Data: 2023 USDA zones (PRISM/OSU) · NOAA 1991–2020 normals · updated

Planting zone for 96703 — Anahola, HI

ZIP code 96703 (Anahola, Kauai County) is in USDA zone 12a: the coldest winter night averages 50 to 55 °F.

Where ZIP 96703 is

Outlined: the ZIP code area · tap the map for the zone at any spot · scroll or pinch to zoom

Not the official USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Zones come from the 2023 USDA hardiness-zone data by the PRISM Group, Oregon State University; we re-mapped and recolored them. The official map is at planthardiness.ars.usda.gov.

Zone12a50 to 55 °F
Coldest night10 to 12.8 °C
Last frostrare
First frostrare
2012 zone12b

Was 12b on the 2012 map — half a zone colder now. The zone is the one at the center of the ZIP code; hilly ZIPs can span two zones. What zone 12a means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Anahola, HI…

Forecast data: National Weather Service (api.weather.gov), public domain. This is not a warning service — for official frost and freeze warnings see weather.gov.

Frost dates

A 32 °F frost doesn't happen here in most winters. At the nearest station (NOAA station Kanalohuluhulu 1075, HI — 19 miles away, elevation 3,599 ft) the median growing season is 365 days. When frost does come, it is a midwinter night or two; cover tender plants when a freeze is forecast.

Frost data: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Native plants for zone 12a in Hawaii

37 plants native to Hawaii, recorded in Hawaii, and rated by the USDA to survive 50 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 12a. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

Trees 7

Chamisso's manfern10 ft · blooms indeterminate · medium shade tolerance · to 40 °Fhapu'u8 ft · blooms indeterminate · medium shade tolerance · to 40 °FHawai'i pritchardia60 ft · medium shade tolerance · to 40 °FKamalo pritchardia16 ft · medium shade tolerance · to 40 °Fkoa110 ft · blooms spring · high shade tolerance · to 31 °Fkoaoha40 ft · blooms early spring · high shade tolerance · to 25 °F

Shrubs 12

'ala'a40 ft · medium shade tolerance · to 40 °F'ohi'a lehua65 ft · blooms late spring · high shade tolerance · to 22 °Fbeach naupaka10 ft · blooms indeterminate · medium shade tolerance · to 31 °FGaudichaud's senna2 ft · to 40 °FHawai'i desert-thorn1 ft · blooms summer · medium shade tolerance · to 40 °FHawai'i hawthorn12 ft · blooms spring · medium shade tolerance · to 35 °F

Wildflowers & perennials 8

bayhops1 ft · blooms indeterminate · medium shade tolerance · to 17 °Fbeach strawberry0.8 ft · blooms early spring · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °Fcommon duckmeatblooms late summer · medium shade tolerance · to −38 °Fcommon maidenhair1.7 ft · blooms summer · low shade tolerance · to −33 °Flongleaf pondweedblooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −38 °Fsalt heliotrope1.2 ft · blooms mid spring · high shade tolerance · to −28 °F

Grasses 10

blunt spikerush1.6 ft · blooms summer · high shade tolerance · to 37 °Fcosmopolitan bulrush3 ft · blooms late summer · high shade tolerance · to −23 °Ffragrant flatsedge2 ft · blooms late summer · high shade tolerance · to 42 °Fkawelu3 ft · high shade tolerance · to 40 °Fmanyspike flatsedge1.6 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to 47 °Fovate spikerush1.5 ft · blooms late summer · high shade tolerance · to 47 °F

Source: USDA, NRCS. 2026. The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov), National Plant Data Team — state distribution, native status and the “Temperature, Minimum” characteristic. Check light, moisture and soil needs before buying; local nurseries and your state native plant society can confirm what thrives in Anahola, HI.

Soil in Anahola, HI

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 96703 is Pooku — silty clay loam, well drained.

TextureSilty clay loamholds water and nutrients; slow to drain and warm up
pH4.5strongly acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageWell drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter6.5%high
Hydrologic groupBwater soaks in moderately
Farmland classprime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Pooku silty clay loam, 3 to 8 percent slopes.

Soil Survey Staff, Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA. Soil Survey Geographic (SSURGO) Database, via Soil Data Access, accessed 2026-10-29. The soil at the center point of ZIP 96703; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Anahola, HI

Summer high84 °Faverage high, September
Winter low63 °Faverage low, January
Hot days0days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights0nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days8,718base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day13 h 29 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day10 h 47 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growShort-daysummer days stay under about 14 h 20 min, so long-day varieties won’t bulb
Precipitation73.8 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

50°60°70°80°90°January: average high 77 °F, low 63 °F 77°63° JanFebruary: average high 77 °F, low 64 °F 77°64° FebMarch: average high 76 °F, low 64 °F 76°64° MarApril: average high 78 °F, low 66 °F 78°66° AprMay: average high 80 °F, low 68 °F 80°68° MayJune: average high 82 °F, low 70 °F 82°70° JunJuly: average high 83 °F, low 71 °F 83°71° JulAugust: average high 83 °F, low 72 °F 83°72° AugSeptember: average high 84 °F, low 71 °F 84°71° SepOctober: average high 83 °F, low 70 °F 83°70° OctNovember: average high 80 °F, low 68 °F 80°68° NovDecember: average high 78 °F, low 66 °F 78°66° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″2″4″6″8″10″January: 4.83 in precipitation 4.8 JanFebruary: 6.47 in precipitation 6.5 FebMarch: 7.89 in precipitation 7.9 MarApril: 5.60 in precipitation 5.6 AprMay: 4.30 in precipitation 4.3 MayJune: 6.01 in precipitation 6.0 JunJuly: 4.28 in precipitation 4.3 JulAugust: 7.12 in precipitation 7.1 AugSeptember: 4.26 in precipitation 4.3 SepOctober: 5.15 in precipitation 5.2 OctNovember: 8.67 in precipitation 8.7 NovDecember: 9.24 in precipitation 9.2 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Kilauea 1134, HI (6 mi away); precipitation: Kapaa 1.4 W, HI (3 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

4 of the 8 nearest ZIP codes are in a different zone — elevation and distance from water change winter lows quickly.

9674612a
Kapaa, HI · 3 mi
9675412b
Kilauea, HI · 4 mi
9675112b
Kealia, HI · 5 mi
9672212b
Princeville, HI · 7 mi
9676612a
Lihue, HI · 9 mi
9671412a
Hanalei, HI · 10 mi
9671512b
Hanamaulu, HI · 10 mi
9674112a
Kalaheo, HI · 15 mi

Hawaii planting zones →

Questions about 96703

What planting zone is ZIP code 96703?

ZIP code 96703 (Anahola, HI) is in USDA hardiness zone 12a on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches 50 to 55 °F (10 to 12.8 °C).

How much rain and snow does 96703 get?

About 73.8 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Kapaa 1.4 W station).

How hot do summers get in Anahola, HI?

The average high peaks at 84 °F in September, with about 0 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 96703 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Pooku at the center of ZIP 96703: silty clay loam, well drained, pH about 4.5 (strongly acidic).

What kind of onions grow in Anahola, HI?

Short-day onions: the longest day near 96703 is 13 h 29 min, so summer days stay under about 14 h 20 min, so long-day varieties won’t bulb.

Did the zone for 96703 change?

Yes. The 2012 USDA map put 96703 in zone 12b; the 2023 map puts it in zone 12a. The newer map uses 1991–2020 data and more weather stations.