Climate Comfort Score
34/100
Below Average
NOAA 1991–2020 normals 23°F annual avg Public-domain federal data
Kivalina, AK Climate
Explore average temperature, rainfall, and comfort score sourced from NOAA NCEI's 1991–2020 climate normals →
- 23°F
- Avg annual temp
- 34/100
- Comfort score
- 9.7"
- Annual precip
- 93d
- Growing season
30-year climate normals from 1 weather station (1991-2020).
The climate verdict for Kivalina
Kivalina, Alaska averages 23°F a year and scores 34/100 on the comfort index - below average, milder than 1% of U.S. cities.
- 23°F
- annual average temperature (NOAA normal)
- 34/100
- comfort score, milder than 1% of U.S. cities
- 9.7"
- annual precipitation
- 93 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
23°F (-5°C)
Avg High
29°F
Avg Low
16°F
Annual Precip
9.7"
Comfort Score
34/100
Below Average
Avg Annual Temperature
23°F
30-year mean (NOAA NCEI)
Annual Precipitation
9.7"
Liquid-equivalent total
Comfort score vs national 100-point ceiling (Kivalina) 34.0%
National median (63)
PlainClimate composite, temperature mildness, humidity, precipitation, extreme-weather frequency. Below Average for the Kivalina area.
How Kivalina compares to every U.S. city
Kivalina'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 Kivalina
MethodologyThe chart below traces how the U.S. land temperature anomaly has moved against the global mean since 1900. For Kivalina, the NOAA 1991-2020 normal captures average conditions across that spread - notably, the most recent decade runs warmer than the 30-year mean itself.
- 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 | 7°F (-14°C) | -9°F (-23°C) | -1°F (-18°C) | 0.3" | 31.0 | 0.0 |
| February | 10°F (-12°C) | -7°F (-22°C) | 1°F (-17°C) | 0.4" | 27.9 | 0.0 |
| March | 9°F (-13°C) | -8°F (-22°C) | 1°F (-17°C) | 0.2" | 30.7 | 0.0 |
| April | 24°F (-5°C) | 6°F (-14°C) | 15°F (-10°C) | 0.6" | 29.5 | 0.0 |
| May | 38°F (3°C) | 26°F (-3°C) | 32°F (0°C) | 0.6" | 23.6 | 0.0 |
| June | 50°F (10°C) | 38°F (3°C) | 44°F (7°C) | 0.8" | 4.9 | 0.1 |
| July | 56°F (13°C) | 46°F (8°C) | 51°F (11°C) | 1.4" | 0.0 | 0.1 |
| August | 55°F (13°C) | 44°F (7°C) | 49°F (10°C) | 2.3" | 0.4 | 0.0 |
| September | 46°F (8°C) | 35°F (2°C) | 41°F (5°C) | 1.5" | 10.1 | 0.0 |
| October | 31°F (-1°C) | 21°F (-6°C) | 26°F (-4°C) | 0.9" | 25.5 | 0.0 |
| November | 17°F (-8°C) | 6°F (-15°C) | 11°F (-11°C) | 0.5" | 29.7 | 0.0 |
| December | 10°F (-12°C) | -4°F (-20°C) | 3°F (-16°C) | 0.2" | 31.0 | 0.0 |
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall
January 0.3"
5.3 days with precipitation
February 0.4"
5.3 days with precipitation
March 0.2"
3.0 days with precipitation
April 0.6"
4.7 days with precipitation
May 0.6"
6.4 days with precipitation
June 0.8"
6.1 days with precipitation
July 1.4"
11.7 days with precipitation
August 2.3"
13.0 days with precipitation
September 1.5"
11.5 days with precipitation
October 0.9"
8.1 days with precipitation
November 0.5"
5.7 days with precipitation
December 0.2"
4.1 days with precipitation
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
September 11
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
June 10
50% probability date
Growing Season
93 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
15,402
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
4
Higher = more cooling needed
Warmest Month
July
Coldest Month
January
What Kivalina's climate means for you
Kivalina runs 23°F a year - peaking in July, coldest in January.
- Gardeners get about 93 frost-free days, with the last spring freeze near June 10 - plan the planting calendar around it, not the regional average.
- Energy bills track 15,402 heating and 4 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: Kivalina, AK
In Kivalina, Alaska, the NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals put the annual average temperature at 23°F, ranging from a mean daily high of 29°F to a mean daily low of 16°F. July is typically the warmest month of the year, while January is the coldest. As thirty-year averages computed from station USW00026642, these numbers smooth out year-to-year noise into a working baseline for a typical month.
Beyond temperature, Kivalina averages 9.7 inches of precipitation annually, predominantly as rainfall - a real factor for anyone planning to live, garden, or travel here. The frost-free season averages 93 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near June 10 and the first fall freeze near September 11. Turning to energy use, 15,402 heating degree days and 4 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.
On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Kivalina 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 turn that into a planning tool: expect the mildest highs and lows in the shoulder seasons, July-driven heat at the peak of summer, and January-driven cold at the depth of winter. Every number here is a thirty-year average, not a forecast, so any given year can and does run warmer, cooler, wetter, or drier than the normal.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average temperature in Kivalina, AK? ▼
The average annual temperature in Kivalina, Alaska is 23°F. The warmest month averages 56°F (13°C) and the coldest averages -9°F (-23°C).
How much rain does Kivalina get? ▼
Kivalina receives 9.7 inches of precipitation annually. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991-2020).
What is the comfort score for Kivalina? ▼
Kivalina 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 Kivalina? ▼
Kivalina has approximately 93 frost-free days per year, with the last spring freeze around June 10 and the first fall freeze around September 11.
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Kivalina? ▼
Kivalina has 15,402 heating degree days and 4 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 Kivalina climate data come from? ▼
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020), from weather station USW00026642 near Kivalina.
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). Station: USW00026642. 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.