Alaska, the largest state of the United States with a surface of more than 1.7 million square kilometers (650,000 square miles), largely deserves its reputation of a cold land, but it also has maritime and wet areas, less cold than you might think.



The north and northwest coasts have a subarctic climate, with long and frigid winters and short summers, which remain very cool if not cold. This is the area of the tundra. Along the northern and the north-west side, down to the Bering Strait, temperatures are lower than in the western coast, especially in winter, both for the higher latitude and because the sea remains frozen for many months. In addition, this area is influenced by the frigid Siberian air masses, which can easily arrive here, moving from west to east.
At Point Hope, on the north-western tip of Alaska, the average temperature of February (which at these latitudes is the coldest month) is -23 °C (-9.5 °F), while that of July is 7.5 °C (45.5 °F).
On the north coast, at Point Barrow (or Utqiagvik), it ranges from -25.5 °C (-13.5 °F) in February, to 5 °C (41 °C) in July, while further to the east, in Barter Island, it ranges from -28.5 °C (-19.5 °F) in February, to 5 °C (41 °F) in July.
Here are the average temperatures of Barrow.
Average temperatures - Barrow

Barrow	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Barrow	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Min (°C)	-29	-29	-28	-21	-9	-1	2	1	-2	-11	-20	-25
Max (°C)	-22	-22	-21	-13	-3	5	8	7	2	-6	-14	-19
Min (°F)	-20	-20	-18	-6	16	30	36	34	28	12	-4	-13
Max (°F)	-8	-8	-6	9	27	41	46	45	36	21	7	-2

In this coastal area, precipitation, which occurs mostly in the form of snow, except in summer, is scarce, being slightly more than 300 millimetres (12 inches) per year in the west, and even less, just above 100 mm (4 in), on the north coast. Here is the average precipitation in Barrow.
Average precipitation - Barrow

Barrow	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Barrow	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D	Y
Prec. (mm)	4	4	4	5	4	8	25	26	16	11	6	4	117
Prec.(in)	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.3	1	1	0.6	0.4	0.2	0.2	4.6
Days	5	5	4	5	5	6	9	12	13	12	7	6	89

On the north coast, the sea is frozen solid for much of the year, when the temperature is equal or below -2 °C (28 °F).
Sea temperature - Barrow

Barrow	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Barrow	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Sea (°C)	-2	-2	-2	-2	-2	-2	0	2	2	0	-1	-2
Sea (°F)	28	28	28	28	28	28	32	36	36	32	30	28

Along the west coast, as you move south, both temperature and precipitation increase. In Nome, the average temperature goes from -15 °C (5 °F), in January to 11 °C (52 °F) in July.
Average temperatures - Nome

Nome	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Nome	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Min (°C)	-19	-18	-17	-10	-1	5	8	7	3	-5	-12	-17
Max (°C)	-11	-9	-8	-3	6	13	15	13	9	1	-5	-8
Min (°F)	-2	0	1	14	30	41	46	45	37	23	10	1
Max (°F)	12	16	18	27	43	55	59	55	48	34	23	18

Precipitation in Nome amounts to 430 mm (17 inches) per year, with a minimum in spring and a maximum in summer. Here is the average precipitation.
Average precipitation - Nome

Nome	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Nome	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D	Y
Prec. (mm)	25	25	15	20	20	25	55	80	60	40	30	25	430
Prec.(in)	1	1	0.6	0.8	0.8	1	2.2	3.1	2.4	1.6	1.2	1	16.9
Days	11	10	9	9	9	8	12	16	15	12	12	12	135

In the western part of the coast, the sea is usually frozen from December to April, while the temperature reaches 10 °C (50 °F) in August.
Sea temperature - Nome

Nome	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Nome	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Sea (°C)	-1	-1	-1	-1	0	4	9	10	8	4	1	-1
Sea (°F)	30	30	30	30	32	39	48	50	46	39	34	30

More to the south, the winter climate becomes less cold, while summer remains very cool, so that the average in July and August remains around 10 °C (50 °F).
In Cape Newenham the temperatures go from -8.5 °C (16.5 °F) in January to 10 °C (50 °F) in July; precipitation amounts to 930 mm (36.5 inches) per year (with a minimum between February and April and a maximum between July and October), while snow (in total 2 metres or 6.5 feet per year) usually falls from October to May.
In the Alaska Peninsula, which lies further south and therefore has a less cold winter, the vegetation is still tundra, that is, made of mosses and lichens, due to the summer which remains cold. In Cold Bay, the average goes from -2.5 °C (27.5 °F) in February, to 11 °C (51.5 °F) in August. Here are the average temperatures.
Average temperatures - Cold Bay

Cold Bay	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Cold Bay	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Min (°C)	-4	-5	-4	-2	2	5	8	8	6	2	-1	-3
Max (°C)	1	0	2	3	7	10	13	13	11	7	4	2
Min (°F)	25	23	25	28	36	41	46	46	43	36	30	27
Max (°F)	34	32	36	37	45	50	55	55	52	45	39	36

Here precipitation amounts to 900 mm (36 inches) per annum. Here is the average precipitation.
Average precipitation - Cold Bay

Cold Bay	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Cold Bay	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D	Y
Prec. (mm)	70	60	55	50	60	55	65	80	110	110	105	95	910
Prec.(in)	2.8	2.4	2.2	2	2.4	2.2	2.6	3.1	4.3	4.3	4.1	3.7	35.8
Days	19	17	18	16	17	16	17	20	21	23	22	21	227

In the central and western part of the Alaska Peninsula, typically the sea does not freeze in winter, but sometimes it can happen, at least on the north coast and during the coldest winters. Here is the sea temperature in Cold Bay.
Sea temperature - Cold Bay

Cold Bay	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Cold Bay	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Sea (°C)	4	3	2	3	4	7	9	11	10	8	6	5
Sea (°F)	39	37	36	37	39	45	48	52	50	46	43	41

The Aleutian Islands are even milder, but they still have a tundra vegetation, because of their cold maritime climate, which is similar to that of Iceland: cold but not too much in winter, with averages around -2/0 °C (28/32 °F) in winter, and very cool in summer, with frequent precipitation throughout the year, but especially in autumn. During winter, heavy snowfalls occur. In midsummer, the maximum temperatures are similar to those of Cold Bay, around 12/13 °C (55/56 °F).



The vast interior region of Alaska has a markedly continental climate, with frigid winters, and short but mild summers, with a few hot days. Here the dominant vegetation is the taiga (coniferous forest).
The cold records of Alaska (which contend with some areas of Canada those of all of North America) have occurred in this area, and in particular in the valleys of the Yukon and its tributaries, where cold air during winter easily stagnates, especially after cold air outbreaks from Siberia or the North Pole. Here the temperature reached as low as -62 °C (-80 °F) in Prospect Creek, -59 °C (-74 °F) in McGrath and Chandalar Lake, -57 °C (-71 °F) in Eagle and Tetlin, -56 °C (-69 °F) in Arctic Village and Bettles, and -52 °C (-62 °F) in Fairbanks.
Apart from the records, as mentioned above the climate of this region is strongly continental, so that in winter, lows around -30 °C (-22 °F) are normal, while in summer, from June to August, highs are around 20/22 °C (68/72 °F), with peaks of more than 30 °C (86 °F), while nights remain generally cool, and sometimes cold. It may seem incredible, but in the centre of Alaska, sometimes the temperature can reach 35 °C (95 °F)!
In this area, the temperature rises above freezing around late April, and drops again below this point in October.
Here are the average temperatures of Fairbanks.
Average temperatures - Fairbanks

Fairbanks	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Fairbanks	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Min (°C)	-27	-25	-19	-6	3	10	11	8	2	-9	-21	-25
Max (°C)	-17	-12	-4	7	16	22	23	19	13	0	-12	-15
Min (°F)	-17	-13	-2	21	37	50	52	46	36	16	-6	-13
Max (°F)	1	10	25	45	61	72	73	66	55	32	10	5

Precipitation in this area is not abundant, in fact it ranges from 250 to 350 mm (10 to 13.5 inches) per year, with a relative maximum in summer, due to the higher amount of heat, and therefore energy, which is available in this period.
Here is the average precipitation in Fairbanks.
Average precipitation - Fairbanks

Fairbanks	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Fairbanks	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D	Y
Prec. (mm)	15	10	5	10	15	35	55	50	30	20	15	15	275
Prec.(in)	0.6	0.4	0.2	0.4	0.6	1.4	2.2	2	1.2	0.8	0.6	0.6	10.8
Days	9	7	5	4	7	11	13	13	10	11	10	9	109

In the mountain regions, we find glaciers and permanent snow. The Alaska Range reaches its peak in Mount McKinley, towering with its 6,194 metres (20,321 feet). In the mountain slopes exposed to moist winds coming from the sea, every year large amounts of snow accumulate. Due to the facts that snowfalls are heavy and summers are cool, the snowline is very low, and in some areas the glaciers, which by their weight tend to slide slowly downward, flow even into the sea.



Let us now talk about the south coast of Alaska. Here, both the climate and the natural environment are similar to that of the west coast of Norway: in the sea a warm current flows, so that the water temperature doesn't drop below 6 °C (43 °F) even in winter, and the climate is cold maritime, with abundant rainfall (and snowfall in winter as well) on the coasts, but also with islands (see the Kodiak and Alexander Archipelagos), fjords and deep coves, within which the climate is somewhat more continental and less humid.
Anchorage is located in a sheltered bay, so that precipitation amounts to only 425 millimetres (17 inches) per year; snow falls from October to April, and the total amount of snow that falls in a year is still close to 2 metres (6.5 feet).
Here is the average precipitation.
Average precipitation - Anchorage

Anchorage	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Anchorage	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D	Y
Prec. (mm)	20	20	15	10	20	25	45	85	75	50	30	30	425
Prec.(in)	0.8	0.8	0.6	0.4	0.8	1	1.8	3.3	3	2	1.2	1.2	16.7
Days	8	7	7	6	7	8	11	14	15	12	9	11	115

The January daily mean is -9 °C (16 °F), like in Moscow, Russia, while in July it's 16 °C (60.5 °F).
Average temperatures - Anchorage

Anchorage	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Anchorage	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Min (°C)	-13	-12	-8	-1	5	9	12	10	6	-2	-9	-12
Max (°C)	-5	-3	2	8	14	18	20	18	14	5	-2	-4
Min (°F)	9	10	18	30	41	48	54	50	43	28	16	10
Max (°F)	23	27	36	46	57	64	68	64	57	41	28	25

At Anchorage, and along the southern coast of Alaska, the sea is cold in winter, but does not freeze.
Sea temperature - Anchorage

Anchorage	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Anchorage	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Sea (°C)	6	5	5	5	7	10	13	13	12	9	8	7
Sea (°F)	43	41	41	41	45	50	55	55	54	48	46	45

Further east, and south of the Wrangell Mountains, Valdez is famous for being a very snowy city: even 835 cm (27 feet) of snow per year fall, but in the winter of 1989-1990 ,a total of 14 metres (46 feet) of snow was recorded! The snow is shoveled and piled in heaps as high as houses, which can last until July. Here the average temperature in January is -6 °C (21 °F), while in July it's 13 °C (55.5 °F); precipitation amounts to 1,700 mm (67 inches) per year, evenly distributed, but with a relative minimum in May and June.



In south-eastern Alaska, west of the Canadian province of British Columbia, lies the state capital of Alaska, Juneau, which has cold winters (the average in January is -2.5 °C or 27.5 °F), and cool summers (with highs in July of only 18 °C or 64 °F).
Average temperatures - Juneau

Juneau	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Juneau	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Min (°C)	-5	-4	-2	1	5	8	10	9	7	3	-2	-4
Max (°C)	0	2	4	9	14	17	18	17	13	8	3	1
Min (°F)	23	25	28	34	41	46	50	48	45	37	28	25
Max (°F)	32	36	39	48	57	63	64	63	55	46	37	34

In Juneau, precipitation is abundant, being about 1,600 mm (62 inches) per year, with a peak from August to December; snowfalls are abundant and occur from late October to early April, totalling 2.2 metres (86 inches) per year. March and April are the sunniest months, while September, October and November are the cloudiest ones.
Here is the average precipitation.
Average precipitation - Juneau

Juneau	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Juneau	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D	Y
Prec. (mm)	135	105	95	75	85	85	115	145	220	220	150	150	1585
Prec.(in)	5.3	4.1	3.7	3	3.3	3.3	4.5	5.7	8.7	8.7	5.9	5.9	62.4
Days	21	17	19	17	16	16	18	19	22	24	21	21	231

At Juneau and along the southeast coast, the sea temperature is similar to that of Anchorage and the south coast.
Sea temperature - Juneau

Juneau	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Juneau	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Sea (°C)	6	6	6	7	8	10	12	13	12	10	8	7
Sea (°F)	43	43	43	45	46	50	54	55	54	50	46	45

While down to a certain latitude precipitation occurs in the form of snow for many months, so that the snow depth can be remarkable, in the southernmost part it can occur in the form of rain even in winter. In Ketchikan, the southernmost city of Alaska, precipitation amounts to almost 4 metres (13 feet) per year, with a maximum in October, with even 565 mm (22 inches) of rain, and a minimum in June and July, when rainfall is still about 190 mm (7.5 in) per month. Throughout the year, "only" 1 metre (40 inches) of snow falls (from November to March), certainly not much compared with the huge amount of precipitation that occurs in the cold half of the year.
Here is the average precipitation.
Average precipitation - Ketchikan

Ketchikan	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Ketchikan	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D	Y
Prec. (mm)	350	325	285	285	235	185	190	275	360	565	440	395	3890
Prec.(in)	13.8	12.8	11.2	11.2	9.3	7.3	7.5	10.8	14.2	22.2	17.3	15.6	153.1
Days	20	18	20	19	17	16	15	16	19	24	23	22	229

The average temperature in Ketchikan ranges from 1 °C (33.5 °F) in January, to 14.5 °C (58.5 °F) in August.
Average temperatures - Ketchikan

Ketchikan	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Ketchikan	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Min (°C)	-2	0	1	3	5	8	11	11	8	5	1	-1
Max (°C)	4	5	6	10	13	16	18	18	15	10	6	4
Min (°F)	28	32	34	37	41	46	52	52	46	41	34	30
Max (°F)	39	41	43	50	55	61	64	64	59	50	43	39

In general, the best season to visit Alaska is summer, from June to August. It's cold along the northern and north-western coast, but at least it's above freezing. It's very cool on the remaining western coasts and the islands, with a daily average around 10 °C (50 °F). In inland areas, it's mild to warm during the day, and sometimes even hot, but at night it gets cool, and sometimes even cold. In the southern coast, where the major cities (Anchorage, Juneau) are located, the air is mild, but you should be equipped for the cold when embarking (maybe to spot orcas and whales) or approaching the glaciers.
June is the best month in most of the country, except the north coast: it's just cooler than July and August, but more sunny, and has fewer rainy days. However, in the northern coast, where normally it doesn't rain much, in July and August you can take advantage of a temperature a little higher (see the averages of Barrow). It is worth while to recall that in Alaska the summer declines pretty quickly, so that usually in July it rains more than in June, and in August more than in July.
During the thaw (April in the south, May in inland areas, June in the northern coast), when snow turns into mud it can be difficult to travel outside of towns and cities.
To visit Alaska in its winter appearance, February and March, usually quite sunny in central and northern regions, are preferable to December and January, because the days are longer.


In winter: cold weather clothing, especially for the interior region, synthetic thermal long underwear, fleece or synchilla, down filled parka with insulated hood, wind jacket in Goretex, warm boots, hand and foot warmers, gloves, fleece socks. For the south-east, less heavy clothes, sweater, down jacket, rain jacket or umbrella.
In summer: clothes for spring and autumn, T-shirt for hot days, jacket and sweater for the evening. For the north, the mountains and for excursions in the sea or in glaciers: rain jacket, down jacket and warm clothes.