Wainwright, Alaska climate: Normal weather by month, frost dates and records
Wainwright's normal year runs from −18°F February nights to 52°F July afternoons. (NOAA 1991-2020 normals)
In metric: a yearly mean of −9.6°C, February lows of −28°C, July highs of 11°C.
- NOAA stationWainwright Airport
- Station IDUSW00027503
- Location70.64°N 160.00°W
- Elevation30 ft (9 m)
- From the center1 miles
- Population594
On October 23, the normal high in Wainwright is 23°F and the normal low 12°F.
Normals describe a typical year at the station, not a forecast. The National Weather Service forecast for Wainwright.
- Jan -4° -18°
- Feb -5° -18°
- Mar -3° -18°
- Apr 11° -3°
- May 29° 19°
- Jun 46° 33°
- Jul 52° 39°
- Aug 49° 38°
- Sep 39° 31°
- Oct 26° 16°
- Nov 12° -1°
- Dec 0° -13°
Each month: normal high (large) and low, °F. Fill: the month's normal mean, colder blue to hotter red.
What is the weather like in Wainwright each month?
July is the warmest month, with normal highs of 52°F; February the coldest, with normal lows of −18°F.
| Month | High | Low | Mean | Wet days | 90°F days | Freezing nights | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | −4°F | −18°F | -10.8°F | – | <1 | 31 | 0 h |
| February | −5°F | −18°F | -11.4°F | – | <1 | 28 | 7 h |
| March | −3°F | −18°F | -10.6°F | – | <1 | 31 | 11 h 20 min |
| April | 11°F | −3°F | 3.8°F | – | <1 | 30 | 16 h 10 min |
| May | 29°F | 19°F | 24.1°F | – | <1 | 29 | 24 h |
| June | 46°F | 33°F | 39.4°F | – | <1 | 15 | 24 h |
| July | 52°F | 39°F | 45.5°F | – | <1 | 3 | 24 h |
| August | 49°F | 38°F | 43.1°F | – | <1 | 6 | 18 h 40 min |
| September | 39°F | 31°F | 34.9°F | – | <1 | 18 | 13 h 40 min |
| October | 26°F | 16°F | 20.9°F | – | <1 | 30 | 9 h 10 min |
| November | 12°F | −1°F | 5.4°F | – | <1 | 30 | 3 h 30 min |
| December | 0°F | −13°F | -6.6°F | – | <1 | 31 | 0 h |
| Year (annual) | 21°F | 9°F | 14.8°F | – | <1 | 283 |
The same normals in °C and millimetres
| Month | High | Low | Mean |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | −20°C | −28°C | −23.8°C |
| February | −20°C | −28°C | −24.1°C |
| March | −20°C | −28°C | −23.7°C |
| April | −12°C | −20°C | −15.7°C |
| May | −2°C | −7°C | −4.4°C |
| June | 8°C | 1°C | 4.1°C |
| July | 11°C | 4°C | 7.5°C |
| August | 9°C | 3°C | 6.2°C |
| September | 4°C | −1°C | 1.6°C |
| October | −4°C | −9°C | −6.2°C |
| November | −11°C | −18°C | −14.8°C |
| December | −18°C | −25°C | −21.4°C |
NOAA publishes no 1991-2020 snowfall normal for this station, and no record within 25 miles keeps one, so snow is left out here rather than estimated.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 monthly normals, station USW00027503; annual normals. Wet days: 0.01 inch or more; 90°F days and freezing nights: NOAA's day counts. Daylight: sunrise to sunset on the 15th, computed from the latitude.
When is the best weather to visit Wainwright?
No month's normal high reaches 65°F in Wainwright: the warmest is July at 52°F.
That is a measurement, not a recommendation: it counts the months whose normal afternoon high sits between 65°F and 85°F, where a light layer is enough by day.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 monthly normals, station USW00027503.
How hot and how cold does it get in Wainwright?
In a normal year in Wainwright, a 90°F day is rare and 283 nights fall to 32°F or colder.
- Days at 90°F or more
- fewer than 1a normal year
- Days at 100°F or more
- fewer than 1a normal year
- Nights at 32°F or colder
- 283a normal year
- Days that stay below freezing
- 226high of 32°F or less
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 annual normals, station USW00027503.
How much heating and cooling does Wainwright need?
A normal year in Wainwright brings 18,265 heating degree days, 3.4 times the median U.S. place (5,373), and 0 cooling degree days, 100% fewer than the median (908). Twelve months need 300 or more heating degree days, a monthly mean of about 55°F or colder. For gardens and crops, NOAA counts 61 growing degree days a year above 50°F.
| Month | Heating | Cooling |
|---|---|---|
| January | 2,348 | 0 |
| February | 2,141 | 0 |
| March | 2,345 | 0 |
| April | 1,837 | 0 |
| May | 1,266 | 0 |
| June | 767 | 0 |
| July | 605 | 0 |
| August | 677 | 0 |
| September | 903 | 0 |
| October | 1,369 | 0 |
| November | 1,788 | 0 |
| December | 2,220 | 0 |
| Year (annual) | 18,265 | 0 |
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 monthly normals, station USW00027503. A degree day is one degree of a day's mean temperature below 65°F (heating) or above it (cooling); utilities use them to estimate energy use.
How does Wainwright's climate compare?
Wainwright is warmer than 2 of the other 84 places with their own NOAA record in Alaska. Across the 7,247 U.S. stations with normals, its annual mean of 14.8°F is warmer than 0%.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 normals for every station PlainClimate covers.
Questions about Wainwright's climate
What is the coldest month in Wainwright?
February, with a normal high of −5°F and a normal low of −18°F. The warmest is July (52°F by day, 39°F at night).
What plant hardiness zone is Wainwright in?
The USDA's 2023 map puts Wainwright in zone 2b in ZIP code 99782.
Nearby and next
- Alaska climateThe statewide normals and every place in the state
- Utqiaġvik, AK85 miles from this station, 13.7°F a year
- Utqiagvik, formerly Barrow (4 mi ENE), AK89 miles from this station, 12.7°F a year
- Alpine, AK210 miles from this station, 14.4°F a year
- Nuiqsut, AK210 miles from this station, 13.4°F a year
- Compare two placesMonth by month, side by side
Download these normals (CSV) · JSON · How these figures are made