Frost dates for ZIP 99836 (Port Alexander, 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, Port Alexander, AK (0 miles away).
- Average last spring frostApr 1850% chance of a 32°F freeze after this date
- Average first fall frostNov 550% chance of a 32°F freeze by this date
- Growing season (frost-free)198 daysmedian, 32°F threshold
- USDA hardiness zone8a10 to 15°F avg. coldest night
This week in your yard
As of Oct 18, 2026, from your frost dates, zone and soil temperature. Lawn timing · Vegetables · Pruning · Plants
Fall in zone 8a
Soil temperature now
2-inch depth
No soil station with a fresh reading within 62 miles.
4-inch depth
No soil station with a fresh reading within 62 miles.
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 99836 load here. You can also open the NWS forecast for this ZIP.
Pre-emergent
No soil reading near this ZIP. Typical extension timing for your region: spring 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
Prune now
No frost-timed pruning windows are open this week.
Your average first frost is Nov 5: skip heavy pruning in the 6–8 weeks before it, because new growth may not harden off in time.
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) | Mar 31 |
| 50% (the "average" last frost) | Apr 18 |
| 10% (cautious: only 1 year in 10 freezes later) | May 5 |
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) | Oct 16 |
| 50% (the "average" first frost) | Nov 5 |
| 90% (late: most years have frozen by now) | Nov 25 |
Light frost, freeze and hard freeze
| Threshold | Last spring (50%) | First fall (50%) |
|---|---|---|
| 36°F (light frost possible on clear, calm nights) | May 10 | Oct 14 |
| 32°F (freeze) | Apr 18 | Nov 5 |
| 28°F (hard freeze) | Mar 26 | Nov 24 |
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 99836
Dates count from your average last spring frost (Apr 18) and first fall frost (Nov 5). 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 | Feb 21–Mar 7 | Apr 25–May 9 (transplant) | – |
| Pepper (sweet and hot) | Feb 7–21 | May 2–16 (transplant) | – |
| Eggplant | Feb 7–21 | May 2–16 (transplant) | – |
| Tomatillo | Feb 21–Mar 7 | Apr 25–May 9 (transplant) | – |
| Lettuce | Feb 21–Mar 7 | Mar 28–Apr 18 (transplant) Mar 21–May 2 (sow outdoors) | Sep 10–Oct 1 (transplant) Aug 27–Sep 24 (sowing) |
| Spinach | – | Mar 7–28 (sow outdoors) | Sep 10–Oct 1 (sowing) |
| Kale | Feb 21–Mar 7 | Mar 21–Apr 4 (transplant) Mar 21–Apr 4 (sow outdoors) | Aug 13–Sep 10 (transplant) Jul 30–Aug 27 (sowing) |
| Collards | Feb 21–Mar 7 | Mar 21–Apr 18 (transplant) Mar 21–Apr 18 (sow outdoors) | Aug 13–Sep 10 (transplant) Jul 30–Aug 27 (sowing) |
| Broccoli | Feb 7–21 | Mar 21–Apr 4 (transplant) | Jul 30–Aug 27 (transplant) |
| Cabbage | Feb 7–21 | Mar 21–Apr 4 (transplant) | Jul 30–Aug 27 (transplant) |
| Cauliflower | Feb 7–21 | Apr 4–18 (transplant) | Jul 30–Aug 27 (transplant) |
| Brussels sprouts | Jan 24–Feb 7 | Mar 21–Apr 4 (transplant) | Jul 16–Aug 6 (transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Feb 21–Mar 7 | Mar 21–Apr 4 (transplant) Mar 21–Apr 4 (sow outdoors) | Aug 27–Sep 10 (sowing) |
| Bok choy / Asian greens | – | Mar 21–Apr 4 (sow outdoors) | Sep 10–24 (sowing) |
| Arugula | – | Mar 21–Apr 18 (sow outdoors) | Sep 10–Oct 8 (sowing) |
| Mustard greens | – | Mar 21–Apr 11 (sow outdoors) | Sep 10–24 (sowing) |
| Swiss chard | Mar 7–21 | Apr 4–25 (transplant) Apr 4–May 2 (sow outdoors) | Aug 27–Sep 10 (sowing) |
| Beet | – | Mar 21–Apr 18 (sow outdoors) | Aug 27–Sep 10 (sowing) |
| Carrot | – | Mar 28–Apr 25 (sow outdoors) | Aug 13–27 (sowing) |
| Radish | – | Mar 14–Apr 25 (sow outdoors) | Sep 24–Oct 8 (sowing) |
| Turnip | – | Mar 21–Apr 11 (sow outdoors) | Aug 27–Sep 10 (sowing) |
| Parsnip | – | Mar 28–Apr 18 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pea (garden, snap, snow) | – | Feb 21–Mar 21 (sow outdoors) | Aug 13–27 (sowing) |
| Onion (bulbing) | Jan 24–Feb 7 | Mar 7–21 (transplant) | – |
| Green onion / scallion | – | Mar 7–Apr 4 (sow outdoors) | Aug 27–Sep 10 (sowing) |
| Leek | Jan 24–Feb 7 | Mar 21–Apr 4 (transplant) | – |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 24–Oct 22 (sowing) |
| Shallot | – | Mar 7–21 (transplant) | Sep 24–Oct 22 (sowing) |
| Potato | – | Mar 21–Apr 4 (transplant) | Jul 16–30 (transplant) |
| Sweet potato | – | May 9–23 (transplant) | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 25–May 9 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, bush (snap) | – | Apr 25–May 9 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, pole | – | Apr 25–May 9 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Lima bean | – | May 2–16 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Southern pea (cowpea, black-eyed pea) | – | May 9–30 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cucumber | Mar 21–28 | Apr 25–May 9 (transplant) Apr 25–May 9 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Mar 21–28 | Apr 25–May 9 (transplant) Apr 25–May 9 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Winter squash | Mar 21–28 | Apr 25–May 9 (transplant) Apr 25–May 9 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pumpkin | – | Apr 25–May 9 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Watermelon | Mar 21–28 | May 2–16 (transplant) May 2–16 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cantaloupe / muskmelon | Mar 21–28 | May 2–16 (transplant) May 2–16 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Okra | Mar 7–21 | May 2–16 (transplant) May 2–16 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Celery | Jan 24–Feb 7 | Apr 25–May 2 (transplant) | – |
| Basil | Mar 7–21 | Apr 25–May 9 (transplant) Apr 25–May 9 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cilantro | – | Apr 4–May 2 (sow outdoors) | Sep 10–24 (sowing) |
| Parsley | Feb 7–21 | Apr 4–18 (transplant) Mar 28–Apr 18 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Dill | – | Apr 18–May 2 (sow outdoors) | Sep 10–24 (sowing) |
| Sunflower | – | Apr 18–May 2 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Asparagus (crowns) | – | Mar 21–Apr 4 (transplant) | – |
| Rhubarb (crowns) | – | Mar 21–Apr 4 (transplant) | – |
| Strawberry (plants) | – | Mar 21–Apr 4 (transplant) | Aug 27–Sep 24 (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: Port Alexander, AK (NOAA GHCN-Daily ID USC00507557), elevation 12 ft, 0.3 miles from the ZIP's center point. NOAA completeness flag: R (representative, 10+ years).
Nearby stations
| Station | Distance | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Little Port Walter, AK | 9 mi | Apr 21 | Oct 31 |
| Pt Baker, AK | 40 mi | Apr 19 | Oct 25 |
| Sitka 1 NE, AK | 62 mi | May 3 | Oct 18 |
The average last-frost dates of these stations span 16 days, a rough guide to local variation. See data sources & methods.
Frost questions for 99836
When is the last frost in 99836?
The average (50% chance) last spring freeze of 32°F for ZIP 99836 is April 18. For a more cautious planting date, use May 5, when only 1 year in 10 still sees a later freeze.
When is the first frost in 99836?
The average first fall freeze is November 5. In 1 year in 10 it comes by October 16.
What hardiness zone is 99836?
ZIP 99836 is in USDA zone 8a (10 to 15°F average coldest winter night), per the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP listing.
What is the soil temperature in 99836 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
99927 Port Protection 99830 Kake 99835 Sitka 99833 Petersburg 99918 Coffman Cove 99820 Angoon 99925 Klawock 99922 Hydaburg
Other ZIP codes in Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area
99830 99918 99919 99921 99922 99923 99925 99926 99927 All Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area frost dates · Alaska frost dates
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