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

Trees 26

Arizona cypress50 ft · blooms spring · low shade tolerance · to −23 °FArizona madrone30 ft · blooms late spring · high shade tolerance · to −4 °FArizona sycamore80 ft · blooms early spring · high shade tolerance · to −8 °FArizona walnut50 ft · blooms late spring · high shade tolerance · to −33 °Fblack locust60 ft · blooms spring · high shade tolerance · to −37 °Fblue spruce100 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −38 °F

Shrubs 109

alderleaf mountain mahogany15 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −41 °FAmerican plum24 ft · blooms mid spring · high shade tolerance · to −38 °FAmerican tarwort3 ft · blooms late spring · high shade tolerance · to −23 °Fantelope bitterbrush6 ft · blooms early spring · medium shade tolerance · to −36 °FApache plume6 ft · blooms late spring · high shade tolerance · to −23 °Fbig sagebrush4 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −43 °F

Wildflowers & perennials 197

alkali buttercup1 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Falpine bistort1 ft · blooms mid spring · high shade tolerance · to −38 °Falpine mountainsorrel1 ft · blooms mid summer · medium shade tolerance · to −43 °FAmerican alpine speedwell1 ft · blooms summer · medium shade tolerance · to −28 °FAmerican bistort1.5 ft · blooms mid spring · high shade tolerance · to −38 °FAmerican century plant6 ft · blooms indeterminate · high shade tolerance · to 12 °F

Grasses 151

alkali cordgrass3 ft · blooms late summer · high shade tolerance · to −38 °Falkali sacaton3 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −38 °Falpine timothy1.4 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −43 °Fanalogue sedge1.5 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −38 °FArizona cottontop4 ft · blooms late summer · high shade tolerance · to −13 °FArizona fescue2 ft · blooms late spring · high shade tolerance · to −23 °F

Vines 1

western white clematis1 ft · blooms mid summer · medium shade tolerance · to −38 °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 Mohave Valley, AZ.

Soil in Mohave Valley, AZ

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 86446 is Indio — silt loam, well drained.

TextureSilt loama good balance for most vegetables
pH7.9alkaline; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageWell drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter0.75%low — add compost
Hydrologic groupBwater soaks in moderately
Farmland classPrime farmland if irrigatedUSDA classification

Map unit: Indio silt 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 86446; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Mohave Valley, AZ

Summer high111 °Faverage high, July
Winter low45 °Faverage low, December
Hot days177days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights2nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days9,615base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 30 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 49 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growIntermediateday-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully
Precipitation4.3 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

30°40°50°60°70°80°90°100°110°120°32 °FJanuary: average high 66 °F, low 46 °F 66°46° JanFebruary: average high 71 °F, low 49 °F 71°49° FebMarch: average high 79 °F, low 54 °F 79°54° MarApril: average high 87 °F, low 61 °F 87°61° AprMay: average high 96 °F, low 70 °F 96°70° MayJune: average high 106 °F, low 80 °F 106°80° JunJuly: average high 111 °F, low 87 °F 111°87° JulAugust: average high 109 °F, low 85 °F 109°85° AugSeptember: average high 103 °F, low 77 °F 103°77° SepOctober: average high 90 °F, low 65 °F 90°65° OctNovember: average high 75 °F, low 53 °F 75°53° NovDecember: average high 65 °F, low 45 °F 65°45° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″1″January: 0.73 in precipitation 0.7 JanFebruary: 0.79 in precipitation 0.8 FebMarch: 0.51 in precipitation 0.5 MarApril: 0.18 in precipitation 0.2 AprMay: 0.07 in precipitation 0.1 MayJune: 0.04 in precipitation 0.0 JunJuly: 0.27 in precipitation 0.3 JulAugust: 0.39 in precipitation 0.4 AugSeptember: 0.34 in precipitation 0.3 SepOctober: 0.22 in precipitation 0.2 OctNovember: 0.34 in precipitation 0.3 NovDecember: 0.44 in precipitation 0.4 Dec

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

Nearby ZIP codes

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

864409b
Mohave Valley, AZ · 4 mi
9236310a
Needles, CA · 10 mi
864279b
Fort Mohave, AZ · 11 mi
864269b
Fort Mohave, AZ · 12 mi
864369b
Topock, AZ · 13 mi
864339b
Oatman, AZ · 14 mi
8644210a
Bullhead City, AZ · 17 mi
890299b
Laughlin, NV · 20 mi

All 2 ZIP codes in Mohave Valley → · Arizona planting zones →

Questions about 86446

What planting zone is ZIP code 86446?

ZIP code 86446 (Mohave Valley, AZ) is in USDA hardiness zone 9a on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches 20 to 25 °F (−6.7 to −3.9 °C).

How much rain and snow does 86446 get?

About 4.3 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Needles Airport station).

How hot do summers get in Mohave Valley, AZ?

The average high peaks at 111 °F in July, with about 177 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 86446 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Indio at the center of ZIP 86446: silt loam, well drained, pH about 7.9 (alkaline).

Did spring come early in Mohave Valley, AZ in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 86446 came on Jan 18 in 2026, 5 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Jan 23), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Mohave Valley, AZ?

Intermediate onions: the longest day near 86446 is 14 h 30 min, so day-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully.

Did the zone for 86446 change?

Yes. The 2012 USDA map put 86446 in zone 10a; the 2023 map puts it in zone 9a. The newer map uses 1991–2020 data and more weather stations.