What is the weather like in Alaska?

What is the weather in Alaska like you ask?

Alaska had a cool and wet start for 2013 with the18th coolest March to May since 1918. It also had it’s 14th wettest May. A late snowfall on May 18th, broke a few records. It made the 2012-13 snow season a total of 232 days long, the longest on record for the city of Anchorage. The high temperature on May 17th was 37 degrees, which set a new daily record for the coldest maximum temperature.

In June temperatures soared into the 80s and 90s. There was an unofficial 98°F measured at Bentalit Lodge on Monday, June 17, smashing the previously set record of 91°F from 1969.

Anchorage had a relentless heat wave setting a new record in July. Nineteen days reached 70 degrees or better and 15 of those were consecutive making it the 4th warmest on record.

In Fairbanks the temperature hit 80 degrees for the record 36th time and only 1.44 inches of rain had fallen over summer, that was 2.25 inches below normal making it the 4th driest summer on record.
According to the National Weather Service, we matched a record that’s nearly a hundred years old. On Sept 13th, 2013 Anchorage had 18 consecutive days of measurable rain which had began on August 27th. This tied the record set back in 1919. It was also the 4th wettest September on record.

We're not certain what’s in store for winter either but if the snow stays at bay a few more days it will be the first time since 1938 that Fairbanks had Halloween without snow!

If you're planning a visit to Alaska and want to know what the weather is like... don't read those websites that predict it 30 days out.  Can your weather forecasters accurately predict 30 days out?  Just plan on wearing layers.  You'll peel them off and put them back on everytime the sun goes behind the clouds.  Definitely bring a rain coat.  It will not only protect you from showers but serve as a good windbreaker.  Most of all, don't worry about.  The only constant is that the weather will change.