When to plant in Akutan, AK
Planting dates worked out from Akutan's own frost records, not a generic zone chart.
Safe to plant out
May 26
1 year in 10 has a later frost
Average last frost
May 8
about a 50% chance of a later one
Average first fall frost
Oct 17
1 year in 10 by Sep 9
Frost-free days
173
median, 1991–2020
Station used: Dutch Harbor · 56.8 km away · station 3 m, town 51 m. How we match towns to stations
The nearest reliable station is 57 km away, so frost dates here may be off by a week or more. Check them against local experience.
This season
Plan your garden.
Planting dates for common crops
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant out or sow | Harvest from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato Season likely too short |
Jun 17 – Jul 1 | Aug 12 – Aug 26 | Oct 6 |
| Sweet pepper Season likely too short |
Jun 3 – Jun 17 | Aug 12 – Aug 26 | Oct 11 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Apr 16 – Apr 23 | May 21 – Jun 4 | Jun 30 |
| Peas | — | May 21 – Jun 18 | Jul 15 |
| Bush beans | — | Jul 15 – Aug 5 | Sep 3 |
| Carrot | — | Jun 10 – Jul 22 | Aug 9 |
| Beet | — | Jun 10 – Jul 22 | Jul 30 |
| Potato | — | Jun 10 – Jul 1 | Aug 19 |
| Kale | Apr 16 – Apr 30 | May 28 – Jun 11 | Jul 10 |
| Broccoli | Apr 9 – Apr 23 | May 21 – Jun 11 | Jul 20 |
| Cucumber Season likely too short |
Jul 15 – Jul 22 | Aug 12 – Aug 26 | Oct 1 |
| Summer squash and zucchini Season likely too short |
Jul 15 – Jul 22 | Aug 12 – Aug 26 | Sep 26 |
| Winter squash Season likely too short |
Jul 15 – Jul 22 | Aug 12 – Aug 26 | Oct 31 |
| Sweet corn Season likely too short |
— | Jul 15 – Aug 5 | Sep 13 |
| Onion (from sets) | — | May 21 – Jun 11 | Aug 19 |
| Garlic | — | Aug 30 – Sep 27 (fall) | following summer |
| Spinach | — | May 21 – Jun 18 | Jun 28 |
| Basil Season likely too short |
Jul 1 – Jul 15 | Aug 12 – Aug 26 | Oct 8 |
Akutan's weather over time
How the growing season has shifted here, year by year, from the station's own records.
Each year's last spring frostLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Last spring frost |
|---|---|
| 1916 | Jun 6 |
| 1918 | May 12 |
| 1919 | May 17 |
| 1920 | May 18 |
| 1921 | May 6 |
| 1922 | May 21 |
| 1923 | May 26 |
| 1924 | May 12 |
| 1925 | Jun 14 |
| 1926 | Jun 5 |
| 1927 | May 31 |
| 1928 | May 30 |
| 1929 | May 29 |
| 1930 | May 28 |
| 1932 | May 20 |
| 1933 | May 28 |
| 1934 | May 22 |
| 1935 | May 17 |
| 1936 | May 27 |
| 1937 | May 17 |
| 1938 | May 13 |
| 1939 | Jun 3 |
| 1940 | May 12 |
| 1941 | May 4 |
| 1944 | May 5 |
| 1947 | May 15 |
| 1951 | Apr 30 |
| 1952 | May 9 |
| 1953 | May 10 |
| 1954 | May 5 |
| 1985 | May 14 |
| 1986 | May 28 |
| 1991 | May 30 |
| 1992 | May 10 |
| 1993 | May 10 |
| 1994 | May 15 |
| 1995 | May 3 |
| 1996 | May 15 |
| 1997 | May 1 |
| 1998 | Apr 20 |
| 1999 | Apr 28 |
| 2000 | May 21 |
| 2002 | Apr 26 |
| 2003 | Apr 17 |
| 2004 | Jun 19 |
| 2005 | May 21 |
| 2006 | May 11 |
| 2007 | May 15 |
| 2009 | May 11 |
| 2010 | May 1 |
| 2011 | May 11 |
| 2012 | Jun 3 |
| 2013 | May 18 |
| 2014 | Apr 18 |
| 2015 | Apr 21 |
| 2016 | Apr 10 |
| 2017 | Apr 21 |
| 2020 | May 1 |
| 2022 | May 18 |
| 2023 | Apr 27 |
| 2024 | May 14 |
| 2025 | Apr 16 |
Each year's frost-free daysLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Frost-free days |
|---|---|
| 1916 | 105 |
| 1918 | 147 |
| 1919 | 150 |
| 1920 | 126 |
| 1921 | 156 |
| 1922 | 158 |
| 1923 | 130 |
| 1926 | 109 |
| 1927 | 96 |
| 1928 | 106 |
| 1929 | 136 |
| 1930 | 154 |
| 1932 | 130 |
| 1933 | 124 |
| 1934 | 153 |
| 1935 | 176 |
| 1936 | 168 |
| 1937 | 156 |
| 1938 | 157 |
| 1939 | 127 |
| 1940 | 162 |
| 1941 | 191 |
| 1951 | 184 |
| 1952 | 181 |
| 1953 | 160 |
| 1991 | 81 |
| 1992 | 123 |
| 1993 | 117 |
| 1994 | 120 |
| 1995 | 173 |
| 1996 | 134 |
| 1997 | 181 |
| 1998 | 183 |
| 1999 | 176 |
| 2000 | 129 |
| 2002 | 177 |
| 2003 | 212 |
| 2004 | 56 |
| 2005 | 158 |
| 2006 | 180 |
| 2007 | 156 |
| 2009 | 169 |
| 2010 | 173 |
| 2011 | 174 |
| 2012 | 149 |
| 2013 | 186 |
| 2014 | 178 |
| 2015 | 207 |
| 2016 | 206 |
| 2020 | 184 |
| 2022 | 186 |
| 2023 | 202 |
Each year's average temperature, April to SeptemberLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Growing-season temperature |
|---|---|
| 1916 | 6.0 °C |
| 1917 | 7.5 °C |
| 1918 | 7.5 °C |
| 1919 | 6.9 °C |
| 1920 | 6.8 °C |
| 1921 | 7.5 °C |
| 1922 | 7.7 °C |
| 1923 | 7.5 °C |
| 1926 | 9.1 °C |
| 1927 | 7.3 °C |
| 1928 | 6.8 °C |
| 1929 | 9.2 °C |
| 1930 | 7.6 °C |
| 1932 | 7.3 °C |
| 1933 | 7.5 °C |
| 1934 | 8.3 °C |
| 1935 | 8.6 °C |
| 1936 | 9.0 °C |
| 1937 | 8.0 °C |
| 1938 | 7.7 °C |
| 1939 | 7.5 °C |
| 1940 | 8.2 °C |
| 1941 | 8.6 °C |
| 1947 | 8.1 °C |
| 1951 | 8.0 °C |
| 1952 | 7.2 °C |
| 1953 | 8.6 °C |
| 1991 | 7.2 °C |
| 1992 | 7.1 °C |
| 1993 | 8.1 °C |
| 1994 | 7.3 °C |
| 1995 | 7.9 °C |
| 1996 | 8.4 °C |
| 1997 | 9.0 °C |
| 1998 | 8.0 °C |
| 1999 | 7.7 °C |
| 2000 | 7.6 °C |
| 2002 | 8.9 °C |
| 2003 | 9.0 °C |
| 2004 | 9.0 °C |
| 2005 | 8.6 °C |
| 2006 | 8.3 °C |
| 2007 | 8.4 °C |
| 2009 | 7.6 °C |
| 2010 | 7.8 °C |
| 2011 | 7.9 °C |
| 2012 | 7.1 °C |
| 2013 | 8.5 °C |
| 2014 | 8.8 °C |
| 2015 | 8.8 °C |
| 2016 | 10.1 °C |
| 2017 | 8.7 °C |
| 2020 | 8.8 °C |
| 2022 | 8.3 °C |
What this means for you: Since 1916, Akutan's last spring frost has come about 2 days earlier per decade, on average. The frost-free season has grown by about 3 days per decade. Year-to-year swings are large, so keep using the safe date rather than the trend.
Source: daily records from Dutch Harbor (NOAA GHCN-Daily). Years with too many missing days are left out.