Alaska in May - very cold?

[whimsy7]

yes, we will be dressing in layers - thermals, long sleeve t-shirts, fleece sweatshirt, jackets, scarf, gloves, hat (should look like a puff ball and unable to move by that time.....)

we're coming from a country where a winter day is a mild 60 F.

we will be cruising the inside passage at the end of May.

what jacket should we wear on deck with the strong winds? a warm parka or would a good jacket suffice over all those other layers?

would it be bitingly cold or freakishly cold?

thanks for your replies.

Edited April 28, 2014 by whimsy7
additional information

[Arusha]

we will be cruising the inside passage at the end of May.

 

I cruised the Inside Passage last year at the end of May to early June. The weather can be different every year, but we had beautiful warm weather, well above 60 degrees F during the day. In Sitka during the last week in May, the residents were in shorts and t-shirts while the cruise ship passengers got off the ship bundled up looking like Siberian refugees. Pax tended to overdress. Yes, dress in layers and bring a jacket with you; no need to debark completely bundled up unless the weather warrants it.

 

The only time I needed a warm layer was when we were at Hubbard Glacier, and it was cool, not cold. The only "bad" weather I encountered was at Icy Strait Point during a walk through the rain forest; slight cool drizzle so I wore a lightweight unlined waterproof jacket with hood. That would be a good thing to bring with you.

 

No need to bring bulky down parkas. I brought a Thinsulate vest, which has good insulating properties without any bulk.

 

The shops in most ports sell fleece sweatshirts and jackets, so you can always buy something heavier if you need it.

 

If you're on deck while the ship is moving, then yes, you'll probably need a light jacket. Same if you're on small excursion boats.

 

Think layers in a variety of fabrics, including lightweight cottons. Just a week or two after my cruise, Alaska had a heat wave...

 

It won't be freakishly cold. It's southeast Alaska in Spring, not Antarctica! You'll see tulips blooming in gardens in Juneau, and dandelions blooming alongside the roads. The mountains alongside the water and above the towns will still have snow cover, but sea level won't.

 

For the last 2 days, Juneau has been warmer than where I live about 40 miles north of Boston, Massachusetts!

[Budget Queen]

Layers, you can leave the winter coat/parka at home. :) Do bring along hat and gloves.

[Shmoo here]

yes, we will be dressing in layers - thermals, long sleeve t-shirts, fleece sweatshirt, jackets, scarf, gloves, hat (should look like a puff ball and unable to move by that time.....)

we're coming from a country where a winter day is a mild 60 F.

we will be cruising the inside passage at the end of May.

what jacket should we wear on deck with the strong winds? a warm parka or would a good jacket suffice over all those other layers?

would it be bitingly cold or freakishly cold?

thanks for your replies.

 

Here's my little puff ball self on Glacier Bay day on our last Alaska cruise. Well, actually, that's how I looked on our first cruise on Glacier Bay and Tracy Arm days.

 

I was wearing my Cuddleduds (long underwear, top & bottom); turtleneck shirt; long-sleeved blouse; long pants; 2 pair socks; toe warmers; hat; and gloves; plus my down parka. I also had my trusty thermal cup full of hot chocolate at all times. Later I added my rain pants for an additional layer on the bottom part of my body.

 

Yes, I'm from southern California, and I don't do cold. In fact, I wear my down jacket to our local high school football games in the fall.

 

I will point out, that not everyone needs that many layers. I do. Others are fine with just thermals, blouse, fleece, windbreaker. As evidenced by the lady standing to my left. You know what makes you comfortable, go with that.

Edited April 28, 2014 by Shmoo here

[whimsy7]

many thanks for your helpful replies.

we will go with the clothes that we're comfortable with.

we will have a few weeks in Canada before our cruise so will see what we can pick up there.

here's hoping for good weather during our cruise.

[ekolusmama]

Here's my little puff ball self on Glacier Bay day on our last Alaska cruise. Well, actually, that's how I looked on our first cruise on Glacier Bay and Tracy Arm days.

 

I was wearing my Cuddleduds (long underwear, top & bottom); turtleneck shirt; long-sleeved blouse; long pants; 2 pair socks; toe warmers; hat; and gloves; plus my down parka. I also had my trusty thermal cup full of hot chocolate at all times. Later I added my rain pants for an additional layer on the bottom part of my body.

 

Yes, I'm from southern California, and I don't do cold. In fact, I wear my down jacket to our local high school football games in the fall.

 

I will point out, that not everyone needs that many layers. I do. Others are fine with just thermals, blouse, fleece, windbreaker. As evidenced by the lady standing to my left. You know what makes you comfortable, go with that.

 

 

Note to self: Buy more socks!!! I don't do cold either! Heavy wool socks are impossible to find here, so I'll have to go with the 2 pair method.

Edited April 29, 2014 by ekolusmama

[DaveOKC]

Weather for the first 10 days of May for an Inside Passage cruise - mostly dry with highs in the 60s and lows in low 50s. Not bad IMO.

[agabbymama]

Our cruise in 2000 was the first week of May. It rained every single day but

the one day in Glacier Bay (and it was COLD). I'm from Southern California and don't do cold, so the 45 and 50 temps were cold to me. The light layers others are talking about don't work for me. I had my full length, fur-lined rain coat and was certainly glad I did. I can't post photos as my camera wasn't digital in those days and I haven't tried to scan and convert all my photos.

 

But we had ski caps, gloves, scarf and the coat. My husband was a little less bundled up than I was, but even he had on his ski cap.

 

With the rain and drizzle you will definitely want whatever you wear to be waterproof. The ski caps and gloves don't take up much room in the suitcase, and I carried my coat on the airplane (didn't try to pack it), then used it to cover with as the airplane a/c seemed to be going full blast.

 

So as others have said, do what works for you. Everyone's core temp and tolerance is different.

[puppycanducruise]

As others have said, the weather can vary, and everyone handles the cold (and heat) differently.

But along with the layers of fleece and waterproof jackets, throw your swimsuit into the suitcase. We were on an Inside Passage cruise to Alaska many years ago and used the pool and hot tub quite a bit. Other passengers told us that they wished they had brought their swimsuits too. After all, it doesn't take up much room.

[chewap]

We were in Juneau last Memorial Day and it was 84 degrees. Went to Mendenhall Glacier and kids were wading in the lake with the Icebergs. Bring shorts as in May it can get very warm with 18 hrs+ of sun. Mendenhall Glacier was packed with locals plus cruisers from 4 ships in port. Very long lines for the limited restrooms. The rest of the cruise, the temps were in the 50's and low 60's, very similar to where I live in Washington State.

[Paula_MacFan]

We were in Juneau last Memorial Day and it was 84 degrees. Went to Mendenhall Glacier and kids were wading in the lake with the Icebergs. Bring shorts as in May it can get very warm with 18 hrs+ of sun. Mendenhall Glacier was packed with locals plus cruisers from 4 ships in port. Very long lines for the limited restrooms. The rest of the cruise, the temps were in the 50's and low 60's, very similar to where I live in Washington State.

 

We'll be in Juneau this Memorial Day and plan to go to Mendenhall Glacier too. There are also 4 ships in port that day, but we're arriving first so I hope to get there before the crowds get too bad. Although I know with it being a holiday there will probably be many many people. I hadn't thought about the restroom situation, so thanks for reminding me of THAT issue:)

 

I hope we have a nice sunny day like you described.

[Shmoo here]

We were in Juneau last Memorial Day and it was 84 degrees. Went to Mendenhall Glacier and kids were wading in the lake with the Icebergs. Bring shorts as in May it can get very warm with 18 hrs+ of sun. Mendenhall Glacier was packed with locals plus cruisers from 4 ships in port. Very long lines for the limited restrooms. The rest of the cruise, the temps were in the 50's and low 60's, very similar to where I live in Washington State.

 

I'll just point out that last summer the weather in Alaska was EXTREMELY atypical. It's not usually that warm for that long a period.

[lindseesmom]

*****LOL but you do look funny. We are from the Norhteast and always laugh at how wimpy people can be!! We are used to cold and actually 50 degrees is nice compared to some of the winters we have.

 

Note to self: Buy more socks!!! I don't do cold either! Heavy wool socks are impossible to find here, so I'll have to go with the 2 pair method.

[DrivesLikeMario]

A few years ago, it was so hot the last week of May, my parents got sunburned. Everyone was dying in the heat since they didn't pack shorts or short-sleeved shirts.

 

All this talk about how cold it might be is making me worry. Warm socks? All I have are the short tennis types. :confused: I would've never even thought to pack those. Guess I better do some shopping!

[Shmoo here]

Just a sampling of the weather in Alaska:

 

[DrivesLikeMario]

Thanks for the info, Shmoo. ;)

[laughing husky]

We have had a very warm winter here....Usually we are still on our dog sleds...We have no snow in Anchorage, I have seen hyacinths blooming in town...The buds on the birches are starting to turn green, and it hasn't been below freezing at night in a week. Right now, near Anchorage, it is 68 degrees....t shirt weather....feels like 75.....Weird year...Will it continue? We have no idea....However, being near a glacier is always cold....it produces its own mini weather system....

[Chenega]

The expected high in Anchorage for Thursday is 64 with temps near 70 for Friday.