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

Planting zone for 97031 — Hood River, OR

ZIP code 97031 (Hood River, Hood River County) is in USDA zone 7b: the coldest winter night averages 5 to 10 °F. The median last spring frost is May 13 and the first fall frost October 3.

Where ZIP 97031 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 frostMay 13
First frostOct 3
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 Hood River, OR…

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 Hood River, OR

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostMay 13median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsJune 3only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostOctober 3median — 10% chance by Sep 15
Growing season142 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around April 21 and returns around October 20.

From the NOAA station Parkdale 1 Nne, OR — 5 miles away, elevation 1,519 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 97031

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Apr 1 – Apr 15
SpinachSow outdoors · Apr 1 – Apr 22
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Mar 4 – Mar 18
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Apr 22 – May 6
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Apr 15 – Apr 29
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Apr 22 – May 6
LettuceSow outdoors · Apr 15 – Apr 29
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Apr 22 – May 6
TomatoesStart indoors · Mar 18 – Apr 1
TomatoesTransplant · May 20 – Jun 3
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Mar 4 – Mar 18
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · May 27 – Jun 10
BeansSow outdoors · May 20 – Jun 3
Sweet cornSow outdoors · May 20 – Jun 3
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · May 20 – Jun 3
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 13) 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 97031 came on Mar 12 — 8 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Mar 20).

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 7b in Oregon

627 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in Oregon, and rated by the USDA to survive 5 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 7b. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

Trees 40

Alaska cedar75 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −22 °Fbalsam poplar80 ft · blooms late spring · high shade tolerance · to −79 °Fbigleaf maple60 ft · blooms mid spring · medium shade tolerance · to −14 °Fblack locust60 ft · blooms spring · high shade tolerance · to −37 °Fboxelder60 ft · blooms early spring · low shade tolerance · to −46 °FBrewer spruce100 ft · blooms early summer · low shade tolerance · to −13 °F

Shrubs 120

alderleaf buckthorn3 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −33 °Falderleaf mountain mahogany15 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −41 °Falpine laurel1 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −28 °Fantelope bitterbrush6 ft · blooms early spring · medium shade tolerance · to −36 °Fbeaked hazelnut15 ft · blooms early spring · low shade tolerance · to −47 °Fbig sagebrush4 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −43 °F

Wildflowers & perennials 292

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 eelgrass1 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −33 °F

Grasses 164

Alaska brome5 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −18 °FAlaska oniongrass3 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −33 °Falkali 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 °FAmerican beachgrass2.5 ft · blooms spring · high shade tolerance · to −28 °F

Vines 2

riverbank grape45 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °Fwestern 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 Hood River, OR.

Soil in Hood River, OR

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 97031 is Bodell — very cobbly loam, well drained.

TextureVery cobbly loama good balance for most vegetables
pH7.0neutral; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageWell drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter2%moderate
Hydrologic groupDwater soaks in very slowly
Farmland classNot prime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Bodell very cobbly loam, 45 to 75 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 97031; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Hood River, OR

Summer high80 °Faverage high, July
Winter low27 °Faverage low, January
Hot days13days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights134nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days1,579base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day15 h 42 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day8 h 41 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growLong-daysummer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too)
Precipitation35.9 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32 °FJanuary: average high 40 °F, low 27 °F 40°27° JanFebruary: average high 44 °F, low 28 °F 44°28° FebMarch: average high 51 °F, low 32 °F 51°32° MarApril: average high 57 °F, low 35 °F 57°35° AprMay: average high 65 °F, low 41 °F 65°41° MayJune: average high 71 °F, low 45 °F 71°45° JunJuly: average high 80 °F, low 49 °F 80°49° JulAugust: average high 79 °F, low 49 °F 79°49° AugSeptember: average high 73 °F, low 43 °F 73°43° SepOctober: average high 60 °F, low 36 °F 60°36° OctNovember: average high 46 °F, low 31 °F 46°31° NovDecember: average high 38 °F, low 27 °F 38°27° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″2″4″6″8″January: 7.02 in precipitation 7.0 JanFebruary: 3.67 in precipitation 3.7 FebMarch: 3.19 in precipitation 3.2 MarApril: 2.50 in precipitation 2.5 AprMay: 1.78 in precipitation 1.8 MayJune: 1.27 in precipitation 1.3 JunJuly: 0.37 in precipitation 0.4 JulAugust: 0.38 in precipitation 0.4 AugSeptember: 1.12 in precipitation 1.1 SepOctober: 2.68 in precipitation 2.7 OctNovember: 5.25 in precipitation 5.3 NovDecember: 6.66 in precipitation 6.7 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Parkdale 1 Nne, OR (5 mi away); precipitation: Hood River 9.8 S, OR (4 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.

986518a
Underwood, WA · 9 mi
970148a
Cascade Locks, OR · 9 mi
970407b
Mosier, OR · 10 mi
986057b
Bingen, WA · 12 mi
970417b
Mount Hood Parkdale, OR · 13 mi
986238a
Husum, WA · 14 mi
986727b
White Salmon, WA · 16 mi
986399a
North Bonneville, WA · 18 mi

Oregon planting zones →

Questions about 97031

What planting zone is ZIP code 97031?

ZIP code 97031 (Hood River, OR) 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 Hood River, OR?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 97031 is May 13; after June 3 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Parkdale 1 Nne station.

When is the first frost in Hood River, OR?

The median first fall frost near 97031 is October 3, giving a median frost-free growing season of 142 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 97031?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Mar 18 – Apr 1 and set transplants outside around May 20 – Jun 3, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 97031 get?

About 35.9 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Hood River 9.8 S station).

How hot do summers get in Hood River, OR?

The average high peaks at 80 °F in July, with about 13 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 97031 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Bodell at the center of ZIP 97031: very cobbly loam, well drained, pH about 7.0 (neutral).

Did spring come early in Hood River, OR in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 97031 came on Mar 12 in 2026, 8 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Mar 20), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Hood River, OR?

Long-day onions: the longest day near 97031 is 15 h 42 min, so summer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too).