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

Planting zone for 99760 — Nenana, AK

ZIP code 99760 (Nenana, Yukon-Koyukuk (CA) County) is in USDA zone 2a: the coldest winter night averages −50 to −45 °F. The median last spring frost is May 15 and the first fall frost September 11.

Where ZIP 99760 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.

Zone2a−50 to −45 °F
Coldest night−45.6 to −42.8 °C
Last frostMay 15
First frostSep 11
2012 zone2a

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 2a means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Nenana, 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 in Nenana, AK

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostMay 15median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMay 29only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostSeptember 11median — 10% chance by Aug 27
Growing season117 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around May 5 and returns around September 22.

From the NOAA station Nenana Municipal Airport, AK — 9 miles away, elevation 361 ft. NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, 32 °F threshold. Low spots and valleys can freeze later in spring than the station.

When to plant vegetables in 99760

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Apr 3 – Apr 17
SpinachSow outdoors · Apr 3 – Apr 24
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Mar 6 – Mar 20
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Apr 24 – May 8
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Apr 17 – May 1
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Apr 24 – May 8
LettuceSow outdoors · Apr 17 – May 1
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Apr 24 – May 8
TomatoesStart indoors · Mar 20 – Apr 3
TomatoesTransplant · May 22 – Jun 5
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Mar 6 – Mar 20
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · May 29 – Jun 12
BeansSow outdoors · May 22 – Jun 5
Sweet cornSow outdoors · May 22 – Jun 5
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · May 22 – Jun 5
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Jul 17 – Jul 31
GarlicPlant cloves · Aug 28 – Oct 2
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (May 15) and first fall frost (Sep 11) with the rules of thumb U.S. extension services publish. Cool-season crops take a light frost; warm-season crops do best once the soil is above about 60 °F.

Native plants for zone 2a in Alaska

44 plants native to Alaska, recorded in Alaska, and rated by the USDA to survive −50 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 2a. 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 16

alpine bearberry0.5 ft · blooms early spring · medium shade tolerance · to −62 °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 °Fmarsh Labrador tea0.5 ft · blooms summer · to −62 °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 Nenana, AK.

Soil in Nenana, AK

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 99760 is 29-Eielson — slightly decomposed plant material, moderately well drained.

TextureSlightly decomposed plant materialtop layer
pH6.3slightly acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageModerately well drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter90%high
Hydrologic groupBwater soaks in moderately
Farmland classNot prime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Eielson-Piledriver complex, occasionally flooded.

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 99760; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Nenana, AK

Summer high73 °Faverage high, July
Winter low−12 °Faverage low, January
Hot days0days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights228nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days1,116base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day21 h 24 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day3 h 57 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growLong-daysummer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too)
Precipitation12.4 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

−20°−10°0°10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°32 °FJanuary: average high 5 °F, low -12 °F 5°−12° JanFebruary: average high 15 °F, low -5 °F 15°−5° FebMarch: average high 24 °F, low 1 °F 24°1° MarApril: average high 45 °F, low 23 °F 45°23° AprMay: average high 63 °F, low 39 °F 63°39° MayJune: average high 72 °F, low 49 °F 72°49° JunJuly: average high 73 °F, low 53 °F 73°53° JulAugust: average high 67 °F, low 48 °F 67°48° AugSeptember: average high 55 °F, low 37 °F 55°37° SepOctober: average high 35 °F, low 21 °F 35°21° OctNovember: average high 15 °F, low 1 °F 15°1° NovDecember: average high 8 °F, low -9 °F 8°−9° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″1″2″3″January: 0.58 in precipitation 0.6 JanFebruary: 0.44 in precipitation 0.4 FebMarch: 0.36 in precipitation 0.4 MarApril: 0.29 in precipitation 0.3 AprMay: 0.62 in precipitation 0.6 MayJune: 1.76 in precipitation 1.8 JunJuly: 2.32 in precipitation 2.3 JulAugust: 2.34 in precipitation 2.3 AugSeptember: 1.43 in precipitation 1.4 SepOctober: 0.87 in precipitation 0.9 OctNovember: 0.79 in precipitation 0.8 NovDecember: 0.57 in precipitation 0.6 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Nenana Municipal Airport, AK (9 mi away); precipitation: Nenana Municipal Airport, AK (9 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.

997442a
Anderson, AK · 7 mi
997042a
Clear, AK · 9 mi
997432a
Healy, AK · 42 mi
997093b
Fairbanks, AK · 43 mi
997253b
Ester, AK · 45 mi
997553b
Denali National Park, AK · 46 mi
997582a
Minto, AK · 51 mi
997903b
Fairbanks, AK · 78 mi

Alaska planting zones →

Questions about 99760

What planting zone is ZIP code 99760?

ZIP code 99760 (Nenana, AK) is in USDA hardiness zone 2a on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches −50 to −45 °F (−45.6 to −42.8 °C).

When is the last frost in Nenana, AK?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 99760 is May 15; after May 29 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Nenana Municipal Airport station.

When is the first frost in Nenana, AK?

The median first fall frost near 99760 is September 11, giving a median frost-free growing season of 117 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 99760?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Mar 20 – Apr 3 and set transplants outside around May 22 – Jun 5, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 99760 get?

About 12.4 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Nenana Municipal Airport station).

How hot do summers get in Nenana, AK?

The average high peaks at 73 °F in July, with about 0 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 99760 have?

The USDA soil survey maps 29-Eielson at the center of ZIP 99760: slightly decomposed plant material, moderately well drained, pH about 6.3 (slightly acidic).

What kind of onions grow in Nenana, AK?

Long-day onions: the longest day near 99760 is 21 h 24 min, so summer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too).