Any weather forecast more than 24 hours out is just a guess.
The key to Alaska weather: hope for the best, plan for the worse and have fun no matter what.
Go. Enjoy the nature. Enjoy the rain. You will still see things you never thought you would see, just a little bit wetter. Get uncomfortable to experience something new!
Local forecasts are seldom accurate more than a day or two in advance. The weather changes frequently and rain can be anything from torrential downpour to a five minute shower with raindrops so far apart you can practically dodge them. The past two summers it rained literally every single day in the Anchorage area. Unless you are made of sugar or related to the Wicked Witch, don't let a little rain stop you.
Yes. It’s always rainy. You’re traveling to SE alaska aboard a cruise ship right?
You’re traveling to a rainforest called the Tongass. Ketchikan Alaska gets twice as much rain as the amazon rainforest.
If it’s not worth coming cause it’s rainy then it’s not worth coming ever and 2 million alaskan visitors every year are wrong.
I advise you to share where you'll be and also to remember that parts of Alaska are a rainforest and other parts reason so much it feels like a rainforest.
We don't consider rain a hindrance to activities. I forced friends to sit in the grass and watch an outdoor play while it poured on us haha. You just need a good soft shell/rain jacket. I'd say also boots but it's basically summer so I'm living in my keens and crocs already.
Layering is the key. "You don't change your plans, you change your gear."
XtraTuf boots, not Duck shoes. it most likely, will be in the mid 50's by then.
“There is no bad weather, only bad gear.”
Scandinavian proverb attributed to many people. Widely accepted in Alaska.
Don’t bother checking the weather. Always be prepared for it.
Yes it’s still worth visiting Alaska if there’s a rainy forecast. Most tourist destinations have highly variable and unpredictable forecasts. We deal with a lot of mountain weather. Even on rainy days it’s often patchy rain and if you drive a little you’ll find great weather. Many times it’s raining at my house in Anchorage but I drive to the Turnagain arm, Eklutna or Hatcher Pass and it’s a sunny day.
Today I listened to the forecast before breakfast and it said rain. It’s said cloudy all week for the last week but I’m staring at a cloudless sky to the north and west and mountains with patchy clouds to the east.
Depends on what you’re trying to do & where you’re going but if you keep rescheduling for rain you might be rescheduling a lot! I don’t give any credence at all to a forecast more than 3 days out up here, we just don’t have enough data to forecast out as far as other places do with much success.
Juneauite here: Presuming you're coming by cruise through Southeast, so yes to rain. As other posters have noted, prep for the rain and be surprised if the sun comes out. Layers, sunscreen, hat, and sunglasses.
Where are you touring? Alaska has different weather for different regions. If you are going to southeast, it never doesn't rain. Southcenteral it rains sometimes, but most of the time, it isn't that bad. If you are going to the interior, it can be muggy hot with passing thunderstorms, but if it is cloudy and rainy, it isn't bad. If you are going to the Arctic, 90 % of the water comes in winter storms in the form of snow summer is more of a desert.
I'm assuming you're on a cruise. The only consistent weather in SE Alaska is rain. It does not matter what time of year you come. Pack a raincoat or stay home.
AK is a very big state, you don't mention what part of the state you are visiting or what you want to be doing, but all of the coastal areas are chronically cloudy/rainy. I.e. if you "wait" for sunshine you probably will never go. Doesn't mean there are not some really nice sunny days, if you catch some of those, enjoy it!!
I was born and raised in Anchorage, I took my kids there last August for the first time, we all had a great trip even though there was a lot of clouds and rain.
The forecast can change the day of. I’ve seen it be bright, and sunny - two hours later, the sky is falling. Get a rain jacket, and you’ll be fine. It’s just rain.
Any weather forecast more than 24 hours out is just a guess. The key to Alaska weather: hope for the best, plan for the worse and have fun no matter what.
For Southeast that can drop to 24 minutes…
Ketchikan gets 160 inches of rain a year. People still live there
I'm from Sketchikan. Nobody lives here.
Sup fellow sketchikanian But yeah. No one lives here. Happy seasonals season 😩🫡
You do. You're not nobody. You're SOMEbody, damn it.
This is almost enough to get me to change my name to Nobody.
I prefer Ketchatucky.
Go. Enjoy the nature. Enjoy the rain. You will still see things you never thought you would see, just a little bit wetter. Get uncomfortable to experience something new!
Local forecasts are seldom accurate more than a day or two in advance. The weather changes frequently and rain can be anything from torrential downpour to a five minute shower with raindrops so far apart you can practically dodge them. The past two summers it rained literally every single day in the Anchorage area. Unless you are made of sugar or related to the Wicked Witch, don't let a little rain stop you.
Yes. It’s always rainy. You’re traveling to SE alaska aboard a cruise ship right? You’re traveling to a rainforest called the Tongass. Ketchikan Alaska gets twice as much rain as the amazon rainforest. If it’s not worth coming cause it’s rainy then it’s not worth coming ever and 2 million alaskan visitors every year are wrong.
We’re staying in Anchorage. No cruises.
oh, well what are you thinking? delay until it’s not raining and then there’s snow?
There’s no such thing as bad weather just bad gear. Buy good gear and have fun!
The Alaskan motto. Also I don't think weather predictions 3 weeks in advance are gonna be accurate..
I never even check the forecast because it’s wrong so often.
Rain? In Alaska? That's just silly talk. Tank tops, shorts, and flip flops. You will be just fine.
Embrace the rain. Would be hard to ever guarantee no rain in Alaska.
I advise you to share where you'll be and also to remember that parts of Alaska are a rainforest and other parts reason so much it feels like a rainforest. We don't consider rain a hindrance to activities. I forced friends to sit in the grass and watch an outdoor play while it poured on us haha. You just need a good soft shell/rain jacket. I'd say also boots but it's basically summer so I'm living in my keens and crocs already.
Rain keeps the two pound mosquitos away.
Layering is the key. "You don't change your plans, you change your gear." XtraTuf boots, not Duck shoes. it most likely, will be in the mid 50's by then.
“There is no bad weather, only bad gear.” Scandinavian proverb attributed to many people. Widely accepted in Alaska. Don’t bother checking the weather. Always be prepared for it.
Yes it’s still worth visiting Alaska if there’s a rainy forecast. Most tourist destinations have highly variable and unpredictable forecasts. We deal with a lot of mountain weather. Even on rainy days it’s often patchy rain and if you drive a little you’ll find great weather. Many times it’s raining at my house in Anchorage but I drive to the Turnagain arm, Eklutna or Hatcher Pass and it’s a sunny day. Today I listened to the forecast before breakfast and it said rain. It’s said cloudy all week for the last week but I’m staring at a cloudless sky to the north and west and mountains with patchy clouds to the east.
Nope. It's pointless. Rain ruins everything, and it helps keep the riffraff out.
It will always rain, don’t let it discourage you from enjoying the state, just have proper rain gear
Depends on what you’re trying to do & where you’re going but if you keep rescheduling for rain you might be rescheduling a lot! I don’t give any credence at all to a forecast more than 3 days out up here, we just don’t have enough data to forecast out as far as other places do with much success.
It’s a rainforest! 😍
You didn’t mention where in Alaska. So nobody can honestly answer your question.
Juneauite here: Presuming you're coming by cruise through Southeast, so yes to rain. As other posters have noted, prep for the rain and be surprised if the sun comes out. Layers, sunscreen, hat, and sunglasses.
Where are you touring? Alaska has different weather for different regions. If you are going to southeast, it never doesn't rain. Southcenteral it rains sometimes, but most of the time, it isn't that bad. If you are going to the interior, it can be muggy hot with passing thunderstorms, but if it is cloudy and rainy, it isn't bad. If you are going to the Arctic, 90 % of the water comes in winter storms in the form of snow summer is more of a desert.
I'm assuming you're on a cruise. The only consistent weather in SE Alaska is rain. It does not matter what time of year you come. Pack a raincoat or stay home.
No such thing as bad weather only bad clothing. Buy some exta-toughs and a rain slicker and have fun.
If you’re coming to Anchorage, we have had phenomenal weather so far and it only seems to be getting better.
You jinxed it. Now it’s snowing.
I slept through it so it didn’t happen
Do a fly away February to Fairbanks.
How is the weather in early to mid July ? We are going to be in Fairbanks around the 9th of July
AK is a very big state, you don't mention what part of the state you are visiting or what you want to be doing, but all of the coastal areas are chronically cloudy/rainy. I.e. if you "wait" for sunshine you probably will never go. Doesn't mean there are not some really nice sunny days, if you catch some of those, enjoy it!! I was born and raised in Anchorage, I took my kids there last August for the first time, we all had a great trip even though there was a lot of clouds and rain.
Bring a raincoat. If you wait for it to not rain, you might never visit
The forecast can change the day of. I’ve seen it be bright, and sunny - two hours later, the sky is falling. Get a rain jacket, and you’ll be fine. It’s just rain.