Climate of Alaska

{{further|Climate change in southeast Alaska}}

File:Southeast Alaska Köppen.png in SE Alaska]]

The climate in Juneau and the Southeast panhandle is a mid-latitude oceanic climate (Köppen climate classification Cfb) in the southern sections and an oceanic, marine subpolar climate (similar to Scotland, or Haida Gwaii), (Köppen Cfc) in the northern parts. Much of the southern parts are temperate rainforest. On an annual basis, southern portions are both the wettest and warmest part of Alaska, with milder temperatures in the winter and high precipitation throughout the year. Average monthly precipitation is generally highest in the autumn months, especially October, and lowest in May or June. This is also the only region in Alaska in which the average daytime high temperature is above freezing during the winter months, except for in the southern parts of the Aleutian Islands such as Unalaska.

The climate in south central Alaska, with Anchorage as a typical city, is mild by Alaskan standards. This is due in large part to its proximity to the coast. While it does not get nearly as much rain as the southeast of Alaska, it does get more snow, although days tend to be clearer there. It is a subarctic climate (Köppen Dfc) due to its short, cool summers. There are frequent, strong southeast winds known as the Knik wind in the vicinity of Palmer, especially in the winter months.{{cite web|last1=Null|first1=Jan|title=Wind Names|url=http://ggweather.com/winds.html|website=Golden Gate Weather Services|access-date=17 April 2017}}

The climate of Western Alaska is determined largely by the Bering Sea and the Gulf of Alaska. It is a subarctic oceanic climate in the southwest and a continental subarctic climate farther north. The temperature is somewhat moderate considering how far north the area is. This area has a tremendous amount of variety, especially when considering precipitation. The northern side of the Seward Peninsula is technically a desert with less than {{convert|10|in|mm|0}} of precipitation annually, while some locations between Dillingham and Bethel average around {{convert|100|in|mm|-1}} of precipitation.[http://www.ocs.orst.edu/pub/maps/Precipitation/Total/States/AK/ak_ppt.gif Mean Annual Precipitation in Alaska-Yukon] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070619203345/http://www.ocs.orst.edu/pub/maps/Precipitation/Total/States/AK/ak_ppt.gif |date=2007-06-19 }}. Oregon Climate Service at Oregon State University. Retrieved on 2006-10-23.

The climate of the east of Alaska is best described as extreme and is an excellent example of a true continental subarctic climate. Some of the hottest and coldest temperatures in Alaska occur around the area near Fairbanks. The summers can have temperatures reaching into the 90s °F (near 34 °C), while in the winter, the temperature can fall below {{convert|-50|F|C|1}}, and in rare cases, below {{convert|-60|F|C|1}}. Precipitation is generally sparse around the year, peaking during the summer months, and virtually all precipitation between October and April falls as snow. Ice fog is a significant hazard during especially cold periods between November and March.{{cite book|author1=Shulski, Martha |author2=Wendler, Gerd |title=The Climate of Alaska |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aUDWK8zDr50C |year=2007 |publisher=University of Alaska Press |pages=38–53|isbn=978-1-60223-007-1}}

The climate in the extreme north of Alaska is what would be expected for an area north of the Arctic Circle. It is an Arctic climate (Köppen EF) with long, very cold winters and short, cool summers. The sun does not rise at all during some weeks in the winter, and is out for 24 hours during some weeks in the summer. However, despite 24 hours of sunshine in the summertime, the average low temperature is barely above freezing in Utqiaġvik in July, at {{convert|36|F|C|1}} and snow may fall any month of the year.[http://www.wunderground.com/history/airport/PABR/2006/7/23/MonthlyHistory.html History for Barrow, Alaska. Monthly Summary for July 2006]. Weather Underground. Last accessed 23 October 2006. North Alaska is the coldest region in Alaska.

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The highest and lowest recorded temperatures in Alaska are both in the Interior. The highest is {{convert|100|F|1}} in Fort Yukon on June 27, 1915.{{cite web | title = NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards Information - Alaska Weather Interesting Facts and Records | publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | url = http://www.arh.noaa.gov/docs/AKWXfacts.pdf | access-date = 2007-01-03 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060929022606/http://www.arh.noaa.gov/docs/AKWXfacts.pdf | archive-date = 2006-09-29 | url-status = dead }}{{cite web | title = State Extremes | publisher = Western Regional Climate Center, Desert Research Institute | url = http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/htmlfiles/state.extremes.html | access-date = 2007-01-03 }}{{cite web | title = SD Weather History and Trivia for May: May 1 | publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | url = http://www.crh.noaa.gov/fsd/?n=fsdtrivia05 | access-date = 2007-01-03 }}{{cite web | title = FAQ ALASKA - Frequently Asked Questions About Alaska: Weather | publisher = Statewide Library Electronic Doorway, University of Alaska Fairbanks | date = 2005-01-17 | url = http://sled.alaska.edu/akfaq/aksuper.html#wea | access-date = 2007-01-03 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070102180919/http://sled.alaska.edu/akfaq/aksuper.html#wea | archive-date = 2007-01-02 }} The lowest Alaska temperature is {{convert|−80|F|1}} in Prospect Creek on January 23, 1971, {{convert|1|F-change|1}} above the lowest temperature recorded in continental North America (in Snag, Yukon, Canada).{{cite web | author = Ned Rozell | title = The Coldest Place in North America | publisher = Geophysical Institute of the University of Alaska Fairbanks | date = 2003-01-23 | url = http://www.gi.alaska.edu/ScienceForum/ASF16/1630.html | access-date = 2007-01-03 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070202040955/http://www.gi.alaska.edu/ScienceForum/ASF16/1630.html | archive-date = 2007-02-02 | url-status = dead }} Alaska also holds the extreme US record low temperatures for every month except September, where Big Piney, Wyoming recorded {{convert|−15|°F|°C|1|disp=or}} on September 20, 1983, while the coldest temperature recorded in Alaska in September was {{convert|−13|°F|°C|disp=or}} in Arctic Village on September 30, 1970.

{{Weather box

| location = Alaska (averages based on the years of 1991–2020)

| single line = Y

| Jan record high F = 67

| Feb record high F = 66

| Mar record high F = 71

| Apr record high F = 82

| May record high F = 93

| Jun record high F = 100

| Jul record high F = 99

| Aug record high F = 99

| Sep record high F = 90

| Oct record high F = 76

| Nov record high F = 67

| Dec record high F = 67

| year record high =

| Jan high F = 10.7

| Feb high F = 16.2

| Mar high F = 21.2

| Apr high F = 35

| May high F = 49

| Jun high F = 59.9

| Jul high F = 62.3

| Aug high F = 58

| Sep high F = 48.3

| Oct high F = 33.3

| Nov high F = 19.2

| Dec high F = 13.3

| year high F =

| Jan mean F = 4.2

| Feb mean F = 8.7

| Mar mean F = 12.3

| Apr mean F = 26.2

| May mean F = 40.1

| Jun mean F = 50.9

| Jul mean F = 54.1

| Aug mean F = 50.4

| Sep mean F = 41.4

| Oct mean F = 27.3

| Nov mean F = 13.3

| Dec mean F = 7

| year mean F =

| Jan low F = -2.4

| Feb low F = 1.2

| Mar low F = 3.5

| Apr low F = 17.4

| May low F = 31.2

| Jun low F = 41.9

| Jul low F = 45.9

| Aug low F = 42.8

| Sep low F = 34.5

| Oct low F = 21.2

| Nov low F = 7.3

| Dec low F = 0.7

| year low F =

| Jan record low F = −80

| Feb record low F = −75

| Mar record low F = −68

| Apr record low F = −50

| May record low F = −25

| Jun record low F = -11

| Jul record low F = 8

| Aug record low F = -6

| Sep record low F = −13

| Oct record low F = −49

| Nov record low F = −62

| Dec record low F = −72

| year record low F =

| precipitation colour = green

| Jan precipitation inch = 2.82

| Feb precipitation inch = 2.39

| Mar precipitation inch = 2.11

| Apr precipitation inch = 1.90

| May precipitation inch = 2.12

| Jun precipitation inch = 2.42

| Jul precipitation inch = 3.48

| Aug precipitation inch = 4.57

| Sep precipitation inch = 4.96

| Oct precipitation inch = 4.23

| Nov precipitation inch = 3.50

| Dec precipitation inch = 3.14

| year precipitation inch =

| source 1 = NOAA Climate at A Glance{{cite web |url=https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/cag/statewide/time-series/50/tmax/1/1/1895-2022?base_prd=true&begbaseyear=1991&endbaseyear=2020 |title=Climate At A Glance |access-date=2022-09-05}}

| source 2 = Western Regional Climate Center{{cite web|title=ALASKA|url=http://wrcc.dri.edu/summary/Climsmak.html|website=Western Regional Climate Center |publisher=National Centers for Environmental Information|location=Reno, Nevada}}

| date =

| source =

}}

Juneau averages over {{convert|50|in|mm|-1}} of precipitation a year, while some other areas in southeast Alaska receive as much as {{convert|275|in|mm|-1}}. Average monthly precipitation generally peaks in September or October, and is lowest in May and June. Owing to the rain shadow of the coastal mountains, south-central Alaska does not get nearly as much rain as the southeast of Alaska, though it does get more snow with up to {{convert|300|in|m|2}} at Valdez and much more in the mountains. On average, Anchorage receives {{convert|16|in|mm|-1}} of precipitation a year, with around {{convert|75|in|m|2}} of snow. The northern coast of the Gulf of Alaska receives up to {{convert|150|in|mm|1}} of precipitation annually.Western Regional Climate Center. [http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/narratives/ALASKA.htm Climate of Alaska.] Retrieved on 2008-03-19. Across the western sections of the state, the northern side of the Seward Peninsula is a desert with less than {{convert|10|in|mm|-1}} of precipitation annually, while some locations between Dillingham and Bethel average around {{convert|100|in|mm|-1}} of precipitation.{{cite book|author1=Shulski, Martha |author2=Wendler, Gerd |title=The Climate of Alaska|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aUDWK8zDr50C |year=2007 |publisher=University of Alaska Press|pages=55–76|isbn=978-1-60223-007-1}}

Inland, often less than {{convert|10|in|mm|0}} falls a year and on the North Slope as little as {{convert|4|in|mm|-1}} of rainfall equivalent and {{convert|30|in|m|2}} of snow is typical, but what snow falls during the winter tends to stay throughout the season. Thunderstorms are fairly rare in most of Alaska, but do occur in the interior in the summer with some frequency and may cause wildfires. Anchorage gets a thunderstorm every few years. There has even been the rare thunderstorm in Utqiaġvik on the Arctic coast.{{Cite web|url=http://www.john-daly.com/thunder/index.htm|title=A Clap of Thunder|website=www.john-daly.com}} While weak tornadoes and waterspouts, while extremely rare, do sometimes occur, Alaska is considered the least tornado-prone state in the United States.

La Niña events lead to drier and cooler than normal conditions, while El Niño events leads to warmer than normal temperatures but do not have a correlation towards dry or wet conditions. Precipitation increases by 10–40% when the Pacific decadal oscillation is positive.John Papineau, Ph.D. [http://pafc.arh.noaa.gov/climvar/climate-paper.html Understanding Alaska's Climate Variation.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080511192429/http://pafc.arh.noaa.gov/climvar/climate-paper.html |date=2008-05-11 }} Retrieved on 2008-03-19.

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{{ClimateUS}}

{{Alaska}}

Alaska