Best time to go to Alaska for a perfect weather and where to go?
When is the best time to go to Alaska?
When is the best time to go to Alaska? Here's some information to help you in your decision:
- In July, the weather is good across more than 19% of the territory of Alaska
- The best months to go to Anchorage are July and August
- On average, the warmest months in Anchorage are July and August, and the coldest months are January and February
- The rainiest months in this city are August, September and October
- Fairbanks is the city with the best climate, with good weather 3 months a year
Annual weather in Alaska
For information about the climate and the weather city by city in Alaska for a specific month, click on the corresponding line below:
| Month | Our opinion | View Details | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | -14°F to 38°F | very bad weather | |||
| February | -13°F to 38°F | very bad weather | |||
| March | -11°F to 41°F | very bad weather | |||
| April | 4°F to 47°F | very bad weather | |||
| May | 23°F to 59°F | very bad weather* | |||
| June | 32°F to 68°F | bad weather* | |||
| July | 38°F to 72°F | tolerable weather* | |||
| August | 34°F to 65°F | tolerable weather* | |||
| September | 25°F to 58°F | very bad weather* | |||
| October | 11°F to 50°F | very bad weather | |||
| November | -7°F to 41°F | very bad weather | |||
| December | -13°F to 40°F | very bad weather |
Best time to travel to Alaska by cities
Climate and Weather in Alaska
The state of Alaska, a Northern American territory that shares its borders with the Yukon Territory and British Columbia in western Canada, is characterized by its cold climate. The Alaskan climate comes in several variants, depending on the geographical position of the localities. Thus, the south coast of Alaska is influenced by a subpolar oceanic climate, resulting in less cold temperatures and relatively high rainfall in comparison to the rest of the territory, which is also the climate found in Anchorage. Inland, the continental influence primes the rest of the territory, which explains the difference in temperatures between the winter and summer seasons. The northern part of Alaska is used to a polar type climate.
The Spring Climate in Alaska
Spring is very short. On the south coast like in Anchorage, the spring season which starts in mid April and ends in May, is a grand opportunity to see the weather conditions improve; this is also the period when the melting snow causes the formation of wetlands. Walk with caution, if you are planning on taking a few hikes.
The Summer Climate in Alaska
June, July and August are the hottest months of the year. In Hawaii, this signifies the famous time for fun in the sun and beautiful bright days however in Alaska, wearing comfortably warm clothing is still a necessity. The only real advantage is that the sunshine lasts longer. Furthermore, if ever one were to find themselves close to the Arctic Circle, they will also have the chance to see the midnight sun.
The Autumn Climate in Alaska
Autumn starts in September and ends around the month of October in the south and begins in late August in the north. This season depicts deteriorating weather in Alaska; in just a few weeks, the maximum temperatures range between 17° C and 7° C.
The Winter Climate in Alaska
The cold that characterizes the winter in Alaska is far harsher than that of Utah, even if the Utah State of the northern United States of America is known for the harshness of the winter. Overall, warm clothes are simply a must for anyone wishing to experience a unique adventure in Alaska.
Temperatures and rainfall in Alaska
On these 3 graphs, we present the evolution of temperatures of Alaska and month-by-month rainfall for the cities of Anchorage, Fairbanks, Anchor Point, Barrow and Dillingham, as well as the month-by-month sea temperature for coastal cities.
Peak visitor numbers and tourist seasons in Alaska
Find out when Alaska has its high tourist season (the period when the influx of tourists is highest) and off-peak tourist season using our data and figures.
Tourist seasons in Alaska
The months with low numbers of tourists are: January, February, March, April, May, October, November and December. The number of visitors to Alaska is high in: June, July, August and September.
- Very low season in Alaska: January, February, April, October and November.
- Low season in Alaska: March, May and December.
- High season in Alaska: June, August and September.
- Peak season in Alaska: July.
Figure: Visitor index for Alaska month by month
Average price for flights to Alaska
A return flight between New York City and Anchorage is generally cheaper if you go in february ($ 457 on average): this is the best time for travellers on a tight budget. In contrast, you may end up paying $ 374 more for your airline ticket to Anchorage if you go in july.
Where to go in Alaska?
This table allows you to see the maximum temperature for each city and our opinion on the weather month by month (see colour legend below the table).
| Cities | jan. | feb. | mar. | apr. | may | jun. | jul. | aug. | sep. | oct. | nov. | dec. |
| Anchorage | 22°F | 25°F | 31°F | 41°F | 54°F | 59°F | 65°F | 63°F | 56°F | 43°F | 29°F | 25°F |
| Fairbanks | 4°F | 13°F | 20°F | 38°F | 59°F | 68°F | 72°F | 63°F | 52°F | 34°F | 13°F | 7°F |
| Anchor Point | 31°F | 31°F | 32°F | 40°F | 49°F | 54°F | 58°F | 58°F | 52°F | 45°F | 34°F | 32°F |
| Barrow | -2°F | -2°F | 2°F | 14°F | 31°F | 40°F | 45°F | 41°F | 38°F | 31°F | 14°F | 2°F |
| Dillingham | 20°F | 25°F | 27°F | 40°F | 54°F | 63°F | 63°F | 63°F | 56°F | 43°F | 29°F | 23°F |
| Dutch Harbor | 36°F | 38°F | 36°F | 40°F | 43°F | 47°F | 52°F | 54°F | 52°F | 47°F | 41°F | 40°F |
| Healy | 7°F | 16°F | 22°F | 36°F | 52°F | 61°F | 65°F | 59°F | 50°F | 34°F | 14°F | 11°F |
| Hooper Bay | 16°F | 20°F | 22°F | 31°F | 40°F | 49°F | 54°F | 54°F | 50°F | 43°F | 31°F | 22°F |
| Ketchikan | 38°F | 38°F | 41°F | 47°F | 56°F | 59°F | 63°F | 63°F | 58°F | 50°F | 41°F | 38°F |
| Tok | -0°F | 7°F | 16°F | 36°F | 58°F | 68°F | 72°F | 65°F | 52°F | 32°F | 9°F | 2°F |
| Cordova | 32°F | 34°F | 34°F | 41°F | 49°F | 56°F | 59°F | 59°F | 54°F | 45°F | 36°F | 34°F |
| Denali National Park | 13°F | 14°F | 20°F | 31°F | 47°F | 58°F | 59°F | 54°F | 45°F | 32°F | 16°F | 13°F |
| Gambell (St. Lawrence Island) | 14°F | 13°F | 16°F | 25°F | 34°F | 43°F | 50°F | 50°F | 47°F | 40°F | 31°F | 23°F |
| Gates of the Arctic National Park | -4°F | -0°F | 5°F | 22°F | 38°F | 56°F | 59°F | 52°F | 38°F | 20°F | 2°F | -4°F |
| Goodnews Bay | 27°F | 29°F | 27°F | 36°F | 43°F | 50°F | 56°F | 58°F | 54°F | 47°F | 38°F | 31°F |
| Haines | 22°F | 25°F | 31°F | 38°F | 47°F | 49°F | 58°F | 59°F | 52°F | 41°F | 27°F | 23°F |
| Katmai National Park | 22°F | 29°F | 29°F | 41°F | 56°F | 61°F | 65°F | 63°F | 56°F | 45°F | 29°F | 25°F |
| Kenai | 25°F | 27°F | 31°F | 41°F | 52°F | 59°F | 63°F | 61°F | 54°F | 43°F | 32°F | 29°F |
| Kobuk Valley National Park | -0°F | 5°F | 11°F | 27°F | 47°F | 67°F | 67°F | 59°F | 47°F | 29°F | 7°F | 4°F |
| Kodiak | 38°F | 38°F | 38°F | 41°F | 47°F | 54°F | 58°F | 59°F | 56°F | 47°F | 40°F | 38°F |
Legend:
good weather
tolerable weather
bad weather
very bad weather
About Alaska
What can I do in Alaska?
Beaches / swimming
Nature and countryside
Culture and heritage
Sports
Family travel
Crafts / shopping
Gastronomy
Nightlife
Is this weather information for Alaska reliable?
Climate data for Alaska has been gathered every day since January 2009. The analysis of these meteorological data for Alaska allows us to determine the average for each month in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Anchor Point, Barrow, Dillingham, Dutch Harbor, Healy, Hooper Bay, and 22 other cities.
So yes: this data is reliable except in cases of temporary climate disruption in the region.