Season by season
Winter (November–March). Polar night on the coast until late January, temperatures of minus 25°C and below, and strong aurora inland. The Dalton is open but hazardous.
Spring (April–May). Bright, cold and still snow-covered. Spring whaling from the edge of the sea ice at Utqiaġvik; the sun stops setting in mid-May.
Summer (June–August). The travel season: midnight sun, tundra flowers, birds in vast numbers and the Prudhoe Bay shuttle running. Coastal temperatures stay near 5°C, with fog; inland it can reach 20°C or more.
Autumn (September–October). Tundra colour peaks in late August on the highway, aurora returns, the sea begins to freeze and autumn whaling takes place.
Month-by-month
| Month | Avg. high | Avg. low | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | -22°C / -8°F | -28°C / -18°F | Quiet |
| February | -22°C / -8°F | -29°C / -20°F | Quiet |
| March | -21°C / -6°F | -28°C / -18°F | Moderate |
| April | -13°C / 9°F | -20°C / -4°F | Quiet |
| May | -3°C / 27°F | -8°C / 18°F | Quiet |
| June | 5°C / 41°F | -1°C / 30°F | Busy |
| July | 9°C / 48°F | 2°C / 36°F | Peak |
| August | 7°C / 45°F | 1°C / 34°F | Peak |
| September | 2°C / 36°F | -2°C / 28°F | Moderate |
| October | -6°C / 21°F | -10°C / 14°F | Quiet |
| November | -14°C / 7°F | -20°C / -4°F | Quiet |
| December | -19°C / -2°F | -26°C / -15°F | Quiet |
Figures for: Utqiaġvik (the interior along the Dalton is warmer in summer and colder in winter). Temperatures are rounded long-term averages for the place named above; real days vary widely, and wind makes it feel much colder. Crowd levels are our own estimate.
Events & festivals
- February–March: World Ice Art Championships in Fairbanks
- April: Piuraaġiaqta, Utqiaġvik’s spring festival
- Mid-May–early August: Midnight sun in Utqiaġvik
- June: Nalukataq, the whaling feast with the blanket toss
- July: World Eskimo-Indian Olympics in Fairbanks
- Late August–April: Northern lights season in the interior
