Fairbanks, AK Climate & Monthly Averages
Fairbanks has a humid continental climate. July is the hottest month, averaging 71° by day; January is the coldest at 5°.
Winter sets the pace in Fairbanks
Seasons are the whole story in Fairbanks. The gap between an average July and an average January is 36°C - warm summers and cold, often snowy winters - which in practice means 71°F (22°C) afternoons at one end of the calendar and 5°F (-15°C) at the other.
July
71° by day 55° at nightJanuary
5° by day -7° at nightThe cold-weather pattern in numbers
January sits at the other end of the year: 5°F (-15°C) by day, -7°F (-22°C) at night. At its warmest, in July, Fairbanks runs to 71°F (22°C) in the afternoon and back to 55°F (13°C) by dawn. August is the wettest month at 3.6 inches (91 mm) over 15 days; January is the driest.
Overnight lows average at or below freezing for 7 months, October through April. June is the brightest month at 14.5 hours of sun a day, against an annual average of 7.5 - duller than all but 7% of the 3496 cities in our dataset. 4 months average under 20 mm of rain, the longest unbroken stretch running January through April. The gridded 2015-2024 daily record for this location tops out at 90°F (32°C) and bottoms at -52°F (-47°C) - decade extremes, not all-time station records.
More climate facts for Fairbanks
- Hottest month: July - highs near 71°F (22°C)
- Coldest month: January - highs near 5°F (-15°C)
- Decade extremes (2015-2024): 90°F (32°C) high · -52°F (-47°C) low
- Wettest month: August (15 rainy days) · Sunniest: June (14.5 h sun/day)
- Climate type: humid continental
- Annual swing: 36°C between the average warmest and coolest month · day to night: 8°C
- Snow: about 29 days a year
- Months with freezing average lows: 7
- Average humidity: 70%
From snow season to the warmest stretch in Fairbanks
Spring (March through May)
Spring in Fairbanks is chilly, with daytime highs averaging 43°F (6°C) and nights around 23°F (-5°C); rain comes on about 17 days over the three months, plus about 6 snowy days. Daylight is generous - around 11.0 hours of sun a day.
Summer (June through August)
Summer is mild and warm here - highs near 68°F (20°C), nights near 52°F (11°C), and rain falls on around 37 of the 90 days. Daylight is generous - around 11.4 hours of sun a day.
Fall (September through November)
Through fall, Fairbanks is frigid: 35°F (2°C) by day, 24°F (-4°C) after dark, and expect showers on roughly 26 days across the season, plus about 9 snowy days. Wind sharpens cold like this considerably; pair the forecast winds with the wind speed converter to judge exposed conditions.
Winter (December through February)
Winter in Fairbanks is bitterly cold, with daytime highs averaging 9°F (-13°C) and nights around -4°F (-20°C); expect showers on roughly 18 days across the season, plus about 14 snowy days. Sun is scarce, averaging 2.8 hours a day.
The coldest and warmest values in the dataset
Derived from ERA5 reanalysis data, 2015–2024. Official station records may differ. Need another precipitation unit? Use the rainfall converter.
Planning around winter in Fairbanks
The easier weather window
May to September is the sweet spot for Fairbanks - these are the warmest and brightest weeks of the year. Expect 64°F (18°C) in the afternoon and around 11 days of rain in a typical month of it. For the same question asked the other way round, see where else is warm in May.
Cold-weather packing
Pack for Fairbanks with a heavy insulated coat, hat and gloves for winter and a compact umbrella or rain shell. Note the gap between afternoon and night: July pairs 71°F (22°C) with 55°F (13°C).
Monthly highs, lows and seasonal change
| Month | High | Low | Rain days | Precipitation | Sunshine | Daylight | Wet-day chance | Humidity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 5° | -7° | 5 | 0.6 in | 2.5 h/day | 5.0 h | 15% | 75% |
| February | 13° | -2° | 6 | 0.8 in | 4.9 h/day | 8.3 h | 23% | 74% |
| March | 26° | 7° | 5 | 0.6 in | 8.0 h/day | 11.5 h | 15% | 70% |
| April | 43° | 23° | 5 | 0.7 in | 11.5 h/day | 15.0 h | 17% | 63% |
| May | 60° | 40° | 8 | 1.2 in | 13.4 h/day | 18.6 h | 24% | 58% |
| June | 70° | 52° | 10 | 2.1 in | 14.5 h/day | 21.7 h | 33% | 58% |
| July | 71° | 55° | 12 | 3.1 in | 11.8 h/day | 20.1 h | 39% | 67% |
| August | 64° | 50° | 15 | 3.6 in | 7.8 h/day | 16.5 h | 49% | 76% |
| September | 53° | 40° | 11 | 2.1 in | 7.0 h/day | 12.9 h | 36% | 77% |
| October | 36° | 26° | 7 | 1.3 in | 4.9 h/day | 9.5 h | 24% | 73% |
| November | 17° | 6° | 8 | 1.0 in | 2.5 h/day | 6.0 h | 26% | 76% |
| December | 9° | -3° | 7 | 1.1 in | 1.1 h/day | 3.8 h | 22% | 77% |
The route from winter to summer, month by month
Each card shows the average high and low. The bar places that month between Fairbanks's coldest night and warmest afternoon.
January
- Rain
- 5 days
- Sunshine
- 2.5 h
- Daylight
- 5.0 h
- Snow
- 3 days
February
- Rain
- 6 days
- Sunshine
- 4.9 h
- Daylight
- 8.3 h
- Snow
- 5 days
March
- Rain
- 5 days
- Sunshine
- 8.0 h
- Daylight
- 11.5 h
- Snow
- 3 days
April
- Rain
- 5 days
- Sunshine
- 11.5 h
- Daylight
- 15.0 h
- Snow
- 2 days
May
- Rain
- 8 days
- Sunshine
- 13.4 h
- Daylight
- 18.6 h
June
- Rain
- 10 days
- Sunshine
- 14.5 h
- Daylight
- 21.7 h
July
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 11.8 h
- Daylight
- 20.1 h
August
- Rain
- 15 days
- Sunshine
- 7.8 h
- Daylight
- 16.5 h
September
- Rain
- 11 days
- Sunshine
- 7.0 h
- Daylight
- 12.9 h
October
- Rain
- 7 days
- Sunshine
- 4.9 h
- Daylight
- 9.5 h
- Snow
- 3 days
November
- Rain
- 8 days
- Sunshine
- 2.5 h
- Daylight
- 6.0 h
- Snow
- 6 days
December
- Rain
- 7 days
- Sunshine
- 1.1 h
- Daylight
- 3.8 h
- Snow
- 5 days
Looking for warmer alternatives? Browse warm places by month, or compare Fairbanks's coolest part of the year: January, December, February.
Where Fairbanks sits among other climates
- Fairbanks averages 31°F (0°C) across the year - cooler than almost every other city we track.
- Its warmest and coolest months are 36°C apart - a wider seasonal swing than any other city in our 3496-city dataset.
These comparisons use the same ten-year window for every city in the dataset.