USDA zone 7a in West Virginia
USDA plant hardiness zone 7a covers 37 locations across West Virginia (average annual extreme minimum 0 to 5 °F): Alderson, WV, Alum Creek, WV, Apple Grove, WV, Athens, WV, Beards Fork, WV, Beech Bottom, WV, and 31 more. Average last spring frost across this group ranges April 7 (Powellton) to May 6 (Bolt), and growing seasons run 156–209 days (Bolt to Powellton) — even within one state, because hardiness sets winter survival, not planting dates. The table below gives every West Virginia location's own frost dates; the printable planting calendar uses Ranson corporation, this group's median-season location.
- USDA zone
- 7a0 to 5 °F
- Last frost range
- Apr 7–May 6avg, 32°F
- First frost range
- Oct 10–Nov 4avg, 32°F
- Growing season range
- 156–209days
Locations in this group
Every location below shares this zone and a nearby weather station, but keeps its own frost dates — find your town for its own numbers, or use the ZIP planner on the home page for an instant personalized answer.
| Location | Also covers | Nearest station | Last frost | First frost | Season (days) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alderson | — | Alderson | Apr 26 | Oct 17 | 173 |
| Alum Creek | Harts, Madison, Danville, Greenview, Van, Hamlin, +3 more | Madison 3nnw | Apr 16 | Oct 27 | 192 |
| Apple Grove | Crown, Miller | Hogsett Rc Byrd Dam | Apr 18 | Oct 29 | 192 |
| Athens | — | Athens | Apr 30 | Oct 10 | 161 |
| Beards Fork | Gauley Bridge, Charlton Heights | Anstead Hawks Nest Sp | Apr 22 | Oct 22 | 181 |
| Beech Bottom | Windsor Heights | Wheeling Ohio Co Ap | Apr 23 | Oct 25 | 185 |
| Bolt | Colcord | Beckley Va Hospital | May 6 | Oct 10 | 156 |
| Bud | Mullens, Ghent, Itmann, Lashmeet, Corinne, Covel | Mullens 3 E | Apr 24 | Oct 20 | 178 |
| Charles | Shenandoah Retreat, Middleburg, Rectortown, Upperville, Boyce, Round Hill, +2 more | Mt Wx | Apr 17 | Nov 1 | 198 |
| Charles | Berryville, Brucetown, Boyce | Winchester 7 Se | Apr 25 | Oct 18 | 174 |
| Charleston | Sissonville, Coal Fork, Pinch, Elkview, Malden | Charleston Yeager Ap | Apr 16 | Oct 26 | 192 |
| Charleston | Alum Creek, South Charleston, Cross Lanes, St. Albans, Tornado, Dunbar, +4 more | Charleston Wfo | Apr 23 | Oct 20 | 180 |
| Clendenin | — | Clendenin | Apr 21 | Oct 28 | 187 |
| Franklin | — | Franklin 2 Ne | Apr 30 | Oct 11 | 162 |
| Gilbert Creek | Phelps, Elkhorn, Grundy, Haysi, Vansant, Breaks, +4 more | Grundy | Apr 21 | Oct 26 | 189 |
| Gilbert Creek | Mallory, Justice, Bruno, Gilbert, Iaeger | Rd Bailey Lake | Apr 15 | Oct 27 | 194 |
| Green Spring | Springfield, Romney | Romney 1 Sw | Apr 26 | Oct 18 | 172 |
| Harts | Culloden, Salt Rock, Hamlin, West Hamlin | Hamlin | Apr 23 | Oct 21 | 180 |
| Harts | Mount Gay-Shamrock, Red Jacket, Mallory, Holden, Accoville, Robinette, +17 more | Logan | Apr 8 | Nov 2 | 208 |
| Harts | Verdunville, Louisa, Inez, Wayne, Warfield, Fort Gay, +2 more | Dunlow 1 Sw | Apr 13 | Oct 26 | 197 |
| Hinton | Athens, Peterstown | Bluestone Lake | Apr 10 | Oct 30 | 200 |
| Huntington | Lavalette, Cannonsburg, Kenova, Ceredo, Wayne, Prichard, +1 more | Huntington Tri State Ap | Apr 14 | Oct 26 | 195 |
| Keyser | Burlington, Danville, Piedmont | Keyser 2 Ssw | Apr 30 | Oct 15 | 167 |
| Kincaid | — | Oak Hill | Apr 21 | Oct 19 | 179 |
| Lesage | Barboursville, Pea Ridge, Athalia, Proctorville | Pea Ridge Psd | Apr 8 | Nov 1 | 205 |
| Maybeury | Pageton, Northfork, Gary, Anawalt, Cucumber, Keystone | Elkhorn | Apr 24 | Oct 17 | 175 |
| Moorefield | — | Moorefield 1 Sse | Apr 29 | Oct 15 | 167 |
| Morgantown | Brookhaven | Morgantown Hart Fld | Apr 23 | Oct 24 | 182 |
| Newell | Stratton, Empire | New Cumberland L/d | Apr 22 | Oct 28 | 186 |
| Petersburg | — | Petersburg | Apr 23 | Oct 20 | 179 |
| Powellton | Montgomery, Smithers, Glen Ferris, Boomer, Comfort, Handley, +19 more | London Locks | Apr 7 | Nov 4 | 209 |
| Princeton | Montcalm, Boissevain, Brush Fork, Lashmeet, Pocahontas, Bramwell, +1 more | Bluefield Mercer Co Ap | Apr 21 | Oct 22 | 182 |
| Ranson corporation * | Martinsburg, Inwood, Falling Waters, Middleway, Shenandoah Junction, Williamsport, +2 more | Martinsburg E Wv Rgnl Ap | Apr 20 | Oct 22 | 183 |
| Robinette | Kopperston, Oceana, Brenton, Twilight | Oceana 2 Se | Apr 22 | Oct 24 | 184 |
| Sissonville | Ripley | Ripley | Apr 23 | Oct 21 | 178 |
| Teays Valley | Nitro, Hurricane, Winfield, Eleanor, Milton, Buffalo, +2 more | Winfield Locks | Apr 18 | Oct 30 | 193 |
| Welch | Matheny, Glen Fork, Davy, Bartley, Gary, Pineville, +5 more | Pineville | Apr 16 | Oct 28 | 193 |
* Ranson corporation is this group's median-season location — the calendar below is computed from its data.
Data: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (public domain) and USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023. Planting windows synthesized from U.S. Cooperative Extension guides.
Planting calendar (Ranson corporation, representative)
Computed from Ranson corporation's average frost dates — the median-season location in this West Virginiazone 7a group. hatched = start seeds indoors, solid green = plant out, teal = a fall sowing, and the terracotta dot marks the estimated first harvest. Ranges are extension-guide planning guidance, not guarantees — your own location's dates may run a week or two earlier or later (see the table above).
- Start indoors
- Plant out
- Fall sowing
- First harvest
| Crop | Frost tolerance | Start indoors | Plant out | First harvest | Fall planting | Season fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Tender | Feb 23 – Mar 9 | Apr 27 – May 4 | Jun 26 – Jul 16 | — | matures comfortably |
| Pepper | Very tender | Feb 9 – Feb 23 | May 4 – May 11 | Jul 3 – Aug 2 | — | matures comfortably |
| Cucumber | Tender | Mar 23 – Mar 30 | Apr 27 – May 4 | Jun 16 – Jul 6 | — | matures comfortably |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Tender | — | Apr 27 – May 4 | Jun 11 – Jun 26 | — | matures comfortably |
| Bush bean | Tender | — | Apr 27 – May 4 | Jun 16 – Jun 26 | Aug 23 – Sep 2 | matures comfortably |
| Sweet corn | Tender | — | Apr 20 – May 4 | Jun 19 – Jul 19 | — | matures comfortably |
| Basil | Very tender | Mar 9 – Mar 23 | Apr 27 – May 4 | May 27 – Jun 11 | — | matures comfortably |
| Lettuce | Half-hardy | Mar 9 – Mar 23 | Mar 23 – Apr 6 | May 7 – May 22 | Aug 9 – Aug 24 | matures comfortably |
| Pea | Hardy | — | Mar 9 – Mar 23 | May 3 – May 18 | Jul 30 – Aug 14 | matures comfortably |
| Spinach | Hardy | — | Mar 9 – Mar 23 | Apr 18 – Apr 28 | Aug 19 – Aug 29 | matures comfortably |
| Carrot | Half-hardy | — | Mar 30 – Apr 6 | May 29 – Jun 18 | Jul 20 – Aug 9 | matures comfortably |
| Broccoli | Half-hardy | Feb 23 – Mar 9 | Mar 23 – Apr 6 | May 17 – Jun 6 | Jul 25 – Aug 14 | matures comfortably |
Which crops fit this growing season
Using Ranson corporation's own 183-day growing season (32°F, NOAA 1991–2020 median) against each crop's real days-to-maturity range: 12 of 12 crops mature here with comfortable margin. A different location in the table above with a longer or shorter season will get a different mix — the ZIP planner on the home page gives your own.
Frost & freeze dates (Ranson corporation)
From NOAA's 1991–2020 Climate Normals at station USW00013734. The median (p50) is the average date; the 90%-safe column is the date the freeze has passed in about 9 years out of 10 — the conservative date to plant after or harvest before.
| Threshold | Last spring — avg | Last spring — 90%-safe | First fall — avg | First fall — 90%-safe | Season (days) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | May 5 | May 22 | Oct 11 | Oct 25 | 158 |
| 32°F (freeze) | Apr 20 | May 12 | Oct 22 | Nov 4 | 183 |
| 28°F | Apr 4 | Apr 22 | Nov 1 | Nov 14 | 208 |
| 24°F | Mar 24 | Apr 6 | Nov 12 | Nov 28 | 233 |
Growing degree days
Growing degree days (GDD) accumulate warmth above a base temperature over the year — a better predictor of crop development than the calendar alone. This group's median GDD (base 50°F) across all 37 locations is 3,463; Ranson corporation's own reading is shown below.
| Model | °F·days | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Base 50°F (warm-season) | 3,533 | standard warm-season base (tomato, corn, beans) |
| Base 40°F (cool-season) | 5,967 | cool-season crops (brassicas, greens) |
Hardiness zone 7a in West Virginia
Zone 7a means an average annual extreme minimum winter temperature of about 0 to 5 °F on the USDA's 2023 map — the number that tells you which perennials, shrubs, and trees reliably survive an average winter here. It does not set your planting dates, which come from the frost calendar above. West Virginia spans 4 hardiness zones in this dataset — see all West Virginia locations for the full range, including zones5b, 6a, 6b.
Explore zone 7a in other states at zone 7a, or see all USDA hardiness zones.
Frequently asked questions
- What does USDA hardiness zone 7a mean in West Virginia?
- Zone 7a means an average annual extreme minimum winter temperature of 0 to 5 °F — the standard USDA measure of which perennials survive winter. 37 locations in West Virginia fall in this zone. It does not set planting dates; see the frost calendar below for that.
- Where in West Virginia's zone 7a is the growing season longest?
- Powellton runs the longest season on this page at about 209 days; Bolt is shortest at about 156 days — they share the same hardiness zone, but they sit at different weather stations, so their frost calendars differ.
- When should I plant tomatoes in West Virginia's zone 7a?
- Using Ranson corporation's frost dates (this page's median-season location): start seeds indoors about Feb 23 – Mar 9, then transplant outside about Apr 27 – May 4. Your own location in the table above may differ by a week or two — use the ZIP planner on the home page for your exact station's dates.
- Does every location in West Virginia's zone 7a have the same frost dates?
- No — they do not all share a weather station, so frost dates vary by a week or more across the 37 locations listed (see the table above for each location's own dates).
Sources & method
Frost, freeze, growing-season, and growing-degree-day figures are NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, one reading per location's own nearest station (see the table above). The hardiness zone is the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023, matched to each location's ZIP. Planting windows are computed by counting from the average last and first frost using per-crop offsets synthesized from U.S. Cooperative Extension guides — the full method and citations are on the methodology page.