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Fairbanks, Alaska climate

Dfb Warm-summer humid continental

Fairbanks has a strongly seasonal subarctic climate (Warm-summer humid continental, Köppen Dfb). The hottest month is July with an average daily high near 23°C, while the coldest is January averaging around −27°C at night. Precipitation totals about 296 mm a year and is strongly seasonal — July alone averages 57 mm while April barely receives 9 mm. Snowfall is heavy (164 cm of snow per year on average). At latitude 65°N, day length swings from 3.1 hours in midwinter to 20.9 hours at midsummer.

☀️ Summers
Mild
Highs near 23°C in July.
❄️ Winters
Bitterly cold
Lows near −27°C in January.
🌧️ Rain & snow
Fairly dry
About 296 mm of rain a year, plus 164 cm of snow.
Snow falls through the winter months
⛅ Sky & trend
Often cloudy
Cloudy skies much of the year.

Temperature & precipitation

Daily high–low temperature range with the monthly average, plus monthly precipitation split into rain and snow · 1991–2020 normals · hover a month for the exact figures TEMPERATURE °C -20°0°20° PRECIPITATION (mm) 03060 RainSnow JanAprJulOct

Hours of sunshine per day

Estimated sunny hours each month — daylight length × clear-sky fraction · 1991–2020 monthly cloud cover (NASA POWER) 0h2h4h6h8h J: ~1.8 hours of sun/dayF: ~3.1 hours of sun/dayM: ~5.4 hours of sun/dayA: ~6.4 hours of sun/dayM: ~6.1 hours of sun/dayJ: ~6.3 hours of sun/dayJ: ~4.9 hours of sun/dayA: ~4.1 hours of sun/dayS: ~3.6 hours of sun/dayO: ~2.6 hours of sun/dayN: ~2.0 hours of sun/dayD: ~1.2 hours of sun/day JFMAMJJASOND Sun hours per day (est.)

Fairbanks climate normals (1991–2020)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Avg high (°C)−17−11−4817222319131−11−15
Avg temp (°C)−22−18−121101617148−3−16−20
Avg low (°C)−27−24−20−64101292−8−20−25
Precipitation (mm)15131091438575334191914
Snowfall (cm)26251782———6213228
Jan – JunJanFebMarAprMayJun
Avg high (°C)−17−11−481722
Avg temp (°C)−22−18−1211016
Avg low (°C)−27−24−20−6410
Precipitation (mm)15131091438
Snowfall (cm)26251782—
Jul – DecJulAugSepOctNovDec
Avg high (°C)2319131−11−15
Avg temp (°C)17148−3−16−20
Avg low (°C)1292−8−20−25
Precipitation (mm)575334191914
Snowfall (cm)——6213228

Sky & atmosphere

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Cloud cover (%)616152576770757571716562
Relative humidity (%)969696887172767984919696
Wind speed (m/s)1.81.71.51.10.90.70.70.70.80.91.41.7
Jan – JunJanFebMarAprMayJun
Cloud cover (%)616152576770
Relative humidity (%)969696887172
Wind speed (m/s)1.81.71.51.10.90.7
Jul – DecJulAugSepOctNovDec
Cloud cover (%)757571716562
Relative humidity (%)767984919696
Wind speed (m/s)0.70.70.80.91.41.7

30-year delta table (1991–2020 minus 1981–2010, °F)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Δ Max temp-0.5+1.6-0.5+1.1+1.1+0.2+0.0+0.5+0.7+2.2+1.4-0.5
Δ Avg temp-0.4+1.5-0.7+1.2+0.9+0.6+0.4+0.9+0.9+2.0+1.5-0.2
Δ Min temp-0.3+1.5-0.9+1.1+0.8+0.9+0.8+1.2+1.1+1.9+1.6-0.1
Jan – JunJanFebMarAprMayJun
Δ Max temp-0.5+1.6-0.5+1.1+1.1+0.2
Δ Avg temp-0.4+1.5-0.7+1.2+0.9+0.6
Δ Min temp-0.3+1.5-0.9+1.1+0.8+0.9
Jul – DecJulAugSepOctNovDec
Δ Max temp+0.0+0.5+0.7+2.2+1.4-0.5
Δ Avg temp+0.4+0.9+0.9+2.0+1.5-0.2
Δ Min temp+0.8+1.2+1.1+1.9+1.6-0.1
Methodology & sources

Temperature & precipitation — the official 1991–2020 climate normals from NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals, measured at Fairbanks Intl AP (NOAA GHCN station USW00026411), about 8 km from the city centre.

Cloud, humidity, wind & sunshine — modelled estimates from NASA POWER, NASA's satellite-and-reanalysis climatology. This is the standard global source for atmospheric variables, which are not measured at most weather stations.

How we build these numbers →