Climate Comfort Score
34/100
Below Average
NOAA 1991–2020 normals 28°F annual avg 2 stations
Fairbanks, AK Climate
Pulled from NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 normals →: average temperature, precipitation, and comfort score
- 28°F
- Avg annual temp
- 34/100
- Comfort score
- 11.7"
- Annual precip
- 123d
- Growing season
30-year climate normals from 2 weather stations (1991-2020).
The climate verdict for Fairbanks
Fairbanks, Alaska averages 28°F a year and scores 34/100 on the comfort index - below average, milder than 1% of U.S. cities.
- 28°F
- average temperature, NOAA 1991-2020 normal
- 34/100
- comfort score, milder than 1% of U.S. cities
- 11.7"
- annual precipitation · 65" snow
- 123 days
- growing season, frost-free days
Based on NOAA U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020) - 30-year averages describing the typical year, not a forecast.
Avg Temperature
28°F (-2°C)
Avg High
39°F
Avg Low
18°F
Annual Precip
11.7"
Annual Snow
64.6"
Comfort Score
34/100
Below Average
Avg Annual Temperature
28°F
30-year mean (NOAA NCEI)
Annual Precipitation
11.7"
Plus 64.6" of snow
Comfort score vs national 100-point ceiling (Fairbanks) 34.0%
National median (63)
PlainClimate composite, temperature mildness, humidity, precipitation, extreme-weather frequency. Below Average for the Fairbanks area.
How Fairbanks compares to every U.S. city
Fairbanks'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 Fairbanks
MethodologyZooming out from Fairbanks's own normal, the chart below shows how the U.S. land temperature anomaly has tracked the global mean since 1900 - the most recent decade sits warmer than the 30-year mean shown here.
- 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 | 1°F (-17°C) | -17°F (-27°C) | -8°F (-22°C) | 0.6" | 10.2" | 31.0 | 0.0 |
| February | 12°F (-11°C) | -11°F (-24°C) | 0°F (-18°C) | 0.5" | 10.0" | 28.0 | 0.0 |
| March | 25°F (-4°C) | -3°F (-20°C) | 11°F (-12°C) | 0.4" | 6.5" | 30.9 | 0.0 |
| April | 46°F (8°C) | 22°F (-6°C) | 34°F (1°C) | 0.3" | 3.1" | 26.4 | 0.0 |
| May | 62°F (17°C) | 39°F (4°C) | 50°F (10°C) | 0.5" | 0.9" | 6.2 | 0.0 |
| June | 72°F (22°C) | 50°F (10°C) | 61°F (16°C) | 1.5" | 0.0" | 0.1 | 0.2 |
| July | 73°F (23°C) | 53°F (12°C) | 63°F (17°C) | 2.3" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 0.1 |
| August | 66°F (19°C) | 48°F (9°C) | 57°F (14°C) | 2.1" | 0.0" | 0.2 | 0.1 |
| September | 55°F (13°C) | 36°F (2°C) | 46°F (8°C) | 1.4" | 2.3" | 9.3 | 0.0 |
| October | 34°F (1°C) | 18°F (-8°C) | 26°F (-3°C) | 0.8" | 8.2" | 28.8 | 0.0 |
| November | 12°F (-11°C) | -4°F (-20°C) | 4°F (-15°C) | 0.7" | 12.5" | 30.0 | 0.0 |
| December | 4°F (-15°C) | -13°F (-25°C) | -4°F (-20°C) | 0.6" | 10.9" | 31.0 | 0.0 |
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall and snowfall
January 0.6"
Snow: 10.2"
8.7 days with precipitation
February 0.5"
Snow: 10.0"
6.9 days with precipitation
March 0.4"
Snow: 6.5"
5.7 days with precipitation
April 0.3"
Snow: 3.1"
3.7 days with precipitation
May 0.5"
Snow: 0.9"
6.2 days with precipitation
June 1.5"
10.8 days with precipitation
July 2.3"
12.8 days with precipitation
August 2.1"
13.5 days with precipitation
September 1.4"
Snow: 2.3"
10.7 days with precipitation
October 0.8"
Snow: 8.2"
9.8 days with precipitation
November 0.7"
Snow: 12.5"
9.5 days with precipitation
December 0.6"
Snow: 10.9"
8.8 days with precipitation
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
September 13
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
May 13
50% probability date
Growing Season
123 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
13,420
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
68
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 | 96% | 1.9 | 17% | 30% |
| February | 77% | 3.4 | 22% | 28% |
| March | 61% | 4.8 | 19% | 24% |
| April | 51% | 6.1 | 9% | 22% |
| May | 51% | 5.7 | 4% | 20% |
| June | 60% | 5.2 | 1% | 25% |
| July | 69% | 4.7 | 1% | 34% |
| August | 72% | 4.5 | 5% | 31% |
| September | 73% | 4.5 | 11% | 37% |
| October | 82% | 3.0 | 16% | 41% |
| November | 85% | 2.1 | 11% | 36% |
| December | 90% | 2.0 | 16% | 31% |
What Fairbanks's climate means for you
Fairbanks runs 28°F a year - peaking in July, coldest in January.
- Gardeners get about 123 frost-free days, with the last spring freeze near May 13 - plan the planting calendar around it, not the regional average.
- Energy bills track 13,420 heating and 68 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: Fairbanks, AK
Fairbanks, Alaska runs an annual average of 28°F, ranging from a mean daily high of 39°F to a mean daily low of 18°F, per NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals. July is typically the warmest month of the year, while January is the coldest. Drawn from 2 weather stations, these thirty-year averages smooth out year-to-year swings into a baseline for what a typical month looks like here.
Beyond temperature, Fairbanks averages 11.7 inches of precipitation annually, with 64.6 inches typically falling as snow - a real factor for anyone planning to live, garden, or travel here. The frost-free season averages 123 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near May 13 and the first fall freeze near September 13. Turning to energy use, 13,420 heating degree days and 68 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.
On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Fairbanks scores 34/100 (Below Average), a blended measure that weighs temperature mildness, precipitation moderation, and extreme-weather frequency against one another. For planning purposes, look to the monthly tables above: shoulder seasons bring the mildest highs and lows, summer brings July-driven heat, and deep winter brings January-driven cold. Treat every figure here as a thirty-year average rather than a forecast - individual years routinely run warmer, cooler, wetter, or drier than the normal.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average temperature in Fairbanks, AK? ▼
The average annual temperature in Fairbanks, Alaska is 28°F. The warmest month averages 73°F (23°C) and the coldest averages -17°F (-27°C).
How much rain does Fairbanks get? ▼
Fairbanks receives 11.7 inches of precipitation annually, including 64.6 inches of snow. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991-2020).
What is the comfort score for Fairbanks? ▼
Fairbanks 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 Fairbanks? ▼
Fairbanks has approximately 123 frost-free days per year, with the last spring freeze around May 13 and the first fall freeze around September 13.
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Fairbanks? ▼
Fairbanks has 13,420 heating degree days and 68 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 Fairbanks climate data come from? ▼
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020), from 2 weather stations near Fairbanks.
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). Station: USW00026411. 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.