The climate of Alaska: when to go to Alaska

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The climate of Alaska is primarily sub-polar or polar. As a result, it has cold, snowy, long and dark winters. While summers are short and relatively mild. The climate differs according to the latitude, the altitude, the disposition of the mountains and the distance from the ocean waters.

THE CLIMATE OF ALASKA

In Alaska, four main types of climate can be identified: the oceanic climate, the sub-polar oceanic climate that characterizes the south, the sub-polar climate of the interior and the polar climate of the north of the country.

THE CLIMATE OF SOUTHERN ALASKA

The southern regions of Alaska, especially those of the so-called Panhandle, that is, the long and narrow coastal strip along the Pacific Ocean, where there is also the capital Juneau, have a oceanic of high latitude climate type, characterized by abundant rains all year and temperatures mitigated by the presence of the ocean. Precipitation is more abundant in the autumn months, while decreases in the spring months. Precipitation tend to decrease progressing northward on average are recorded variable values between 3.900 mm in Ketchikan, 2.200 mm in Sitka, 1.500 mm in Juneau and 660 mm in Skagway.

Climate similar to that of the Panhandle is also the one of the Aleutian Islands, where the rains are on average around 1.500/2.000 mm a year, well distributed throughout the year, but with a reduction in the months between June and August. The temperatures are relatively mild and the fog is a constant of the islands climate.

In the rest of southern Alaska the climate becomes subpolar oceanic, in this area, which also includes Alaska’s largest city, Anchorage, the rains decreased significantly as well as the temperatures, winters are snowy and long, summers are short. The average annual rainfall is reduced at around 400 mm, the wettest months are between July and October. The average minimum temperatures remain below freezing from October to April, while the average maximum is below freezing from November to February. The west coast looking out on the Bering Sea also has a sub-polar oceanic climate, but here due to the very northern latitude temperatures decrease significantly.

THE CLIMATE OF THE INTERNAL REGIONS OF ALASKA

The inner regions of Alaska have a sub-polar climate with long extremely cold and snowy winters, with average minimum temperatures that reach almost -30 ° C in the colder months, while in summer the maximum average temperatures exceed 20 ° C. Rainfall is scarce, on average, this area of Alaska has between 200 mm and 300 mm of rainfall per year, the relatively rainiest months are the summer months.

THE CLIMATE OF NORTHERN ALASKA

In the far north of Alaska the climate becomes the typical polar climate, here winters are extremely cold, long, dark, and the summers are very short. The temperatures for most of the year are below zero with average minimum temperature values ranging between -29 ° C in the winter months and 2 ° C in the summer months. The average maximum temperatures vary between -22 ° C in winter and 8 ° C in July. Rainfall is at the level of desert areas, this area of Alaska has in fact only about 100 mm of precipitation per year, that result in about 1 meter of snow a year. The rainiest months are the summer months, between July and September.

WHEN TO GO TO ALASKA

The best time for a trip to Alaska are the mildest months of summer, between May and September, when the days are not too cold, and Alaska have long periods of light. During the summer months expect to find mosquitoes whenever you will find outdoor and temperatures will be above zero. The best time to see the bears in Alaska is between July and September.

ALASKA NORTHERN LIGHTS

To see the Northern Lights in Alaska is preferable to be in a place above 60 ° N, in an area away from lights, and without the full moon. Auroras are more easily visible in early morning or in the late evening. The best time is around the equinoxes, that is, around the middle of March or mid-September, but the most intense auroras occur during the winter months between December and March, when the nights are long and dark.

ALASKA MIDNIGHT SUN AND POLAR NIGHT

Beyond the Arctic Circle you can see the phenomenon of the Midnight Sun. In the town of Barrow, the northernmost city of Alaska, the sun never sets for 84 days between May 10 and August 2. In winter, between November 18 and January 23, it has rather the opposite phenomenon, that of the Polar Night, when the sun never rises.

THE CLIMATE OF ALASKA: CLIMATIC TABLES

SOUTHERN ALASKA

JUNEAU (17 meters)
Month	Average low (°C)	Average high (°C)	Precip.(mm)	Precip. days
January	-4,6	0,4	135	20,6
February	-3,9	1,8	104	16,6
March	-2,2	4,2	96	18,9
April	0,7	9,1	74	17,0
May	4,8	13,7	86	16,3
June	8,3	16,8	82	15,8
July	10,0	17,7	116	17,7
August	9,4	17,1	145	19,1
September	6,9	13,2	219	22,4
October	3,2	8,3	219	23,9
November	-1,6	3,2	152	20,9
December	-3,6	1,2	148	20,6
YEAR	2,3	8,9	1581	229,8

ANCHORAGE (31 meters)
Month	Average low (°C)	Average high (°C)	Precip.(mm)	Precip. days
January	-11,6	-4,9	18	8,2
February	-10,1	-3,0	18	7,1
March	-7,1	1,1	15	5,9
April	-1,6	6,9	12	5,0
May	4,2	13,3	18	7,3
June	8,7	17,1	24	8,5
July	11,2	18,6	46	12,0
August	10,0	17,5	82	14,6
September	5,6	12,8	76	14,8
October	-1,6	4,7	51	11,9
November	-8,6	-2,3	29	9,4
December	-10,4	-4,0	28	10,5
YEAR	-0,9	6,5	421	115,2

CENTRAL ALASKA

FAIRBANKS (136 meters)
Month	Average low (°C)	Average high (°C)	Precip.(mm)	Precip. days
January	-27,2	-17,2	15	8,5
February	-24,8	-12,2	11	6,6
March	-19,2	-3,7	6	4,8
April	-6,3	6,9	8	3,6
May	3,2	16,1	15	7,1
June	9,6	22,0	35	10,9
July	11,3	22,6	55	12,9
August	8,0	18,8	48	13,3
September	1,7	12,6	28	10,4
October	-8,6	-0,1	21	11,2
November	-20,9	-11,7	17	13,3
December	-24,9	-15,1	16	9,0
YEAR	-8,2	3,3	274	108,6

NORTHERN ALASKA

BARROW (3 meters)
Month	Average low (°C)	Average high (°C)	Precip.(mm)	Precip. days
January	-28,6	-21,8	3
February	-29,1	-22,0	3
March	-28,4	-21,1	2
April	-20,5	-13,1	4
May	-8,6	-3,4	4
June	-0,7	4,7	7
July	1,6	8,3	25
August	1,2	6,6	26
September	-1,9	2,1	18
October	-10,8	-5,7	10
November	-20,4	-14,3	5
December	-25,4	-18,8	3
YEAR	-14,3	-8,2	113