North Pole, AK 99790 Frost Dates
When can you plant in North Pole, AK?
Typically, the last spring freeze lands around 05/30, roughly 275 days out. The first fall frost typically arrives around 09/02, about 95 frost-free days later.
North Pole sits in USDA Zone 3b (-35 to -30°F average annual minimum). The dates above are NOAA's 1991-2020 normal at the nearest reporting station, a 30-year average, not a forecast.
What to do before the first frost
About 1 week of growing season left in North Pole before the first fall frost — a cold frame or row cover can stretch harvest weeks past that date.
Why 05/30 isn't a guarantee
05/30 is the middle of 30 years of NOAA records, not a promise. Plant by 05/12 and you're betting against frost in roughly 9 years out of 10. 06/13 is the safer bet, historically only a 1-in-10 chance of frost that late.
How North Pole compares
North Pole's growing season runs about 95 days, ranking 39,811 of 40,283 US ZIP codes measured here, longest to shortest. Within AK, it ranks 209 of 269.
Learn more
the frost range covers how to read the range around North Pole's dates instead of trusting one. local microclimates covers what one yard in North Pole can differ from the 99790 normal.