Weather in May in Alaska
Are you planning a trip a to Alaska in May and wondering what kind of weather to expect? This page has all the details you need.
What is the weather like in Alaska in May?
Alaska is a region in the United States of America. In May, Alaska experiences a range of weather conditions, with temperatures that range from very cold to mild and precipitation levels ranging from low to heavy.
Temperatures
During the day temperatures vary from very cold in Point Barrow at -1°C to mild in North Pole at 17°C. At night it cools down to 5°C in North Pole and -6°C in Point Barrow.
Precipitation
In May, precipitation varies across different areas. From low snowfall in Point Barrow with an average of 18 mm to heavy snowfall in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve with 232 mm. Based on climate data from the last 30 years, Anchorage typically sees the least rain in this month, making it the driest month of the year.Average sunshine
Meanwhile, Anchorage enjoys close to 289 hours of sunlight. This means it's a great month if you prefer bright and sunny days.For specific regional insights in Alaska for May, refer to the map provided below. For an in-depth overview of the yearly weather conditions, do visit our Alaska climate page.
Where to go in Alaska in May
Popular destinations
What is the weather like in May for the 5 most popular destinations in Alaska?
Anchorage
In May Anchorage generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 12°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around 4°C and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are unpleasant that month.
Fairbanks
In May Fairbanks generally has moderate temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 17°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around 5°C and low monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are pleasant that month.
Juneau
In May Juneau generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 10°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around 3°C and high monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.
Kenai
In May Kenai generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 12°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around 5°C and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are unpleasant that month.
Soldotna
In May Soldotna generally has moderate temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 14°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around 5°C and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are tolerable that month.
Is your destination not in the list? Have a look at other destinations in Alaska, in the United States of America.
Is May the best time to visit Alaska?
Given the typically unpleasant weather conditions in Anchorage, May may not be the ideal time to visit Alaska.
Generally speaking, the best visiting conditions can be found in July offering mostly pleasant weather in Anchorage. On the other hand, the weather in January, February, March, April, September, October, November and December tend to be poor.
Interested in more climate information?
We have much more information about the climate in Alaska.
Interested in the weather conditions in a specific month? Select the month below.
Weather and climate has detailed information for every country in the world. Are you going to the United States of America? Get detailed historical weather averages for many cities in the United States of America.
Not sure yet where to go? We now have a tool which recommends destinations that suit your ideal travel conditions. Find out where to go with our weather planner.