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

Planting zone for 99638 — Nikolski, AK

ZIP code 99638 (Nikolski, Aleutians West (CA) County) is in USDA zone 8b: the coldest winter night averages 15 to 20 °F.

Where ZIP 99638 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.

Zone8b15 to 20 °F
Coldest night−9.4 to −6.7 °C
Last frostrare
First frostrare
2012 zone7b

Was 7b on the 2012 map — a full zone warmer now. The zone is the one at the center of the ZIP code; hilly ZIPs can span two zones. What zone 8b means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Nikolski, AK…

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

No NOAA station with frost records lies within 90 miles of Nikolski, AK, so we don't show frost dates here rather than guess. Your local extension office can give you a date.

Native plants for zone 8b in Alaska

294 plants native to Alaska, recorded in Alaska, and rated by the USDA to survive 15 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 8b. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

Trees 16

Alaska cedar75 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −22 °Fbalsam poplar80 ft · blooms late spring · high shade tolerance · to −79 °Fblack spruce65 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −79 °Flodgepole pine99 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −70 °Fmountain hemlock125 ft · blooms early summer · low shade tolerance · to −18 °FPacific silver fir165 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −28 °F

Shrubs 52

alpine bearberry0.5 ft · blooms early spring · medium shade tolerance · to −62 °Falpine laurel1 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −28 °FBarclay's willow15 ft · high shade tolerance · to −43 °Fblack crowberry1 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −43 °Fblack hawthorn15 ft · blooms mid spring · medium shade tolerance · to −47 °Fbog blueberry2 ft · blooms early summer · medium shade tolerance · to −38 °F

Wildflowers & perennials 126

alkali buttercup1 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Falpine aster0.3 ft · blooms early summer · medium shade tolerance · to −28 °Falpine bistort1 ft · blooms mid spring · high shade tolerance · to −38 °Falpine mountainsorrel1 ft · blooms mid summer · medium shade tolerance · to −43 °Falpine sweetvetch2 ft · blooms early summer · high shade tolerance · to −62 °FAmerican alpine speedwell1 ft · blooms summer · medium shade tolerance · to −28 °F

Grasses 89

Alaska brome5 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −18 °FAlaska oniongrass3 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −33 °FAlpine Meadow-Foxtail0.5 ft · blooms mid spring · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °Falpine timothy1.4 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −43 °Farctic bluegrass2 ft · high shade tolerance · to −62 °Fawlfruit sedge4 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °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 Nikolski, AK.

Soil in Nikolski, AK

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 99638 is E26-Maritime dwarf scrub/herbaceous-ashy slopes — stony moderately decomposed plant material, well drained.

TextureStony moderately decomposed plant materialtop layer
pH5.0strongly acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageWell drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter75%high
Hydrologic groupBwater soaks in moderately
Farmland classNot prime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Aleutian Islands-Western Alaska Peninsula-Maritime Upland-Glaciated Plains.

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 99638; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Nikolski, AK

Longest day16 h 56 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day7 h 34 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growLong-daysummer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too)

Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

All 0 nearest ZIP codes share zone 8b.

Alaska planting zones →

Questions about 99638

What planting zone is ZIP code 99638?

ZIP code 99638 (Nikolski, AK) is in USDA hardiness zone 8b on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches 15 to 20 °F (−9.4 to −6.7 °C).

What kind of soil does 99638 have?

The USDA soil survey maps E26-Maritime dwarf scrub/herbaceous-ashy slopes at the center of ZIP 99638: stony moderately decomposed plant material, well drained, pH about 5.0 (strongly acidic).

What kind of onions grow in Nikolski, AK?

Long-day onions: the longest day near 99638 is 16 h 56 min, so summer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too).

Did the zone for 99638 change?

Yes. The 2012 USDA map put 99638 in zone 7b; the 2023 map puts it in zone 8b. The newer map uses 1991–2020 data and more weather stations.