March 29th

By Mutt Mulligan

Getting into the (Weather) Zone

The USDA recently updated the 1990 version of its plant hardiness map to reflect northward warming patterns, adding two new weather zones.

Each zone is based on 10°F increments that measure the extreme minimum temperature found in that zone. Zone 1 is the coldest (-60 to -50°F) while Zone 13 is the hottest (60 to 70). Only Hawaii and Puerto Rico are found in this uppermost zone. The new map, which you can find here, is based on 30 years of weather data between 1976 and 2005. Simply enter your zip code to see whether you are in the (same) zone or not!

Then, head on over to my site to explore the U.S. ecosystems map.