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

Planting zone for 96742 — Kalaupapa, HI

ZIP code 96742 (Kalaupapa, Maui County) is in USDA zone 12b: the coldest winter night averages 55 to 60 °F.

Where ZIP 96742 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.

Zone12b55 to 60 °F
Coldest night12.8 to 15.6 °C
Last frostrare
First frostrare
2012 zone12b

Same zone as on the 2012 map. The zone is the one at the center of the ZIP code; hilly ZIPs can span two zones. What zone 12b means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Kalaupapa, 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

Frost is rare or absent here: Kalaupapa, HI is in zone 12b, where the coldest night of a typical winter stays above freezing. Cool-season vegetables grow best from fall through spring; summer heat, not frost, is the limit.

Native plants for zone 12b in Hawaii

37 plants native to Hawaii, recorded in Hawaii, and rated by the USDA to survive 55 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 12b. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

Trees 7

Shrubs 12

Wildflowers & perennials 8

Grasses 10

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 Kalaupapa, HI.

Soil in Kalaupapa, HI

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 96742 is Stony alluvial land — extremely stony silty clay, well drained.

TextureExtremely stony silty clayholds water and nutrients; slow to drain and warm up
pH7.0neutral; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageWell drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter2%moderate
Hydrologic groupAwater soaks in fast
Farmland classNot prime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Stony alluvial land.

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 96742; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Kalaupapa, HI

Summer high87 °Faverage high, August
Winter low64 °Faverage low, January
Hot days5days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights0nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days9,455base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day13 h 25 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day10 h 51 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growShort-daysummer days stay under about 14 h 20 min, so long-day varieties won’t bulb
Precipitation37.9 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

50°60°70°80°90°100°January: average high 79 °F, low 64 °F 79°64° JanFebruary: average high 79 °F, low 65 °F 79°65° FebMarch: average high 79 °F, low 66 °F 79°66° MarApril: average high 81 °F, low 67 °F 81°67° AprMay: average high 83 °F, low 69 °F 83°69° MayJune: average high 85 °F, low 72 °F 85°72° JunJuly: average high 86 °F, low 73 °F 86°73° JulAugust: average high 87 °F, low 73 °F 87°73° AugSeptember: average high 87 °F, low 73 °F 87°73° SepOctober: average high 86 °F, low 71 °F 86°71° OctNovember: average high 83 °F, low 70 °F 83°70° NovDecember: average high 80 °F, low 67 °F 80°67° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″1″2″3″4″5″6″January: 4.16 in precipitation 4.2 JanFebruary: 3.30 in precipitation 3.3 FebMarch: 5.88 in precipitation 5.9 MarApril: 3.83 in precipitation 3.8 AprMay: 2.31 in precipitation 2.3 MayJune: 1.19 in precipitation 1.2 JunJuly: 2.03 in precipitation 2.0 JulAugust: 1.97 in precipitation 2.0 AugSeptember: 1.59 in precipitation 1.6 SepOctober: 2.27 in precipitation 2.3 OctNovember: 4.35 in precipitation 4.3 NovDecember: 4.98 in precipitation 5.0 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Molokai Airport, HI (9 mi away); precipitation: Kalaupapa 563, HI (within 1 mile). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

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

Hawaii planting zones →

Questions about 96742

What planting zone is ZIP code 96742?

ZIP code 96742 (Kalaupapa, HI) is in USDA hardiness zone 12b on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches 55 to 60 °F (12.8 to 15.6 °C).

How much rain and snow does 96742 get?

About 37.9 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Kalaupapa 563 station).

How hot do summers get in Kalaupapa, HI?

The average high peaks at 87 °F in August, with about 5 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 96742 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Stony alluvial land at the center of ZIP 96742: extremely stony silty clay, well drained, pH about 7.0 (neutral).

What kind of onions grow in Kalaupapa, HI?

Short-day onions: the longest day near 96742 is 13 h 25 min, so summer days stay under about 14 h 20 min, so long-day varieties won’t bulb.