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

Planting zone for 99740 — Fort Yukon, AK

ZIP code 99740 (Fort Yukon, Yukon-Koyukuk (CA) County) is in USDA zone 3a: the coldest winter night averages −40 to −35 °F.

Where ZIP 99740 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.

Zone3a−40 to −35 °F
Coldest night−40 to −37.2 °C
Last frostrare
First frostrare
2012 zone1a

Was 1a on the 2012 map — 2 zones warmer now. The zone is the one at the center of the ZIP code; hilly ZIPs can span two zones. What zone 3a means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Fort Yukon, 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 Fort Yukon, 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 3a in Alaska

80 plants native to Alaska, recorded in Alaska, and rated by the USDA to survive −40 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 3a. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

Trees 8

balsam 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 °Fpaper birch70 ft · blooms mid spring · high shade tolerance · to −62 °Fquaking aspen65 ft · blooms mid spring · high shade tolerance · to −70 °Fsubalpine fir90 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −51 °F

Shrubs 26

alpine bearberry0.5 ft · blooms early spring · medium shade tolerance · to −62 °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 °Fchokecherry25 ft · blooms mid spring · high shade tolerance · to −43 °Fcommon juniper10 ft · blooms mid spring · high shade tolerance · to −43 °F

Wildflowers & perennials 22

alpine mountainsorrel1 ft · blooms mid summer · medium shade tolerance · to −43 °Falpine sweetvetch2 ft · blooms early summer · high shade tolerance · to −62 °Farctic dock1 ft · blooms summer · high shade tolerance · to −62 °Farctic lupine2 ft · blooms spring · medium shade tolerance · to −62 °Farctic poppy1.5 ft · blooms summer · low shade tolerance · to −54 °Farctic raspberry1 ft · blooms summer · high shade tolerance · to −62 °F

Grasses 19

alpine timothy1.4 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −43 °Farctic bluegrass2 ft · high shade tolerance · to −62 °FBigelow's sedge0.4 ft · blooms mid summer · medium shade tolerance · to −43 °Fglaucous bluegrass2 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −40 °Fhair-like sedge1.7 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −43 °FHoppner's sedge1 ft · high shade tolerance · to −52 °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 Fort Yukon, AK.

Soil in Fort Yukon, AK

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 99740 is E31-Boreal taiga-silty frozen loess slopes — peat, poorly drained.

TexturePeattop layer
pH4.8strongly acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainagePoorly drainedconsider raised beds
Organic matter80%high
Hydrologic groupDwater soaks in very slowly
Farmland classNot prime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Interior Alaska Highlands-Boreal Upland-Hills and 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 99740; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Fort Yukon, AK

Longest day24 h 00 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day0 h 00 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

3 of the 3 nearest ZIP codes are in a different zone — elevation and distance from water change winter lows quickly.

997812b
Venetie, AK · 38 mi
997221b
Arctic Village, AK · 41 mi
997881a
Chalkyitsik, AK · 72 mi

Alaska planting zones →

Questions about 99740

What planting zone is ZIP code 99740?

ZIP code 99740 (Fort Yukon, AK) is in USDA hardiness zone 3a on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches −40 to −35 °F (−40 to −37.2 °C).

What kind of soil does 99740 have?

The USDA soil survey maps E31-Boreal taiga-silty frozen loess slopes at the center of ZIP 99740: peat, poorly drained, pH about 4.8 (strongly acidic).

What kind of onions grow in Fort Yukon, AK?

Long-day onions: the longest day near 99740 is 24 h 00 min, so summer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too).

Did the zone for 99740 change?

Yes. The 2012 USDA map put 99740 in zone 1a; the 2023 map puts it in zone 3a. The newer map uses 1991–2020 data and more weather stations.