Dawson City is a town of 1,500 inhabitants located in the extreme north-west of Canada, in the
, at the confluence of the Klondike and Yukon rivers, at 320 meters (1,050 feet) above sea level and at 64 degrees north latitude.
is scarce, since it amounts to 320 millimeters (12.5 inches) per year. The wettest season is summer, while in winter there is frequent but not abundant snowfall.
fall per year. The maximum snow depth was 131 cm (51.5 in) in March 1979, while from 1991 to 2020 the record is 92 cm (36 in), set in January 2004. It usually snows from October to April, but it can sometimes snow even in late September and early May.
of the year, the temperature drops below -40 °C (-40 °F) every year. The coldest record is -58.3 °C (-72.9 °F), set during the cold wave that, in early February 1947, brought the coldest record in Canada and all of North America, -62.8 °C (-81 °F) in Snag, still in the Yukon but south of Dawson City. More recently, the temperature dropped to -55.8 °C (-68 °F) in February 1979.
In summer, the difference in temperature between night and day is often significant. In addition, there can be
, during which the temperature can reach 28/30 °C (82/86 °F), and occasionally higher. The highest record is 35 °C (95 °F), set in June 1950. In June 2004, the average maximum was 27 °C (80.6 °F). However, even in these cases, it gets cool at night.
, since we are south of the Arctic Circle, the sun rises even on the shortest days of the year, and sets on the longest.
, in which it is not completely dark all night, occur from April 27 to August 14.
. Here are the average temperatures.
January, the coldest month of the year, is generally a freezing cold month. The average temperature is of
-25.8 °C, with a minimum of
-29.9 °C and a maximum of
-21.6 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-45.5 °C. However, it dropped to
-52.6 °C in January 1997.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
-4.5 °C. However, it reached
5 °C in January 2003.
Precipitation amounts to
17.6 mm, distributed over 6 days.
The day lasts on average 5 hours and 40 minutes. So the days are short.
The average humidity is 77%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
2.1 kph.
February is generally a freezing cold month. The average temperature is of
-20.8 °C, with a minimum of
-26.6 °C and a maximum of
-15.1 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-41.5 °C. However, it dropped to
-51.3 °C in February 2008.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
0 °C. However, it reached
9.5 °C in February 2006.
Precipitation amounts to
13.2 mm, distributed over 4 days.
The day lasts on average 8 hours and 40 minutes.
The average humidity is 78%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
2.7 kph.
March is generally a freezing cold month. However, there are remarkable differences between night and day. The average temperature is of
-12.6 °C, with a minimum of
-21 °C and a maximum of
-4.1 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-36.5 °C. However, it dropped to
-47.5 °C in March 2007.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
7.5 °C. However, it reached
14.8 °C in March 2019.
Precipitation amounts to
11.2 mm, distributed over 3 days.
The day lasts on average 12 hours and 0 minutes.
The average humidity is 69%.
The average wind speed is of
4.5 kph.
April is generally a cold month. However, there are remarkable differences between night and day. The average temperature is of
0.4 °C, with a minimum of
-7.2 °C and a maximum of
8 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-21 °C. However, it dropped to
-31 °C in April 2003.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
16 °C. However, it reached
22.5 °C in April 2003.
Precipitation amounts to
10.7 mm, distributed over 3 days.
The day lasts on average 15 hours and 20 minutes.
The average humidity is 57%.
The average wind speed is of
6.5 kph.
May is generally a mild month. However, there are remarkable differences between night and day. The average temperature is of
8.8 °C, with a minimum of
1.1 °C and a maximum of
16.4 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-5.5 °C. However, it dropped to
-13.5 °C in May 2002.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
24.5 °C. However, it reached
30.5 °C in May 1998.
Precipitation amounts to
27.9 mm, distributed over 8 days.
The day lasts on average 18 hours and 35 minutes. So the days are very long.
The average humidity is 49%.
The average wind speed is of
7.3 kph.
June is generally a mild month. However, there are remarkable differences between night and day. The average temperature is of
14.4 °C, with a minimum of
6.7 °C and a maximum of
22.1 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
0 °C. However, it dropped to
-3 °C in June 1996.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
29 °C. However, it reached
34.5 °C in June 2004.
Precipitation amounts to
43.7 mm, distributed over 9 days.
The day lasts on average 20 hours and 50 minutes. So the days are very long. June 21, the summer solstice, is the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
The average humidity is 53%.
The average wind speed is of
6.5 kph.
July, the warmest month of the year, is generally a very mild month. However, there are remarkable differences between night and day. The average temperature is of
15.8 °C, with a minimum of
8.6 °C and a maximum of
23.1 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
2.5 °C. However, it dropped to
-2 °C in July 1999.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
29.5 °C. However, it reached
33.5 °C in July 1998.
Precipitation amounts to
48.1 mm, distributed over 10 days.
The day lasts on average 19 hours and 25 minutes. So the days are very long.
The average humidity is 60%.
The average wind speed is of
5.8 kph.
August is generally a mild month. However, there are remarkable differences between night and day. The average temperature is of
12.6 °C, with a minimum of
5.7 °C and a maximum of
19.5 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-2 °C. However, it dropped to
-6.5 °C in August 1991.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
27.5 °C. However, it reached
33.5 °C in August 1999.
Precipitation amounts to
47.8 mm, distributed over 10 days.
The day lasts on average 16 hours and 5 minutes. So the days are long.
The average humidity is 66%.
The average wind speed is of
5.3 kph.
September is generally a quite cold month. The average temperature is of
6.2 °C, with a minimum of
0 °C and a maximum of
12.5 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-8.5 °C. However, it dropped to
-21 °C in September 1992.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
20 °C. However, it reached
25 °C in September 1995.
Precipitation amounts to
30.4 mm, distributed over 7 days.
The day lasts on average 12 hours and 50 minutes.
The average humidity is 71%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
5.3 kph.
October is generally a very cold month. The average temperature is of
-4 °C, with a minimum of
-8.2 °C and a maximum of
0.3 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-21.5 °C. However, it dropped to
-36.5 °C in October 1996.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
11 °C. However, it reached
20.1 °C in October 2003.
Precipitation amounts to
25.7 mm, distributed over 7 days.
The day lasts on average 9 hours and 35 minutes.
The average humidity is 83%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
3.8 kph.
November is generally a freezing cold month. The average temperature is of
-17.8 °C, with a minimum of
-21.8 °C and a maximum of
-13.7 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-36 °C. However, it dropped to
-44.7 °C in November 2013.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
-1 °C. However, it reached
9.5 °C in November 1997.
Precipitation amounts to
22.6 mm, distributed over 6 days.
The day lasts on average 6 hours and 25 minutes. So the days are short.
The average humidity is 81%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
3 kph.
December is generally a freezing cold month. The average temperature is of
-23 °C, with a minimum of
-27.1 °C and a maximum of
-18.8 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-41.5 °C. However, it dropped to
-49 °C in December 1996.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
-3.5 °C. However, it reached
6.5 °C in December 1999.
Precipitation amounts to
19.6 mm, distributed over 6 days.
The day lasts on average 4 hours and 25 minutes. So the days are short. December 21, the winter solstice, is the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
The average humidity is 79%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
2.2 kph.