Vermont Hardiness Map
OH 53
Leonard Perry, Extension Professor
The hardiness map below is an enlarged portion of the USDA hardiness map, generated by Meteorological Evaluation Services of Amityville, NY. It was generated from the 1974-1986 data of the stations listed below having at least 10 years of data, as well as stations outside Vermont. This time period was the most recent prior to publication for which reliable data were available, giving 10 years for most sites. As can be seen, many sites have become colder over this period compared to the period of the previous USDA map, believed to be about 1930-1960. This recent period of cold extremes is verified by reports of freeze damage to plants which had not occurred during the earlier period. As with any hardiness zones, they are only a starting point in plant selection and hardiness considerations. (See OH 54 for a further discussion of hardiness).
Annual Minimum Extreme Temperatures in Degrees Fahrenheit | |||||||||||||||||||
Station Name | lat | long | elev | Extreme Minimums | avg | ||||||||||||||
deg | min | deg | min | ft | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 74-86 | |
Ball Mountain Lake | 43 | 07 | 072 | 48 | 1130 | -21 | -20 | -26 | --- | -21 | -25 | -19 | -23 | -20 | -23 | -25 | -8 | -14 | -20.4 |
Bellows Falls | 43 | 08 | 072 | 27 | 270 | -10 | -11 | -19 | -15 | -11 | -17 | -21 | -20 | -20 | -11 | -22 | -10 | -12 | -15.3 |
Bristol 5 NNW | 44 | 12 | 073 | 07 | 500 | -23 | -19 | -25 | -29 | -18 | -28 | -30 | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | msg |
Burlington WSO AP | 44 | 28 | 073 | 09 | 330 | -24 | -16 | -24 | -20 | -19 | -30 | -26 | -27 | -17 | -20 | -17 | -15 | -14 | -20.6 |
Cavendish | 43 | 23 | 072 | 36 | 800 | -25 | -23 | -31 | -24 | -25 | -32 | -25 | -26 | -28 | -23 | -30 | -16 | -20 | -25.2 |
Chelsea | 43 | 59 | 072 | 27 | 800 | -26 | -25 | -31 | -28 | -24 | -34 | -32 | -31 | -29 | -26 | -30 | -24 | -20 | -27.6 |
Cornwall | 43 | 57 | 073 | 13 | 490 | -26 | -14 | -25 | -29 | -18 | -29 | -23 | -28 | -19 | -16 | -13 | -11 | -15 | -20.4 |
Dorset 1 S | 43 | 15 | 073 | 06 | 980 | -23 | -17 | -23 | -15 | -18 | -30 | -27 | -22 | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | msg |
Enosburg Falls | 44 | 55 | 072 | 49 | 420 | -35 | -31 | -34 | -30 | -32 | -38 | -37 | -41 | -33 | -31 | -26 | -30 | -24 | -32.4 |
Essex Junction 1 N | 44 | 31 | 073 | 07 | 340 | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | -22 | msg |
Montpelier FAA AP | 44 | 12 | 072 | 34 | 1130 | -22 | -14 | -19 | -20 | -21 | -25 | -27 | -34 | -18 | -22 | -23 | -19 | -13 | -21.3 |
Morrisville 2 | 44 | 32 | 072 | 36 | 730 | -32 | --- | --- | -23 | -27 | -30 | -33 | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | msg |
Mount Mansfield | 44 | 32 | 072 | 49 | 3950 | -23 | --- | --- | -35 | -24 | -30 | -38 | -37 | -28 | -36 | -25 | -24 | -27 | -29.7 |
Newport | 44 | 56 | 072 | 12 | 770 | -33 | -24 | -31 | -24 | -28 | -30 | -28 | -31 | -27 | -26 | -24 | -27 | -23 | -27.3 |
North Danville | 44 | 28 | 072 | 07 | 1140 | -28 | -23 | -24 | -19 | -22 | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | msg |
Northfield | 44 | 10 | 072 | 39 | 670 | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | msg |
Northfield 3 SSE | 44 | 06 | 072 | 37 | 1410 | --- | -25 | -24 | -22 | -23 | -27 | -31 | -35 | -25 | -20 | -20 | -22 | -15 | -24.0 |
Readsboro 1 SE | 42 | 45 | 072 | 56 | 1120 | -14 | -15 | -21 | -14 | -16 | -25 | -20 | -21 | -18 | -12 | -25 | -7 | -10 | -16.7 |
Rochester | 43 | 51 | 072 | 48 | 830 | -25 | -26 | -30 | -18 | -23 | -28 | -30 | -25 | -25 | -20 | -28 | -15 | -14 | -23.6 |
Rutland | 43 | 36 | 072 | 58 | 620 | -21 | -14 | -19 | -16 | -14 | -26 | -23 | -23 | -17 | -16 | -18 | -8 | -16 | -17.7 |
St. Albans Bay | 44 | 48 | 073 | 10 | 110 | -29 | -15 | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | msg |
Saint Albans Radio | 44 | 50 | 073 | 05 | 390 | --- | --- | --- | --- | -14 | -26 | -25 | -31 | -20 | -22 | -16 | -19 | -15 | msg |
Saint Johnsbury | 44 | 25 | 072 | 01 | 700 | -28 | -21 | -29 | -25 | -24 | -32 | -31 | -31 | -27 | -21 | -28 | -23 | -25 | -26.5 |
South Hero | 44 | 38 | 073 | 18 | 1100 | --- | -10 | -18 | --- | -12 | -20 | -22 | -26 | -15 | -14 | -12 | -12 | -15 | -16.0 |
South Lincoln | 44 | 04 | 072 | 58 | 2020 | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | -22 | -21 | -23 | -19 | -20 | msg |
Vernon | 42 | 46 | 072 | 31 | 230 | -12 | -15 | -18 | -15 | -12 | -18 | -20 | -17 | -18 | -10 | -22 | -9 | -11 | -15.1 |
Waterbury 2 SSE | 44 | 19 | 072 | 45 | 760 | -25 | -22 | -26 | -19 | -23 | -26 | -26 | -27 | -22 | -21 | -23 | -17 | -13 | -22.3 |
West Burke | 44 | 39 | 071 | 59 | 900 | -32 | -27 | -33 | -30 | -29 | -37 | -35 | -38 | -31 | -25 | -32 | -29 | -25 | -31.0 |
Woodstock 2 WSW | 43 | 37 | 072 | 33 | 750 | -24 | -27 | -35 | -24 | -22 | -37 | -30 | -24 | -27 | -26 | -28 | -16 | -20 | -26.1 |
Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture. Lawrence Forcier, Director, UVM Extension System, Burlington, Vermont. University of Vermont Extension System and U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperating, offer education and employment to everyone, without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, and marital or familial status.
Last reviewed 2003