Kotzebue (AK) Temperature by Month

The average annual maximum temperature in Kotzebue, Alaska, United States of America is -2°C (28°F), with daytime highs ranging from -15°C (5°F) in January to 12°C (54°F) in August. This page covers monthly averages, day-night differences, and how Kotzebue compares to cities worldwide.

The climate in Kotzebue is dynamic, ranging widely from very cold in winter to chilly in summer. Nights are significantly colder, with lows dropping from 8°C (46°F) in August to -20°C (-4°F) in January.

The chart below illustrates the average maximum day and minimum night temperatures in Kotzebue by month:

The coldest point of the day usually falls between 4 AM and 6 AM, with temperatures peaking around 3 PM.

The chart below shows the average temperature throughout the year:

Kotzebue's average annual maximum temperature is -2°C (28°F). To put that in context, here's how it compares to a few well-known destinations:

Barcelona, Spain has an annual average of around 21°C (70°F), with warm summers and mild, fairly short winters.

Glasgow, Scotland averages 13°C (55°F) a year, mild but often grey, with cold winters and rarely hot summers.

Shanghai, China averages 21°C (70°F) a year, with warm summers, mild winters, and a noticeable spring and autumn.

Perth, Australia averages 25°C (77°F) annually, with a classic Mediterranean climate, hot dry summers and mild wet winters.

Temperature alone doesn't tell the whole story, humidity plays a big role in how warm or cold it actually feels. High humidity in summer makes the heat feel more intense, particularly once temperatures climb above 25°C. In winter, the same humidity can make cold air feel sharper than the thermometer suggests.

In the cooler months, when temperatures drop below 10°C, high humidity makes the cold feel more cutting than it would in dry conditions.

In Kotzebue, January is the coolest month, with average highs of -15°C (5°F) and humidity around 72%, considered high. For a full picture, see our humidity page.

Climate temperature data is typically calculated as a 30-year average. This smooths out year-to-year variability and gives a more reliable picture of what a place is actually like, rather than what happened in any single unusual year.

The readings come from a range of sources, land-based weather stations, ocean buoys, ships, and satellites. That data is collected by weather services around the world, then pooled, quality-checked, and averaged to produce the climate records you see here.

For cities and regions with significant elevation, altitude is one of the biggest factors shaping local temperatures. As a rule of thumb, temperatures fall by around 6°C for every 1,000 metres gained, so a city at 2,000 metres will typically be around 12°C cooler than a city at sea level in the same region. Higher ground also tends to see more dramatic day-to-night temperature swings, since thinner air loses heat faster after sunset.

For more on Kotzebue's weather, including monthly rainfall, sunshine hours, and humidity, visit our Kotzebue climate page.