Climate Comfort Score
34/100
Below Average
NOAA 1991–2020 normals 41°F annual avg Public-domain federal data
Glacier Bay, AK Climate
Temperature, precipitation, and comfort score from NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 normals →
- 41°F
- Avg annual temp
- 34/100
- Comfort score
- 72.6"
- Annual precip
- 157d
- Growing season
30-year climate normals from 1 weather station (1991-2020).
The climate verdict for Glacier Bay
Glacier Bay, Alaska averages 41°F a year and scores 34/100 on the comfort index - below average, milder than 1% of U.S. cities.
- 41°F
- yearly average temperature, NOAA normal
- 34/100
- comfort score, milder than 1% of U.S. cities
- 72.6"
- yearly precipitation total
- 157 days
- frost-free days per growing season
Based on NOAA U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020) - 30-year averages describing the typical year, not a forecast.
Avg Temperature
41°F (5°C)
Avg High
46°F
Avg Low
36°F
Annual Precip
72.6"
Comfort Score
34/100
Below Average
Avg Annual Temperature
41°F
30-year mean (NOAA NCEI)
Annual Precipitation
72.6"
Liquid-equivalent total
Comfort score vs national 100-point ceiling (Glacier Bay) 34.0%
National median (63)
PlainClimate composite, temperature mildness, humidity, precipitation, extreme-weather frequency. Below Average for the Glacier Bay area.
How Glacier Bay compares to every U.S. city
Glacier Bay'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 Glacier Bay
MethodologyHow the U.S. land temperature anomaly tracks against the global mean since 1900. The current NOAA 1991-2020 normal for Glacier Bay 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 | 32°F (0°C) | 26°F (-4°C) | 29°F (-2°C) | 6.7" | 26.5 | 0.0 |
| February | 34°F (1°C) | 26°F (-3°C) | 30°F (-1°C) | 4.8" | 24.5 | 0.0 |
| March | 37°F (3°C) | 28°F (-2°C) | 32°F (0°C) | 4.3" | 26.0 | 0.0 |
| April | 46°F (8°C) | 33°F (1°C) | 39°F (4°C) | 3.4" | 15.7 | 0.0 |
| May | 54°F (12°C) | 39°F (4°C) | 47°F (8°C) | 3.1" | 3.2 | 0.0 |
| June | 59°F (15°C) | 45°F (7°C) | 52°F (11°C) | 2.8" | 0.3 | 0.0 |
| July | 61°F (16°C) | 49°F (9°C) | 55°F (13°C) | 4.8" | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| August | 60°F (16°C) | 48°F (9°C) | 54°F (12°C) | 6.0" | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| September | 54°F (12°C) | 43°F (6°C) | 48°F (9°C) | 9.2" | 0.8 | 0.0 |
| October | 45°F (7°C) | 37°F (3°C) | 41°F (5°C) | 10.2" | 6.7 | 0.0 |
| November | 37°F (3°C) | 30°F (-1°C) | 33°F (1°C) | 8.5" | 20.0 | 0.0 |
| December | 33°F (1°C) | 27°F (-3°C) | 30°F (-1°C) | 8.9" | 25.7 | 0.0 |
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall
January 6.7"
February 4.8"
March 4.3"
April 3.4"
May 3.1"
June 2.8"
July 4.8"
August 6.0"
September 9.2"
October 10.2"
November 8.5"
December 8.9"
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
October 10
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
May 6
50% probability date
Growing Season
157 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
8,788
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
0
Higher = more cooling needed
Warmest Month
July
Coldest Month
January
What Glacier Bay's climate means for you
Glacier Bay runs 41°F a year - peaking in July, coldest in January.
- Gardeners get about 157 frost-free days, with the last spring freeze near May 6 - plan the planting calendar around it, not the regional average.
- Energy bills track 8,788 heating and 0 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: Glacier Bay, AK
In Glacier Bay, Alaska, the NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals put the annual average temperature at 41°F, ranging from a mean daily high of 46°F to a mean daily low of 36°F. July is typically the warmest month of the year, while January is the coldest. As thirty-year averages computed from station USC00503294, these numbers smooth out year-to-year noise into a working baseline for a typical month.
Rainfall (and snow, where it falls) shapes day-to-day life here as much as temperature does. Glacier Bay sees about 72.6 inches of precipitation a year, predominantly as rainfall. The frost-free season averages 157 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near May 6 and the first fall freeze near October 10. On the energy side, 8,788 heating degree days and 0 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.
On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Glacier Bay scores 34/100 (Below Average), 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 Glacier Bay, AK? ▼
The average annual temperature in Glacier Bay, Alaska is 41°F. The warmest month averages 61°F (16°C) and the coldest averages 26°F (-4°C).
How much rain does Glacier Bay get? ▼
Glacier Bay receives 72.6 inches of precipitation annually. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991-2020).
What is the comfort score for Glacier Bay? ▼
Glacier Bay 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 Glacier Bay? ▼
Glacier Bay has approximately 157 frost-free days per year, with the last spring freeze around May 6 and the first fall freeze around October 10.
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Glacier Bay? ▼
Glacier Bay has 8,788 heating degree days and 0 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 Glacier Bay climate data come from? ▼
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020), from weather station USC00503294 near Glacier Bay.
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). Station: USC00503294. 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.