Fairbanks has cold winters and pleasant summers, with very little rain
A typical July afternoon reaches 80°, a January night drops to 0°.
A year in Fairbanks at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What a year in Fairbanks feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
Rain and snow in Fairbanks
June is the wettest month and February the driest.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
No snow records from a nearby station.
About 129 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 15 and the first by September 23.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
Living with Fairbanks’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a driveway, a furnace and a free afternoon.
129 frost-free days. The last frost comes by May 15 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Sep 23.
Months averaging under 55° run from October through May. Heating is 97% of the year’s heating-and-cooling load.
About 10 days a year reach 90°, and July afternoons average 80°.
The nicest months are May, June, July, August and September. 41 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Normals are averages. Ice storms, nor’easters, floods and heat waves are on the natural hazards page.
Natural hazards →Fairbanks and its neighbors
McKinney has the coldest January nights next door (0°) and McKinney the hottest July afternoons (80°). Tap a town to see its climate.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value. Snow and frost-free days come from the nearest weather station, so neighbors often share them.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Fairbanks averaged 1.3° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+4.5°).
A bigger shift than in 55% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
How Fairbanks compares
Against every U.S. town on TownTapestry, each counted once, with its place in North Dakota.
Fairbanks weather by month
Average highs, lows, rain and snow for every month, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 18° | 0° | 0.5" | -4° – 26° |
| February | 22° | 3° | 0.5" | -6° – 26° |
| March | 35° | 16° | 0.7" | 12° – 38° |
| April | 52° | 29° | 1.0" | 29° – 49° |
| May | 66° | 40° | 2.4" | 47° – 60° |
| June | 74° | 51° | 3.6" | 58° – 67° |
| July | 80° | 55° | 2.7" | 61° – 73° |
| August | 80° | 53° | 1.9" | 59° – 72° |
| September | 69° | 43° | 1.7" | 51° – 63° |
| October | 53° | 31° | 1.2" | 34° – 47° |
| November | 35° | 17° | 0.6" | 14° – 37° |
| December | 22° | 5° | 0.6" | 1° – 25° |
| Year | 51° | 29° | 17.4" |
Heating and cooling a home in Fairbanks
97% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. Source: NOAA station normals.
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from -6° to 26°. June is the most reliable, staying within 10°.
Common questions about Fairbanks’s climate
What is the coldest month in Fairbanks?
January, with a typical high of 18° and a low of 0°.
What is the hottest month in Fairbanks?
July, with a typical high of 80° and a low of 55°. About 10 days a year reach 90°.
When is the first frost in Fairbanks?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by September 23, and the last spring frost by May 15.
What is the rainiest month in Fairbanks?
June, with 3.6 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 17 inches.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Fairbanks.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Fairbanks itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Kenmare 1 Wsw, ND (10 mi, frost, heat and degree days). Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000. Today’s forecast: National Weather Service.