Fall in zone 5bPhoto: Dietmar Rabich, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Frost dates for ZIP 99502 (Anchorage, AK)
Average last spring and first fall frost dates with 10%, 50% and 90% odds, from NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the nearest weather station, Anchorage Forecast Office, AK (1 miles away).
- Average last spring frostMay 550% chance of a 32°F freeze after this date
- Average first fall frostSep 2950% chance of a 32°F freeze by this date
- Growing season (frost-free)147 daysmedian, 32°F threshold
- USDA hardiness zone5b-15 to -10°F avg. coldest night
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This week in your yard
As of Oct 18, 2026, from your frost dates, zone and soil temperature. Lawn timing · Vegetables · Pruning · Plants
Soil temperature now
2-inch depth
40°F Below 50°F
24-hour average · latest 40°F, as of Oct 18, 1:00 AM CDT
Estimate Not a measurement at this ZIP: distance-weighted average of Kenai 29 ENE (34 mi).
4-inch depth
40°F Below 50°F
24-hour average · latest 41°F, as of Oct 18, 1:00 AM CDT
Estimate Not a measurement at this ZIP: distance-weighted average of Kenai 29 ENE (34 mi).
Fall: Texas A&M AgriLife times fall pre-emergent (for winter weeds such as annual bluegrass) to soil cooling to about 70°F for several days. The 50–55°F band is the spring trigger. Always read and follow the product label.
7-day forecast and frost risk
The latest National Weather Service 7-day forecast and any Frost Advisory or Freeze Warning for 99502 load here. You can also open the NWS forecast for this ZIP.
Pre-emergent
Soil is 40°F at 4 inches (estimated soil temperature, not a station reading). Fall pre-emergent window is mostly past. Next: spring, when soil reaches 50°F (typically mid-April to early May).
Fertilizer window
Lawn region: North (cool-season). Timing only; always follow the product label.
- Kentucky bluegrass (cool-season): Early fall: Around Labor Day (late August–September); Late fall: Late October–November, before the ground freezes; Late spring: Optional around Memorial Day. Avoid: Early-spring and midsummer feeding (pushes top growth, favors crabgrass).
Plant now
No vegetable planting windows are open this week.
Prune now
No frost-timed pruning windows are open this week.
Spring-flowering shrubs are pruned right after their flowers fade, not by date. See the pruning guide.
Last spring frost odds
| Chance of a 32°F freeze after this date | Date |
|---|---|
| 90% (early: most years still freeze after this) | Apr 25 |
| 50% (the "average" last frost) | May 5 |
| 10% (cautious: only 1 year in 10 freezes later) | May 14 |
Most gardeners plant frost-tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, basil) after the 50% date, and closer to the 10% date for less risk.
First fall frost odds
| Chance the first 32°F freeze has happened by this date | Date |
|---|---|
| 10% (early: 1 year in 10 freezes this soon) | Sep 17 |
| 50% (the "average" first frost) | Sep 29 |
| 90% (late: most years have frozen by now) | Oct 13 |
Light frost, freeze and hard freeze
| Threshold | Last spring (50%) | First fall (50%) |
|---|---|---|
| 36°F (light frost possible on clear, calm nights) | May 17 | Sep 19 |
| 32°F (freeze) | May 5 | Sep 29 |
| 28°F (hard freeze) | Apr 22 | Oct 9 |
n/a means NOAA did not publish a date at that threshold for this station (usually because it rarely gets that cold).
Vegetable planting calendar for 99502
Dates count from your average last spring frost (May 5) and first fall frost (Sep 29). Half of years have a frost after the spring date, so give tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, squash) some slack.
| Crop | Start indoors | Spring planting | Fall planting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Mar 10–24 | May 12–26 (transplant) | – |
| Pepper (sweet and hot) | Feb 24–Mar 10 | May 19–Jun 2 (transplant) | – |
| Eggplant | Feb 24–Mar 10 | May 19–Jun 2 (transplant) | – |
| Tomatillo | Mar 10–24 | May 12–26 (transplant) | – |
| Lettuce | Mar 10–24 | Apr 14–May 5 (transplant) Apr 7–May 19 (sow outdoors) | Aug 4–25 (transplant) Jul 21–Aug 18 (sowing) |
| Spinach | – | Mar 24–Apr 14 (sow outdoors) | Aug 4–25 (sowing) |
| Kale | Mar 10–24 | Apr 7–21 (transplant) Apr 7–21 (sow outdoors) | Jul 7–Aug 4 (transplant) Jun 23–Jul 21 (sowing) |
| Collards | Mar 10–24 | Apr 7–May 5 (transplant) Apr 7–May 5 (sow outdoors) | Jul 7–Aug 4 (transplant) Jun 23–Jul 21 (sowing) |
| Broccoli | Feb 24–Mar 10 | Apr 7–21 (transplant) | Jun 23–Jul 21 (transplant) |
| Cabbage | Feb 24–Mar 10 | Apr 7–21 (transplant) | Jun 23–Jul 21 (transplant) |
| Cauliflower | Feb 24–Mar 10 | Apr 21–May 5 (transplant) | Jun 23–Jul 21 (transplant) |
| Brussels sprouts | Feb 10–24 | Apr 7–21 (transplant) | Jun 9–30 (transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Mar 10–24 | Apr 7–21 (transplant) Apr 7–21 (sow outdoors) | Jul 21–Aug 4 (sowing) |
| Bok choy / Asian greens | – | Apr 7–21 (sow outdoors) | Aug 4–18 (sowing) |
| Arugula | – | Apr 7–May 5 (sow outdoors) | Aug 4–Sep 1 (sowing) |
| Mustard greens | – | Apr 7–28 (sow outdoors) | Aug 4–18 (sowing) |
| Swiss chard | Mar 24–Apr 7 | Apr 21–May 12 (transplant) Apr 21–May 19 (sow outdoors) | Jul 21–Aug 4 (sowing) |
| Beet | – | Apr 7–May 5 (sow outdoors) | Jul 21–Aug 4 (sowing) |
| Carrot | – | Apr 14–May 12 (sow outdoors) | Jul 7–21 (sowing) |
| Radish | – | Mar 31–May 12 (sow outdoors) | Aug 18–Sep 1 (sowing) |
| Turnip | – | Apr 7–28 (sow outdoors) | Jul 21–Aug 4 (sowing) |
| Parsnip | – | Apr 14–May 5 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pea (garden, snap, snow) | – | Mar 10–Apr 7 (sow outdoors) | Jul 7–21 (sowing) |
| Onion (bulbing) | Feb 10–24 | Mar 24–Apr 7 (transplant) | – |
| Green onion / scallion | – | Mar 24–Apr 21 (sow outdoors) | Jul 21–Aug 4 (sowing) |
| Leek | Feb 10–24 | Apr 7–21 (transplant) | – |
| Garlic | – | – | Aug 18–Sep 15 (sowing) |
| Shallot | – | Mar 24–Apr 7 (transplant) | Aug 18–Sep 15 (sowing) |
| Potato | – | Apr 7–21 (transplant) | Jun 9–23 (transplant) |
| Sweet potato | – | May 26–Jun 9 (transplant) | – |
| Sweet corn | – | May 12–26 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, bush (snap) | – | May 12–26 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, pole | – | May 12–26 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Lima bean | – | May 19–Jun 2 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Southern pea (cowpea, black-eyed pea) | – | May 26–Jun 16 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cucumber | Apr 7–14 | May 12–26 (transplant) May 12–26 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Apr 7–14 | May 12–26 (transplant) May 12–26 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Winter squash | Apr 7–14 | May 12–26 (transplant) May 12–26 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pumpkin | – | May 12–26 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Watermelon | Apr 7–14 | May 19–Jun 2 (transplant) May 19–Jun 2 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cantaloupe / muskmelon | Apr 7–14 | May 19–Jun 2 (transplant) May 19–Jun 2 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Okra | Mar 24–Apr 7 | May 19–Jun 2 (transplant) May 19–Jun 2 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Celery | Feb 10–24 | May 12–19 (transplant) | – |
| Basil | Mar 24–Apr 7 | May 12–26 (transplant) May 12–26 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cilantro | – | Apr 21–May 19 (sow outdoors) | Aug 4–18 (sowing) |
| Parsley | Feb 24–Mar 10 | Apr 21–May 5 (transplant) Apr 14–May 5 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Dill | – | May 5–19 (sow outdoors) | Aug 4–18 (sowing) |
| Sunflower | – | May 5–19 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Asparagus (crowns) | – | Apr 7–21 (transplant) | – |
| Rhubarb (crowns) | – | Apr 7–21 (transplant) | – |
| Strawberry (plants) | – | Apr 7–21 (transplant) | Jul 21–Aug 18 (transplant) |
Typical ranges from university extension planting calendars, adjusted to your frost dates. Probabilities, not guarantees. Fall windows that would overlap spring planting are left out, as are fall crops of frost-tender plants where the frost-free season is under 210 days.
Where these numbers come from
Station: Anchorage Forecast Office, AK (NOAA GHCN-Daily ID USC00500275), elevation 131 ft, 0.7 miles from the ZIP's center point. NOAA completeness flag: R (representative, 10+ years).
Nearby stations
| Station | Distance | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anchorage Intl AP, AK | 1 mi | May 5 | Oct 1 |
| Anchorage Lake Hood AP, AK | 1 mi | May 1 | Oct 3 |
| Anchorage Merrill Fld, AK | 6 mi | May 1 | Sep 29 |
The average last-frost dates of these stations span 4 days, a rough guide to local variation. See data sources & methods.
Frost questions for 99502
When is the last frost in 99502?
The average (50% chance) last spring freeze of 32°F for ZIP 99502 is May 5. For a more cautious planting date, use May 14, when only 1 year in 10 still sees a later freeze.
When is the first frost in 99502?
The average first fall freeze is September 29. In 1 year in 10 it comes by September 17.
What hardiness zone is 99502?
ZIP 99502 is in USDA zone 5b (-15 to -10°F average coldest winter night), per the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP listing.
What is the soil temperature in 99502 right now?
This page shows the latest 2-inch and 4-inch soil temperature from the nearest public soil station (USDA SCAN, NOAA USCRN or TexMesonet), or a labeled estimate when no station is close, against the 50–55°F spring pre-emergent band.
Nearby ZIP codes
99530 Anchorage 99517 Anchorage 99518 Anchorage 99515 Anchorage 99513 Anchorage 99501 Anchorage 99508 Anchorage 99506 Anchorage
Other ZIP codes in Anchorage Municipality
99501 99504 99505 99506 99507 99508 99513 99515 99516 99517 99518 99530 99540 99567 99577 99587 All Anchorage Municipality frost dates · Alaska frost dates
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Weekly yard timing, plus frost and soil-temperature alerts for your ZIP code.
- Freeze alerts
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Free. One weekly email plus alerts when your ZIP has a frost or a soil-temperature change worth acting on. After you submit, Kit (our email provider) sends a confirmation email: check your email and click the link to confirm. You aren't subscribed until you do. We collect only your email address and ZIP, sent to Kit to deliver The Dial. Unsubscribe anytime.