Alaska is a very large state, spanning more than 550,000 square miles, bigger than most of the world's countries and about one-fifth the size of the U.S. mainland. Its size and the influence of its geography, including mountain ranges and coastline, give different regions of the state a wide range of weather patterns. Southeast Alaska is the part of the state that juts into Canada. Southcentral Alaska is the southern part of the state, excluding the west. Above Southcentral is the Interior, and above that, stretching across the state, is the Northern, or Arctic, part of Alaska. Last, there's Western Alaska. Each of these segments has its own unique weather pattern, some of which are more fierce than others.
Southeast Alaska
Thanks to the Gulf of Alaska, Southeast Alaska gets moisture --- a lot of it. Along with the highest average temperatures, the area has the highest annual precipitation in the state. The town of Yakutat averages 145 inches of annual precipitation, Ketchikan averages 150 inches and Little Port Walter gets an average of 220 inches yearly. Because of all the moisture, there are actual rainforests in this part of the state. Southeast Alaska is also consists of mountains, fjords and islands and is the home of Alaska's capital, Juneau.
Southcentral Alaska
Southcentral Alaska isn't as rainy as Southeast Alaska, and therefore has more clear days. Like Southeast Alaska, the Gulf of Alaska affects the region's weather, wet air blowing in to meet the cold air of Alaskan mountain ranges, causing precipitation, mostly in July, August and September as well as a lot of snow in the winter. Whittier gets 250 annual inches annually and Valdez gets 303 inches annually. Some areas, those sheltered from the Gulf by mountains, don't see such dramatic snowfall. Anchorage, for instance, only gets about 70 inches annually.
Interior or Central Alaska
Weather in Alaska's interior can be dramatic. Wintertime temperatures can run well below zero for days, colder than -50 degrees Fahrenheit, while summer temperatures can soar past 90. The temperature can fluctuate rapidly, and summer can see snow. Storms might yield hail and lightning. The nearly 1,900-mile Yukon River runs through the the interior and the large city of Fairbanks is located here as well.
Northern or Arctic Alaska
It is cold in northern Alaska as this is where the infamous tundra is located. Many towns only have annual high temperature averages of about 15 degrees Fahrenheit --- meaning, averaging the highs for a year only comes out to be in the teens. Barrow, the most northern town in Alaska --- located 340 miles north of the Arctic Circle --- on average sees a top high temperature of about 45 degrees,mostly occurring in August. December through March all have average highs that don't even reach zero. Some places in the north can reach about 70 degrees in the summer, though, depending on how the level of shelter experienced by each area.
Western Alaska
Like Southcentral and Southeastern Alaska, the weather of Western Alaska is affected by bodies of water --- the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska. Both bodies of water directly influence the climate of this area, making it trend towards serious storminess. Western Alaska is a sizable region and includes windy mountainous terrain and the Aleutian Islands, which curve 1,000 miles into the sea and point to Asia. Nome is located in the northwest, along the Bering Sea.
Tags: Southeast Alaska, Western Alaska, about degrees, Gulf Alaska, inches annually, part state
