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

Planting zone for 99759 — Point Lay, AK

ZIP code 99759 (Point Lay, North Slope County) is in USDA zone 2b: the coldest winter night averages −45 to −40 °F.

Where ZIP 99759 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.

Zone2b−45 to −40 °F
Coldest night−42.8 to −40 °C
Last frostrare
First frostrare
2012 zone2a

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

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Point Lay, 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 Point Lay, 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 2b in Alaska

45 plants native to Alaska, recorded in Alaska, and rated by the USDA to survive −45 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 2b. 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 17

alpine bearberry0.5 ft · blooms early spring · medium shade tolerance · to −62 °Fblack hawthorn15 ft · blooms mid spring · medium shade tolerance · to −47 °Fhalberd willow3 ft · blooms early summer · to −62 °FLapland rosebay3 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −62 °Flingonberry0.5 ft · blooms summer · high shade tolerance · to −62 °FMacKenzie's willow45 ft · blooms early spring · high shade tolerance · to −50 °F

Wildflowers & perennials 12

alpine 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 °Feightpetal mountain-avens0.3 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −62 °F

Grasses 6

arctic bluegrass2 ft · high shade tolerance · to −62 °FHoppner's sedge1 ft · high shade tolerance · to −52 °Flargeflower speargrass2 ft · high shade tolerance · to −52 °Flivid sedge1 ft · blooms early summer · high shade tolerance · to −62 °FLyngbye's sedge1 ft · high shade tolerance · to −52 °FRamensk'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 Point Lay, AK.

Soil in Point Lay, AK

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 99759 is E46-Arctic sedge-loamy frozen low-center polygons — peat, very poorly drained.

TexturePeattop layer
pH5.0strongly acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageVery poorly drainedconsider raised beds
Organic matter90%high
Hydrologic groupDwater soaks in very slowly
Farmland classNot prime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Arctic Coastal Plain-Arctic Lowland-Coastal Plains, High.

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 99759; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Point Lay, AK

Summer high52 °Faverage high, July
Winter low−18 °Faverage low, January
Hot days0days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights283nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days61base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
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)

Average high and low, by month

−30°−20°−10°0°10°20°30°40°50°60°32 °FJanuary: average high -4 °F, low -18 °F −4°−18° JanFebruary: average high -5 °F, low -18 °F −5°−18° FebMarch: average high -3 °F, low -18 °F −3°−18° MarApril: average high 11 °F, low -3 °F 11°−3° AprMay: average high 29 °F, low 19 °F 29°19° MayJune: average high 46 °F, low 33 °F 46°33° JunJuly: average high 52 °F, low 39 °F 52°39° JulAugust: average high 49 °F, low 38 °F 49°38° AugSeptember: average high 39 °F, low 31 °F 39°31° SepOctober: average high 26 °F, low 16 °F 26°16° OctNovember: average high 12 °F, low -1 °F 12°−1° NovDecember: average high 0 °F, low -13 °F 0°−13° Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Wainwright Airport, AK (91 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

All 0 nearest ZIP codes share zone 2b.

Alaska planting zones →

Questions about 99759

What planting zone is ZIP code 99759?

ZIP code 99759 (Point Lay, AK) is in USDA hardiness zone 2b on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches −45 to −40 °F (−42.8 to −40 °C).

How hot do summers get in Point Lay, AK?

The average high peaks at 52 °F in July, with about 0 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 99759 have?

The USDA soil survey maps E46-Arctic sedge-loamy frozen low-center polygons at the center of ZIP 99759: peat, very poorly drained, pH about 5.0 (strongly acidic).

What kind of onions grow in Point Lay, AK?

Long-day onions: the longest day near 99759 is 24 h 00 min, so summer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too).

Did the zone for 99759 change?

Yes. The 2012 USDA map put 99759 in zone 2a; the 2023 map puts it in zone 2b. The newer map uses 1991–2020 data and more weather stations.