Frost dates for Fairbanks, AK
When the last spring frost and first fall frost usually come, and when to plant, from 30 years of NOAA weather records.
Last spring frost
May 16
typical year
Safe to plant
May 29
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
September 6
typical year
Growing season
112 days
frost-free, typical year
Frost watch this week
Tonight's and the next six nights' lows from the National Weather Service forecast for the station's location. Frost: 32°F or colder. Possible frost: 33–36°F, mostly in low spots on clear, still nights.
When to plant
Counted from this page's frost dates. Warm-season crops wait for the safe-to-plant date.
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant outside | Fall planting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cool-season crops | |||
| Peas | – | Apr 18 – May 2 | – |
| Spinach | – | Apr 4 – 25 | Jul 12 – 26 |
| Lettuce | – | Apr 18 – May 9 | Jul 12 – 26 |
| Radishes | – | Apr 18 – May 30 | Jul 26 – Aug 9 |
| Onions | – | Apr 18 – May 2 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Apr 25 – May 9 | – |
| Carrots | – | Apr 25 – May 16 | Jun 14 – 28 |
| Beets | – | Apr 18 – May 2 | Jun 28 – Jul 12 |
| Kale | Mar 7 – 21 | Apr 18 – May 2 | Jun 28 – Jul 12 |
| Broccoli | Mar 7 – 21 | May 2 – 16 | Jun 28 – Jul 12 |
| Cabbage | Feb 21 – Mar 7 | Apr 18 – May 2 | Jun 28 – Jul 12 |
| Garlic | – | – | Jul 26 – Aug 16 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Apr 3 – 17 | May 29 – Jun 12 | – |
| Peppers | Mar 27 – Apr 10 | Jun 5 – 19 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | May 29 – Jun 19 | – |
| Zucchini | – | May 29 – Jun 26 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | May 29 – Jun 19 | – |
| Green beans | – | May 29 – Jun 28 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | May 29 – Jun 26 | – |
| Basil | Apr 24 – May 8 | Jun 5 – 12 | – |
Onions: from sets. Green beans: until 10 weeks before the first fall frost. Garlic: harvest next summer.
The year at a glance
Start indoors Plant outside Fall planting
The chance of frost, by date
| 1 year in 10 | Half of years | 9 years in 10 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring frost after | May 29 | May 16 | May 5 |
| Fall frost before | August 25 | September 6 | September 20 |
Frost here means 32°F or colder. Read across: in 1 year in 10, spring frost carries on past the first date, which is why that date is the safe-to-plant date.
Hard freeze (28°F)
A hard freeze kills most garden plants, even hardy ones. The last one in spring usually comes around May 7 (May 19 in a late year), and the first one in fall around September 18.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 1 town.
Fairbanks
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station AURORA, AK US (USC00500490), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 1 zip code, all within 3 miles:
99703
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.