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

Planting zone for 98612 — Cathlamet, WA

ZIP code 98612 (Cathlamet, Wahkiakum County) is in USDA zone 8b: the coldest winter night averages 15 to 20 °F. The median last spring frost is April 24 and the first fall frost October 24.

Where ZIP 98612 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.

Zone8b15 to 20 °F
Coldest night−9.4 to −6.7 °C
Last frostApr 24
First frostOct 24
2012 zone8b

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 8b means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Cathlamet, WA…

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 Cathlamet, WA

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostApril 24median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMay 9only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostOctober 24median — 10% chance by Oct 5
Growing season184 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around March 25 and returns around November 9.

From the NOAA station Clatskanie, OR — 11 miles away, elevation 23 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 98612

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Mar 13 – Mar 27
SpinachSow outdoors · Mar 13 – Apr 3
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Feb 13 – Feb 27
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Apr 3 – Apr 17
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Mar 27 – Apr 10
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Apr 3 – Apr 17
LettuceSow outdoors · Mar 27 – Apr 10
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Apr 3 – Apr 17
TomatoesStart indoors · Feb 27 – Mar 13
TomatoesTransplant · May 1 – May 15
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Feb 13 – Feb 27
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · May 8 – May 22
BeansSow outdoors · May 1 – May 15
Sweet cornSow outdoors · May 1 – May 15
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · May 1 – May 15
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Aug 29 – Sep 12
GarlicPlant cloves · Oct 10 – Nov 14
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Apr 24) and first fall frost (Oct 24) 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 98612 came on Feb 8 — 21 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Mar 1).

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 8b in Washington

614 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in Washington, and rated by the USDA to survive 15 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 8b. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

Trees 32

Alaska cedar75 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −22 °FAmerican sycamore100 ft · blooms spring · medium shade tolerance · to −34 °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 °F

Shrubs 114

alderleaf buckthorn3 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −33 °FAllegheny serviceberry35 ft · blooms early spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Falpine laurel1 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −28 °FAmerican plum24 ft · blooms mid spring · high shade tolerance · to −38 °Fantelope bitterbrush6 ft · blooms early spring · medium shade tolerance · to −36 °FBarclay's willow15 ft · high shade tolerance · to −43 °F

Wildflowers & perennials 293

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 157

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 3

riverbank grape45 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °Ftrumpet creeper2 ft · blooms summer · high shade tolerance · to −13 °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 Cathlamet, WA.

Soil in Cathlamet, WA

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 98612 is Germany — medial silt loam, well drained.

TextureMedial silt loama good balance for most vegetables
pH5.6moderately acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageWell drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter10%high
Hydrologic groupBwater soaks in moderately
Farmland classFarmland of statewide importanceUSDA classification

Map unit: Germany silt loam, 8 to 30 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 98612; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Cathlamet, WA

Summer high76 °Faverage high, August
Winter low33 °Faverage low, January
Hot days4days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights70nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days1,724base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day15 h 47 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day8 h 36 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growLong-daysummer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too)
Precipitation79.8 inper year, rain and melted snow
Snowfall3 inper year; 1 days with snow on the ground

Average high and low, by month

20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32 °FJanuary: average high 47 °F, low 33 °F 47°33° JanFebruary: average high 50 °F, low 33 °F 50°33° FebMarch: average high 55 °F, low 35 °F 55°35° MarApril: average high 59 °F, low 38 °F 59°38° AprMay: average high 65 °F, low 44 °F 65°44° MayJune: average high 69 °F, low 49 °F 69°49° JunJuly: average high 75 °F, low 52 °F 75°52° JulAugust: average high 76 °F, low 52 °F 76°52° AugSeptember: average high 72 °F, low 48 °F 72°48° SepOctober: average high 62 °F, low 41 °F 62°41° OctNovember: average high 52 °F, low 36 °F 52°36° NovDecember: average high 46 °F, low 33 °F 46°33° Dec

Precipitation by month inches · ❄ = snowfall

0″2″4″6″8″10″12″14″January: 11.09 in precipitation, 1.1 in snowfall 11.1❄1 JanFebruary: 8.26 in precipitation, 0.2 in snowfall 8.3 FebMarch: 8.53 in precipitation 8.5 MarApril: 6.27 in precipitation 6.3 AprMay: 4.07 in precipitation 4.1 MayJune: 3.08 in precipitation 3.1 JunJuly: 0.92 in precipitation 0.9 JulAugust: 1.26 in precipitation 1.3 AugSeptember: 3.76 in precipitation 3.8 SepOctober: 7.78 in precipitation 7.8 OctNovember: 13.01 in precipitation 13.0 NovDecember: 11.74 in precipitation, 1.9 in snowfall 11.7❄2 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Clatskanie, OR (11 mi away); precipitation: Cathlamet 6ne, WA (2 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

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

986478b
Skamokawa, WA · 7 mi
986328b
Longview, WA · 11 mi
985818b
Ryderwood, WA · 13 mi
970168b
Clatskanie, OR · 14 mi
986218b
Grays River, WA · 16 mi
985938b
Vader, WA · 17 mi
985388a
Curtis, WA · 17 mi
986438b
Rosburg, WA · 18 mi

Washington planting zones →

Questions about 98612

What planting zone is ZIP code 98612?

ZIP code 98612 (Cathlamet, WA) is in USDA hardiness zone 8b on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches 15 to 20 °F (−9.4 to −6.7 °C).

When is the last frost in Cathlamet, WA?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 98612 is April 24; after May 9 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Clatskanie station.

When is the first frost in Cathlamet, WA?

The median first fall frost near 98612 is October 24, giving a median frost-free growing season of 184 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 98612?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Feb 27 – Mar 13 and set transplants outside around May 1 – May 15, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 98612 get?

About 79.8 inches of precipitation a year and 3 inches of snowfall (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Cathlamet 6ne station).

How hot do summers get in Cathlamet, WA?

The average high peaks at 76 °F in August, with about 4 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 98612 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Germany at the center of ZIP 98612: medial silt loam, well drained, pH about 5.6 (moderately acidic).

Did spring come early in Cathlamet, WA in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 98612 came on Feb 8 in 2026, 21 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Mar 1), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Cathlamet, WA?

Long-day onions: the longest day near 98612 is 15 h 47 min, so summer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too).