Climate Comfort Score
54/100
Moderate
NOAA 1991–2020 normals 29°F annual avg Public-domain federal data
Denali, AK Climate
Pulled from NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 normals →: average temperature, precipitation, and comfort score
- 29°F
- Avg annual temp
- 54/100
- Comfort score
- 23.5"
- Annual precip
- 106d
- Growing season
30-year climate normals from 1 weather station (1991-2020).
The climate verdict for Denali
Denali, Alaska averages 29°F a year and scores 54/100 on the comfort index - moderate, milder than 27% of U.S. cities.
- 29°F
- yearly average temperature, NOAA normal
- 54/100
- comfort score, milder than 27% of U.S. cities
- 23.5"
- yearly precipitation total
- 106 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
29°F (-2°C)
Avg High
38°F
Avg Low
20°F
Annual Precip
23.5"
Comfort Score
54/100
Moderate
Avg Annual Temperature
29°F
30-year mean (NOAA NCEI)
Annual Precipitation
23.5"
Liquid-equivalent total
Comfort score vs national 100-point ceiling (Denali) 54.0%
National median (63)
PlainClimate composite, temperature mildness, humidity, precipitation, extreme-weather frequency. Moderate for the Denali area.
How Denali compares to every U.S. city
Denali's comfort score vs. all U.S. cities
PlainClimate composite comfort index (1–100), NOAA 1991–2020 normals
54 Top 73% higher than 27% 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 Denali
MethodologyHow the U.S. land temperature anomaly tracks against the global mean since 1900. The current NOAA 1991-2020 normal for Denali captures average conditions across the spread shown, the most recent decade is 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 | Freeze Days | 90°F+ Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 14°F (-10°C) | -5°F (-21°C) | 4°F (-15°C) | 0.8" | 31.0 | 0.0 |
| February | 25°F (-4°C) | 5°F (-15°C) | 15°F (-10°C) | 0.7" | 28.0 | 0.0 |
| March | 22°F (-6°C) | 3°F (-16°C) | 13°F (-11°C) | 1.2" | 31.0 | 0.0 |
| April | 38°F (4°C) | 20°F (-7°C) | 29°F (-1°C) | 1.1" | 28.2 | 0.0 |
| May | 54°F (12°C) | 33°F (0°C) | 43°F (6°C) | 2.0" | 11.4 | 0.0 |
| June | 63°F (17°C) | 44°F (7°C) | 53°F (12°C) | 2.9" | 0.2 | 0.0 |
| July | 64°F (18°C) | 47°F (8°C) | 56°F (13°C) | 5.1" | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| August | 60°F (16°C) | 43°F (6°C) | 52°F (11°C) | 3.9" | 1.7 | 0.0 |
| September | 50°F (10°C) | 33°F (1°C) | 42°F (5°C) | 2.2" | 9.3 | 0.0 |
| October | 32°F (0°C) | 18°F (-8°C) | 25°F (-4°C) | 1.4" | 27.7 | 0.0 |
| November | 20°F (-7°C) | 2°F (-17°C) | 11°F (-12°C) | 1.0" | 30.0 | 0.0 |
| December | 15°F (-10°C) | -6°F (-21°C) | 5°F (-15°C) | 1.2" | 31.0 | 0.0 |
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall
January 0.8"
February 0.7"
March 1.2"
April 1.1"
May 2.0"
June 2.9"
July 5.1"
August 3.9"
September 2.2"
October 1.4"
November 1.0"
December 1.2"
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
September 8
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
May 25
50% probability date
Growing Season
106 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
13,188
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
5
Higher = more cooling needed
Warmest Month
July
Coldest Month
January
What Denali's climate means for you
Denali runs 29°F a year - peaking in July, coldest in January.
- Gardeners get about 106 frost-free days, with the last spring freeze near May 25 - plan the planting calendar around it, not the regional average.
- Energy bills track 13,188 heating and 5 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: Denali, AK
Denali, Alaska runs an annual average of 29°F, ranging from a mean daily high of 38°F to a mean daily low of 20°F, per NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals. July is typically the warmest month of the year, while January is the coldest. Drawn from station USW00096408, these thirty-year averages smooth out year-to-year swings into a baseline for what a typical month looks like here.
Anyone planning to live, garden, or travel in Denali should weigh precipitation alongside temperature: the annual average runs 23.5 inches, predominantly as rainfall. The frost-free season averages 106 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near May 25 and the first fall freeze near September 8. And on the energy front, 13,188 heating degree days and 5 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.
On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Denali scores 54/100 (Moderate), a blended measure that weighs temperature mildness, precipitation moderation, and extreme-weather frequency against one another. Use the monthly tables above to plan around specific windows, shoulder seasons for mild highs and lows, peak summer for July-driven heat, or deep winter for January-driven cold. All figures here are thirty-year averages: any single year may run warmer, wetter, drier, or cooler than the normal, so treat them as planning guidance rather than forecasts.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average temperature in Denali, AK? ▼
The average annual temperature in Denali, Alaska is 29°F. The warmest month averages 64°F (18°C) and the coldest averages -6°F (-21°C).
How much rain does Denali get? ▼
Denali receives 23.5 inches of precipitation annually. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991-2020).
What is the comfort score for Denali? ▼
Denali has a climate comfort score of 54/100 (Moderate), milder than 27% of U.S. cities in the PlainClimate database.
When is the growing season in Denali? ▼
Denali has approximately 106 frost-free days per year, with the last spring freeze around May 25 and the first fall freeze around September 8.
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Denali? ▼
Denali has 13,188 heating degree days and 5 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 Denali climate data come from? ▼
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020), from weather station USW00096408 near Denali.
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). Station: USW00096408. 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.