Frost dates for Unalakleet, 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 25
typical year
Safe to plant
June 11
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
September 3
typical year
Growing season
101 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 27 – May 11 | – |
| Spinach | – | Apr 13 – May 4 | Jul 9 – 23 |
| Lettuce | – | Apr 27 – May 18 | Jul 9 – 23 |
| Radishes | – | Apr 27 – Jun 8 | Jul 23 – Aug 6 |
| Onions | – | Apr 27 – May 11 | – |
| Potatoes | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Carrots | – | May 4 – 25 | Jun 11 – 25 |
| Beets | – | Apr 27 – May 11 | Jun 25 – Jul 9 |
| Kale | Mar 16 – 30 | Apr 27 – May 11 | Jun 25 – Jul 9 |
| Broccoli | Mar 16 – 30 | May 11 – 25 | Jun 25 – Jul 9 |
| Cabbage | Mar 2 – 16 | Apr 27 – May 11 | Jun 25 – Jul 9 |
| Garlic | – | – | Jul 23 – Aug 13 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Apr 16 – 30 | Jun 11 – 25 | – |
| Peppers | Apr 9 – 23 | Jun 18 – Jul 2 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Jun 11 – Jul 2 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Jun 11 – Jul 9 | – |
| Pumpkins | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Green beans | – | Jun 11 – 25 | – |
| Sweet corn | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Basil | May 7 – 21 | Jun 18 – 25 | – |
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 | June 11 | May 25 | May 10 |
| Fall frost before | August 18 | September 3 | September 21 |
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 12 (May 29 in a late year), and the first one in fall around September 17.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 9 towns.
Unalakleet, St. Michael, Koyuk, Nulato, Shaktoolik, Grayling, Kaltag, Shageluk, Anvik
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station KALTAG AP, AK US (USW00026502), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 9 zip codes, all within 126 miles:
99558, 99590, 99659, 99665, 99684, 99748, 99753, 99765, 99771
8 of these zip codes are more than 30 miles from the station, so their real frost dates may differ by a week or more.
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.