Ketchikan Metro Area, AK Climate


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The climate in Ketchikan, AK Metro Area is mild and wet year-round due to its location near the ocean. Summers are cool and cloudy with temperatures rarely surpassing 70 degrees Fahrenheit while winters remain relatively mild with occasional snowfall. The area receives more than 200 inches of rain annually, making it one of the rainiest cities in North America. In addition, Ketchikan experiences a unique phenomenon called a “breezy rain” where warm air from the ocean rises over the mountains creating strong winds that blow droplets of rain through the town. Despite having such a wet climate, there are numerous outdoor activities available in Ketchikan as a result of its temperate weather and lush forests.

Ketchikan Metro Area, Alaska gets 141 inches of rain, on average, per year. The US average is 38 inches of rain per year.

Ketchikan Metro Area averages 27 inches of snow per year. The US average is 28 inches of snow per year.

On average, there are 100 sunny days per year in Ketchikan Metro Area. The US average is 205 sunny days.

Ketchikan Metro Area gets some kind of precipitation, on average, 234 days per year. Precipitation is rain, snow, sleet, or hail that falls to the ground. In order for precipitation to be counted you have to get at least .01 inches on the ground to measure.


Weather Highlights

Summer High: the July high is around 65 degrees
Winter Low: the January low is 31
Rain: averages 141 inches of rain a year
Snow: averages 27 inches of snow a year


Bestplaces Comfort Index

The annual BestPlaces Comfort Index for the Ketchikan metro area is 5.6 (10=best), which means it is one of the most pleasant places in Alaska.

7.7 Summer - 3.7 Winter
July, August and June are the most pleasant months in the Ketchikan metro area, while January and December are the least comfortable months.

  ClimateKetchikan, AlaskaUnited States
    Unlock38.1 in.
  27.1 in.  Unlock
    Unlock106.2 days
  100 days  Unlock
  64.6°85.8°
    Unlock21.7°
  5.6  Unlock
    Unlock4.3
  1754 ft.  Unlock
Climate
YOU SHOULD KNOW

Many people confuse weather and climate but they are different. Weather is the conditions of the atmosphere over a short period of time, and climate is how the atmosphere is over long periods of time.

Weather is how the atmosphere is behaving and its effects upon life and human activities. Weather can change from minute-to-minute. Most people think of weather in terms of temperature, humidity, precipitation, cloudiness, brightness, visibility, wind, and atmospheric pressure.

Climate is the description of the long-term pattern of weather in a place. Climate can mean the average weather for a particular region and time period taken over 30 years. Climate is the average of weather over time.

August is the hottest month for the Ketchikan metro area with an average high temperature of 64.9°, which ranks it as about average compared to other places in Alaska. In the Ketchikan metro area, there are 0 comfortable months with high temperatures in the range of 70-85°. The most pleasant months of the year for the Ketchikan metro area are August, July and June.
In the Ketchikan metro area, there are 0.1 days annually when the high temperature is over 90°, which is hotter than most places in Alaska.
January has the coldest nighttime temperatures for the Ketchikan metro area with an average of 30.7°. This is one of the warmest places in Alaska.
In the Ketchikan metro area, there are 75.7 days annually when the nighttime low temperature falls below freezing, which is one of the warmest places in Alaska.
In the Ketchikan metro area, there are 0.0 days annually when the nighttime low temperature falls below zero°, which is one of the warmest places in Alaska.
Humidity is low in the Ketchikan metro area, and some people might find the dryness to be uncomfortable. Days with noticeable humidity are rare throughout the year. A very dry climate can lead to cracked, itchy skin and dry eyes.
October is the wettest month in the Ketchikan metro area with 19.5 inches of rain, and the driest month is July with 5.9 inches. The wettest season is Winter with 36% of yearly precipitation and 15% occurs in Autumn, which is the driest season. The annual rainfall of 141.0 inches in the Ketchikan metro area means that it is one of the wettest places in Alaska.
October is the rainiest month in the Ketchikan metro area with 24.2 days of rain, and June is the driest month with only 15.6 rainy days. There are 233.7 rainy days annually in the Ketchikan metro area, which is one of the rainiest places in Alaska. The rainiest season is Winter when it rains 29% of the time and the driest is Autumn with only a 20% chance of a rainy day.
An annual snowfall of 27.1 inches in the Ketchikan metro area means that it is one of the least snowy places in Alaska. December is the snowiest month in the Ketchikan metro area with 6.5 inches of snow, and 6 months of the year have significant snowfall.
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