Climate Comfort Score
48/100
Moderate
NOAA 1991–2020 normals 46°F annual avg 2 stations
Ketchikan, AK Climate
Annual temperature, rainfall, and a comfort score, sourced from NOAA NCEI's 1991–2020 normals →
- 46°F
- Avg annual temp
- 48/100
- Comfort score
- 149.5"
- Annual precip
- 184d
- Growing season
30-year climate normals from 2 weather stations (1991-2020).
The climate verdict for Ketchikan
Ketchikan, Alaska averages 46°F a year and scores 48/100 on the comfort index - moderate, milder than 18% of U.S. cities.
- 46°F
- annual average temperature (NOAA normal)
- 48/100
- comfort score, milder than 18% of U.S. cities
- 149.5"
- annual precipitation
- 184 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
46°F (8°C)
Avg High
51°F
Avg Low
41°F
Annual Precip
149.5"
Comfort Score
48/100
Moderate
Avg Annual Temperature
46°F
30-year mean (NOAA NCEI)
Annual Precipitation
149.5"
Liquid-equivalent total
Comfort score vs national 100-point ceiling (Ketchikan) 48.0%
National median (63)
PlainClimate composite, temperature mildness, humidity, precipitation, extreme-weather frequency. Moderate for the Ketchikan area.
How Ketchikan compares to every U.S. city
Ketchikan's comfort score vs. all U.S. cities
PlainClimate composite comfort index (1–100), NOAA 1991–2020 normals
48 Top 82% higher than 18% 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 Ketchikan
MethodologyHow the U.S. land temperature anomaly tracks against the global mean since 1900. The current NOAA 1991-2020 normal for Ketchikan 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 | 40°F (4°C) | 32°F (0°C) | 36°F (2°C) | 16.2" | 15.0 | 0.0 |
| February | 41°F (5°C) | 32°F (0°C) | 36°F (2°C) | 11.8" | 15.6 | 0.0 |
| March | 44°F (6°C) | 32°F (0°C) | 38°F (3°C) | 11.0" | 15.7 | 0.0 |
| April | 50°F (10°C) | 37°F (3°C) | 44°F (6°C) | 10.3" | 6.8 | 0.0 |
| May | 57°F (14°C) | 43°F (6°C) | 50°F (10°C) | 8.7" | 1.4 | 0.0 |
| June | 61°F (16°C) | 49°F (10°C) | 55°F (13°C) | 7.0" | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| July | 65°F (18°C) | 53°F (12°C) | 59°F (15°C) | 7.3" | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| August | 65°F (18°C) | 53°F (12°C) | 59°F (15°C) | 11.3" | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| September | 59°F (15°C) | 48°F (9°C) | 54°F (12°C) | 14.3" | 0.1 | 0.0 |
| October | 51°F (11°C) | 41°F (5°C) | 46°F (8°C) | 18.4" | 3.1 | 0.0 |
| November | 44°F (7°C) | 36°F (2°C) | 40°F (4°C) | 17.1" | 9.3 | 0.0 |
| December | 40°F (5°C) | 33°F (0°C) | 36°F (2°C) | 16.3" | 14.4 | 0.0 |
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall
January 16.2"
22.0 days with precipitation
February 11.8"
17.0 days with precipitation
March 11.0"
20.6 days with precipitation
April 10.3"
19.4 days with precipitation
May 8.7"
16.1 days with precipitation
June 7.0"
16.4 days with precipitation
July 7.3"
16.0 days with precipitation
August 11.3"
16.8 days with precipitation
September 14.3"
19.5 days with precipitation
October 18.4"
22.8 days with precipitation
November 17.1"
23.6 days with precipitation
December 16.3"
22.4 days with precipitation
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
October 23
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
April 22
50% probability date
Growing Season
184 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
6,917
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
16
Higher = more cooling needed
Warmest Month
August
Coldest Month
January
Humidity & Wind
Monthly averages from hourly observations
| Month | Humidity | Wind (mph) | Clear Sky % | Overcast % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 83% | 8.8 | 20% | 62% |
| February | 76% | 8.1 | 29% | 53% |
| March | 79% | 8.4 | 21% | 56% |
| April | 76% | 8.9 | 24% | 46% |
| May | 77% | 8.3 | 26% | 48% |
| June | 80% | 8.1 | 18% | 48% |
| July | 80% | 7.9 | 28% | 42% |
| August | 86% | 7.4 | N/A | N/A |
| September | 87% | 7.8 | 23% | 55% |
| October | 85% | 8.2 | N/A | N/A |
| November | 85% | 8.2 | N/A | N/A |
| December | 84% | 8.4 | 27% | 61% |
What Ketchikan's climate means for you
Ketchikan runs 46°F a year - peaking in August, coldest in January.
- Gardeners get about 184 frost-free days, with the last spring freeze near April 22 - plan the planting calendar around it, not the regional average.
- Energy bills track 6,917 heating and 16 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: Ketchikan, AK
The NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals describe Ketchikan, Alaska as a location with an annual average temperature of 46°F, ranging from a mean daily high of 51°F to a mean daily low of 41°F. August is typically the warmest month of the year, while January is the coldest. These thirty-year averages, computed from 2 weather stations, smooth out year-to-year variability and give a baseline expectation for typical conditions in any given month.
Ketchikan averages 149.5 inches of precipitation a year, predominantly as rainfall, and that matters as much to daily life here as temperature does. The frost-free season averages 184 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near April 22 and the first fall freeze near October 23. As for energy demand, 6,917 heating degree days and 16 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.
On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Ketchikan scores 48/100 (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 August-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 Ketchikan, AK? ▼
The average annual temperature in Ketchikan, Alaska is 46°F. The warmest month averages 65°F (18°C) and the coldest averages 32°F (0°C).
How much rain does Ketchikan get? ▼
Ketchikan receives 149.5 inches of precipitation annually. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991-2020).
What is the comfort score for Ketchikan? ▼
Ketchikan has a climate comfort score of 48/100 (Moderate), milder than 18% of U.S. cities in the PlainClimate database.
When is the growing season in Ketchikan? ▼
Ketchikan has approximately 184 frost-free days per year, with the last spring freeze around April 22 and the first fall freeze around October 23.
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Ketchikan? ▼
Ketchikan has 6,917 heating degree days and 16 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 Ketchikan climate data come from? ▼
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020), from 2 weather stations near Ketchikan.
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). Station: USW00025325. 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.