Climate Comfort Score
34/100
Below Average
NOAA 1991–2020 normals 31°F annual avg Public-domain federal data
Bethel, AK Climate
Explore average temperature, rainfall, and comfort score sourced from NOAA NCEI's 1991–2020 climate normals →
- 31°F
- Avg annual temp
- 34/100
- Comfort score
- 19.7"
- Annual precip
- 124d
- Growing season
30-year climate normals from 1 weather station (1991-2020).
The climate verdict for Bethel
Bethel, Alaska averages 31°F a year and scores 34/100 on the comfort index - below average, milder than 1% of U.S. cities.
- 31°F
- annual average temperature (NOAA normal)
- 34/100
- comfort score, milder than 1% of U.S. cities
- 19.7"
- annual precipitation · 64" snow
- 124 days
- frost-free growing season
Based on NOAA U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020) - 30-year averages describing the typical year, not a forecast.
Avg Temperature
31°F (0°C)
Avg High
38°F
Avg Low
24°F
Annual Precip
19.7"
Annual Snow
64.0"
Comfort Score
34/100
Below Average
Avg Annual Temperature
31°F
30-year mean (NOAA NCEI)
Annual Precipitation
19.7"
Plus 64.0" of snow
Comfort score vs national 100-point ceiling (Bethel) 34.0%
National median (63)
PlainClimate composite, temperature mildness, humidity, precipitation, extreme-weather frequency. Below Average for the Bethel area.
How Bethel compares to every U.S. city
Bethel's comfort score vs. all U.S. cities
PlainClimate composite comfort index (1–100), NOAA 1991–2020 normals
34 Top 99% higher than 1% of 6,915 US cities
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, PlainClimate comfort index · 1991–2020
Warming context for Bethel
MethodologySince 1900, U.S. land temperatures have tracked (and diverged from) the global mean - the chart below shows how. Bethel's current NOAA 1991-2020 normal sits within that longer spread, and the most recent decade runs warmer than the 30-year mean.
- United States land mean (NOAA NCEI) +0.11 °C/decade
- Global anomaly (NASA GISTEMP) +0.11 °C/decade
- Paris Agreement thresholds 1.5°C / 2.0°C
Monthly Temperatures
Average daily high and low temperatures by month
| Month | Avg High | Avg Low | Mean | Precip | Snow | Freeze Days | 90°F+ Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 13°F (-11°C) | 1°F (-17°C) | 7°F (-14°C) | 0.8" | 9.4" | 30.4 | 0.0 |
| February | 20°F (-7°C) | 7°F (-14°C) | 13°F (-10°C) | 0.9" | 8.1" | 27.4 | 0.0 |
| March | 22°F (-6°C) | 7°F (-14°C) | 15°F (-10°C) | 0.7" | 8.8" | 30.4 | 0.0 |
| April | 37°F (3°C) | 21°F (-6°C) | 29°F (-2°C) | 0.8" | 6.0" | 26.5 | 0.0 |
| May | 52°F (11°C) | 34°F (1°C) | 43°F (6°C) | 1.2" | 1.9" | 12.5 | 0.0 |
| June | 62°F (17°C) | 45°F (7°C) | 53°F (12°C) | 1.8" | 0.0" | 0.3 | 0.0 |
| July | 64°F (18°C) | 49°F (9°C) | 56°F (13°C) | 2.6" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| August | 61°F (16°C) | 47°F (8°C) | 54°F (12°C) | 3.4" | 0.0" | 0.1 | 0.0 |
| September | 53°F (12°C) | 39°F (4°C) | 46°F (8°C) | 2.9" | 0.5" | 5.3 | 0.0 |
| October | 38°F (3°C) | 26°F (-3°C) | 32°F (0°C) | 1.8" | 3.9" | 22.8 | 0.0 |
| November | 24°F (-4°C) | 13°F (-11°C) | 19°F (-7°C) | 1.8" | 13.2" | 28.2 | 0.0 |
| December | 16°F (-9°C) | 4°F (-16°C) | 10°F (-12°C) | 1.1" | 12.2" | 30.4 | 0.0 |
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall and snowfall
January 0.8"
Snow: 9.4"
9.2 days with precipitation
February 0.9"
Snow: 8.1"
10.1 days with precipitation
March 0.7"
Snow: 8.8"
8.6 days with precipitation
April 0.8"
Snow: 6.0"
9.5 days with precipitation
May 1.2"
Snow: 1.9"
12.0 days with precipitation
June 1.8"
12.9 days with precipitation
July 2.6"
16.2 days with precipitation
August 3.4"
18.1 days with precipitation
September 2.9"
Snow: 0.5"
16.6 days with precipitation
October 1.8"
Snow: 3.9"
13.3 days with precipitation
November 1.8"
Snow: 13.2"
13.7 days with precipitation
December 1.1"
Snow: 12.2"
10.9 days with precipitation
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
September 22
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
May 21
50% probability date
Growing Season
124 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
12,228
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
6
Higher = more cooling needed
Warmest Month
July
Coldest Month
January
Humidity & Wind
Monthly averages from hourly observations
| Month | Humidity | Wind (mph) | Clear Sky % | Overcast % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 81% | 13.9 | 34% | 35% |
| February | 81% | 13.4 | 27% | 43% |
| March | 80% | 11.9 | 28% | 39% |
| April | 75% | 10.8 | 18% | 40% |
| May | 68% | 10.2 | 11% | 36% |
| June | 76% | 9.3 | 8% | 53% |
| July | 83% | 9.9 | 3% | 70% |
| August | 84% | 10.2 | 10% | 64% |
| September | 84% | 10.7 | 18% | 48% |
| October | 86% | 11.5 | 17% | 51% |
| November | 85% | 12.3 | 24% | 44% |
| December | 83% | 12.9 | 28% | 39% |
What Bethel's climate means for you
Bethel runs 31°F a year - peaking in July, coldest in January.
- Gardeners get about 124 frost-free days, with the last spring freeze near May 21 - plan the planting calendar around it, not the regional average.
- Energy bills track 12,228 heating and 6 cooling degree days a year, higher means the furnace or AC runs more.
- Comparing places to live? Line this city up against nearby cities and the national rankings. See rankings
These are 30-year NOAA normals (1991–2020) - the typical year, not a forecast for any specific season.
Climate Guides
Climate Insight: Bethel, AK
The NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals describe Bethel, Alaska as a location with an annual average temperature of 31°F, ranging from a mean daily high of 38°F to a mean daily low of 24°F. July is typically the warmest month of the year, while January is the coldest. These thirty-year averages, computed from station USW00026615, smooth out year-to-year variability and give a baseline expectation for typical conditions in any given month.
Precipitation patterns matter as much as temperature for anyone planning to live, garden, or travel here. Bethel receives roughly 19.7 inches of precipitation each year, with 64.0 inches typically falling as snow. The frost-free season averages 124 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near May 21 and the first fall freeze near September 22. For energy use, 12,228 heating degree days and 6 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.
On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Bethel scores 34/100 (Below Average), a blended measure that weighs temperature mildness, precipitation moderation, and extreme-weather frequency against one another. The monthly tables above are the practical planning tool: mild highs and lows land in the shoulder seasons, July-driven heat peaks in summer, and January-driven cold sets in over deep winter. These are thirty-year averages, not a forecast - any single year can run warmer, wetter, drier, or cooler than the normal.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average temperature in Bethel, AK? ▼
The average annual temperature in Bethel, Alaska is 31°F. The warmest month averages 64°F (18°C) and the coldest averages 1°F (-17°C).
How much rain does Bethel get? ▼
Bethel receives 19.7 inches of precipitation annually, including 64.0 inches of snow. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991-2020).
What is the comfort score for Bethel? ▼
Bethel has a climate comfort score of 34/100 (Below Average), milder than 1% of U.S. cities in the PlainClimate database.
When is the growing season in Bethel? ▼
Bethel has approximately 124 frost-free days per year, with the last spring freeze around May 21 and the first fall freeze around September 22.
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Bethel? ▼
Bethel has 12,228 heating degree days and 6 cooling degree days annually, a heating-dominated climate. See our <a href="/guides/reading-weather-data/" class="underline hover:text-brand-600">guide to reading weather data</a> for what these figures mean.
Where does this Bethel climate data come from? ▼
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020), from weather station USW00026615 near Bethel.
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). Station: USW00026615. For informational purposes only.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Related
Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainClimate Editorial
Every figure on PlainClimate is rendered directly from NOAA 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on NOAA 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.