When you're planning an Alaska cruise, two of the most important decisions you need to make are which itinerary to choose, and when to go.
Which particular ship to go on should be a distant third decision, though the presence of a naturalist onboard can enhance the cruise for many. These weather
averages may help with the decision of when to go. You may hear from past cruisers who had great weather in September, for example, but you'll see from this data that the odds
are against that happening. The simple summary:
- the months with the least rain are May, June or July depending on the specific location.
- the month with the most rain is September
- the month with the warmest temperatures is July.
- the months with the coolest temperatures are May and September.
- Whittier gets 2-5 times as much rain as Seward - a possible consideration for those of you planning a one-way cruise.
When using this data, keep in mind that there can be very different weather in a given month. That's particularly true with May and September - early May and
late September have much in common with April and October respectively, for example. When your departure date is getting close, don't look at Alaska weather forecasts - they are
extremely inaccurate even the day before - 10-day forecasts are absolutely meaningless.
Now that you understand the weather (as much as it can be understood!), you need these packing lists.
There are, of course, other considerations in picking a cruise date that can outweigh weather. Cruise prices and the likelihood of wildlife viewing
(particularly bears) are two of the most common of those.
This data has been obtained from the Alaska Climate Research Center at the University of Alaska
Fairbanks (UAF), and was compiled from the averages from 1970-2000, the most current data available as of 2007.
Anchorage
Juneau
Ketchikan
Skagway
Sitka
Glacier Bay
Seward
Whittier
Yakutat (Hubbard Glacier)
You may also find a look at Alaska's climate extremes to be interesting.
Anchorage (International Airport)
| Element |
JAN
|
FEB
|
MAR
|
APR
|
MAY
|
JUN
|
JUL
|
AUG
|
SEP
|
OCT
|
NOV
|
DEC
|
ANNUAL
|
| Mean Temperature (°F) |
15.8
|
18.7
|
25.9
|
36.3
|
46.9
|
54.7
|
58.4
|
56.4
|
48.2
|
34.1
|
21.8
|
17.5
|
36.2
|
| Mean Maximum Temperature (°F) |
22.2
|
25.8
|
33.6
|
43.9
|
54.9
|
62.3
|
65.3
|
63.3
|
55.0
|
40.0
|
27.7
|
23.7
|
43.1
|
| Mean Minimum Temperature (°F) |
9.3
|
11.7
|
18.2
|
28.7
|
38.9
|
47.0
|
51.5
|
49.4
|
41.4
|
28.3
|
15.9
|
11.4
|
29.3
|
| Mean Precipitation (in) |
0.68
|
0.74
|
0.65
|
0.52
|
0.7
|
1.06
|
1.7
|
2.93
|
2.87
|
2.09
|
1.09
|
1.05
|
16.08
|
Mean
Snowfall (in) |
9.2
|
10.9
|
10.2
|
4.1
|
0.1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0.2
|
8.3
|
11.6
|
14.9
|
69.5
|
Mean
Snow depth (in) |
9
|
10
|
10
|
3
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
4
|
8
|
4
|
|
Juneau
| Element |
JAN
|
FEB
|
MAR
|
APR
|
MAY
|
JUN
|
JUL
|
AUG
|
SEP
|
OCT
|
NOV
|
DEC
|
ANNUAL
|
| Mean Temperature (°F) |
25.7
|
28.9
|
33.7
|
40.8
|
47.9
|
53.9
|
56.8
|
55.7
|
50.0
|
42.3
|
33.3
|
28.7
|
41.5
|
| Mean Maximum Temperature (°F) |
30.6
|
34.3
|
39.5
|
48.1
|
55.7
|
61.6
|
64.3
|
63.1
|
56.1
|
46.9
|
37.6
|
33.0
|
47.6
|
| Mean Minimum Temperature (°F) |
20.7
|
23.5
|
27.8
|
33.4
|
40.1
|
46.1
|
49.2
|
48.3
|
43.8
|
37.7
|
28.9
|
24.4
|
35.3
|
| Mean Precipitation (in) |
4.81
|
4.02
|
3.51
|
2.96
|
3.48
|
3.36
|
4.14
|
5.37
|
7.54
|
8.30
|
5.43
|
5.41
|
58.33
|
Mean
Snowfall (in) |
28.9
|
17.8
|
11.5
|
1.1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1.1
|
12.8
|
20.6
|
93.8
|
Mean
Snow depth (in) |
7
|
6
|
3
|
T
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
4
|
2
|
|
Ketchikan
| Element |
JAN
|
FEB
|
MAR
|
APR
|
MAY
|
JUN
|
JUL
|
AUG
|
SEP
|
OCT
|
NOV
|
DEC
|
ANNUAL
|
| Mean Temperature (°F) |
33.6
|
36.3
|
38.3
|
43.0
|
48.5
|
53.8
|
57.7
|
58.3
|
53.1
|
45.8
|
38.8
|
35.5
|
45.2
|
| Mean Maximum Temperature (°F) |
38.4
|
41.3
|
43.6
|
49.3
|
55.1
|
60.4
|
64.0
|
64.5
|
59.1
|
50.8
|
43.5
|
39.9
|
50.8
|
| Mean Minimum Temperature (°F) |
28.8
|
31.2
|
33.0
|
36.7
|
41.8
|
47.1
|
51.4
|
52.1
|
47.1
|
40.7
|
34.1
|
31.0
|
39.6
|
| Mean Precipitation (in) |
11.94
|
11.33
|
11.15
|
9.85
|
8.70
|
6.95
|
6.43
|
9.14
|
12.18
|
20.29
|
15.73
|
13.71
|
137.40
|
Mean
Snowfall (in) |
13.3
|
9.5
|
4.1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
T
|
2.1
|
7.9
|
36.9
|
Mean
Snow depth (in) |
2
|
2
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
T
|
1
|
1
|
|
Skagway
| Element |
JAN
|
FEB
|
MAR
|
APR
|
MAY
|
JUN
|
JUL
|
AUG
|
SEP
|
OCT
|
NOV
|
DEC
|
ANNUAL
|
| Mean Temperature (°F) |
22.4
|
27.1
|
33.5
|
41.4
|
49.5
|
55.9
|
58.8
|
57.0
|
50.4
|
41.9
|
30.8
|
26.7
|
41.3
|
| Mean Maximum Temperature (°F) |
27.0
|
32.4
|
39.9
|
50.2
|
58.9
|
65.2
|
67.5
|
65.4
|
57.2
|
46.9
|
35.3
|
30.9
|
48.1
|
| Mean Minimum Temperature (°F) |
17.8
|
21.7
|
27.1
|
32.6
|
40.1
|
46.6
|
50.0
|
48.5
|
43.5
|
36.8
|
26.3
|
22.4
|
34.5
|
| Mean Precipitation (in) |
2.18
|
1.96
|
1.39
|
1.08
|
1.38
|
1.27
|
1.15
|
2.33
|
3.62
|
4.60
|
2.49
|
2.76
|
26.21
|
Mean
Snowfall (in) |
20.3
|
12.8
|
3.4
|
1.7
|
0.1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1.0
|
9.0
|
12.5
|
60.9
|
Mean
Snow depth (in) |
2
|
1
|
T
|
T
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
T
|
|
Sitka
| Element |
JAN
|
FEB
|
MAR
|
APR
|
MAY
|
JUN
|
JUL
|
AUG
|
SEP
|
OCT
|
NOV
|
DEC
|
ANNUAL
|
| Mean Temperature (°F) |
34.9
|
36.1
|
38.4
|
42.6
|
47.5
|
52.4
|
56.3
|
57.2
|
53.0
|
46.1
|
39.3
|
36.3
|
45.0
|
| Mean Maximum Temperature (°F) |
39.0
|
40.7
|
43.5
|
48.5
|
53.2
|
57.7
|
61.0
|
62.1
|
58.2
|
50.5
|
43.5
|
40.2
|
49.8
|
| Mean Minimum Temperature (°F) |
30.7
|
31.5
|
33.2
|
36.7
|
41.7
|
47.1
|
51.5
|
52.2
|
47.8
|
41.6
|
35.1
|
32.4
|
40.1
|
| Mean Precipitation (in) |
8.02
|
6.22
|
5.93
|
4.67
|
4.38
|
3.28
|
3.85
|
6.30
|
11.16
|
14.14
|
9.17
|
9.01
|
86.13
|
Mean
Snowfall (in) |
10.4
|
8.1
|
6.0
|
1.3
|
0.1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0.4
|
4.1
|
6.7
|
37.1
|
Mean
Snow depth (in) |
2
|
2
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
T
|
1
|
1
|
|
Glacier Bay
| Element |
JAN
|
FEB
|
MAR
|
APR
|
MAY
|
JUN
|
JUL
|
AUG
|
SEP
|
OCT
|
NOV
|
DEC
|
ANNUAL
|
| Mean Temperature (°F) |
27.9
|
30.3
|
34.0
|
40.3
|
47.1
|
52.8
|
55.7
|
54.7
|
49.4
|
41.9
|
34.0
|
30.1
|
41.5
|
| Mean Maximum Temperature (°F) |
32.3
|
35.2
|
39.8
|
48.0
|
55.9
|
61.8
|
64.5
|
62.9
|
56.2
|
47.3
|
38.5
|
34.4
|
48.1
|
| Mean Minimum Temperature (°F) |
23.4
|
25.3
|
28.2
|
32.6
|
38.2
|
43.8
|
46.9
|
46.4
|
42.5
|
36.5
|
29.5
|
25.8
|
34.9
|
| Mean Precipitation (in) |
6.52
|
4.81
|
3.60
|
2.80
|
3.69
|
3.02
|
3.61
|
5.56
|
9.47
|
11.83
|
7.46
|
7.31
|
69.68
|
Mean
Snowfall (in) |
35.5
|
24.7
|
13.5
|
1.3
|
0.1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1.4
|
14.0
|
25.2
|
115.7
|
Mean
Snow depth (in) |
21
|
30
|
27
|
16
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
T
|
2
|
12
|
9
|
|
Seward
| Element |
JAN
|
FEB
|
MAR
|
APR
|
MAY
|
JUN
|
JUL
|
AUG
|
SEP
|
OCT
|
NOV
|
DEC
|
ANNUAL
|
| Mean Temperature (°F) |
26.2
|
27.2
|
32.0
|
38.6
|
45.8
|
52.1
|
56.4
|
55.9
|
49.6
|
39.8
|
31.7
|
28.1
|
40.3
|
| Mean Maximum Temperature (°F) |
31.1
|
32.6
|
37.9
|
44.8
|
52.4
|
58.6
|
62.4
|
62.1
|
55.6
|
45.0
|
36.9
|
33.3
|
46.1
|
| Mean Minimum Temperature (°F) |
21.3
|
21.8
|
26.1
|
32.3
|
39.2
|
45.5
|
50.3
|
49.6
|
43.6
|
34.5
|
26.5
|
22.9
|
34.5
|
| Mean Precipitation (in) |
7.19
|
5.82
|
4.14
|
4.71
|
4.75
|
2.32
|
2.24
|
5.49
|
10.36
|
9.81
|
7.15
|
7.84
|
71.82
|
Mean
Snowfall (in) |
14.0
|
16.2
|
12.1
|
5.4
|
0.3
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1.9
|
8.8
|
18.4
|
77.2
|
Mean
Snow depth (in) |
5
|
7
|
6
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
T
|
1
|
4
|
2
|
|
Whittier
| Element |
JAN
|
FEB
|
MAR
|
APR
|
MAY
|
JUN
|
JUL
|
AUG
|
SEP
|
OCT
|
NOV
|
DEC
|
ANNUAL
|
| Mean Temperature (°F) |
27.1
|
28.8
|
32.6
|
38.8
|
45.9
|
53.0
|
57.0
|
55.8
|
49.1
|
39.2
|
32.0
|
28.5
|
40.7
|
| Mean Maximum Temperature (°F) |
30.7
|
32.5
|
36.9
|
43.8
|
51.4
|
59.2
|
63.0
|
61.4
|
53.6
|
43.1
|
35.9
|
32.4
|
45.3
|
| Mean Minimum Temperature (°F) |
23.4
|
25.0
|
28.3
|
33.8
|
40.3
|
46.8
|
50.9
|
50.2
|
44.6
|
35.2
|
28.0
|
24.6
|
35.9
|
| Mean Precipitation (in) |
18.96
|
13.84
|
13.35
|
14.28
|
12.91
|
9.63
|
9.18
|
13.73
|
21.89
|
20.00
|
16.51
|
20.94
|
185.22
|
Mean
Snowfall (in) |
51.0
|
38.3
|
44.1
|
16.7
|
1.0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
7.2
|
29.9
|
55.9
|
244.2
|
Mean
Snow depth (in) |
37
|
46
|
52
|
38
|
8
|
T
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
6
|
20
|
17
|
|
Yakutat (Hubbard Glacier)
| Element |
JAN
|
FEB
|
MAR
|
APR
|
MAY
|
JUN
|
JUL
|
AUG
|
SEP
|
OCT
|
NOV
|
DEC
|
ANNUAL
|
| Mean Temperature (°F) |
25.8
|
28.4
|
31.5
|
37.2
|
43.6
|
49.7
|
53.6
|
53.3
|
48.2
|
41.1
|
32.4
|
28.6
|
39.5
|
| Mean Maximum Temperature (°F) |
32.1
|
35.7
|
39.3
|
45.1
|
51.1
|
56.6
|
60.1
|
60.4
|
55.7
|
47.3
|
38.4
|
34.3
|
46.3
|
| Mean Minimum Temperature (°F) |
19.4
|
21.0
|
23.6
|
29.2
|
36.1
|
42.7
|
47.1
|
46.2
|
40.6
|
34.8
|
26.3
|
22.9
|
32.5
|
| Mean Precipitation (in) |
13.18
|
10.99
|
11.41
|
10.80
|
9.78
|
7.17
|
7.88
|
13.27
|
20.88
|
24.00
|
15.17
|
15.85
|
160.38
|
Mean
Snowfall (in) |
38.9
|
33.4
|
32.5
|
15.7
|
1.0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
5.5
|
22.4
|
33.4
|
182.9
|
Mean
Snow depth (in) |
16
|
17
|
19
|
10
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
T
|
4
|
9
|
6
|
|
