Alaskaa Weather

[shushutu]

We have cruised on the Regatta twice but this is our first time to Alaska. People tell me it's cold. Is it? We are on the 8/11 Seattle to Vancouver.

 

Any help will be appreciated!!!

[lj77346]

In August it would be unusual to be cold. To get an idea of average temperatures just do an internet search - for each port search for average temperatures in August.

[Kamloops50]

You can expect temps to be between 70 and 90F in August.

[Caroldoll]

Take bug repellant too! LOL...it will be beautiful for Alaska. Great place.

[Mura]

When we did an Alaska cruise in June '90 I bought a t-shirt that showed mosquitos as big as B47s ...

 

Mura

[Glaciers]

This site will let you check temperatures and precipitation for most Alaska cruise ports by date.

http://www.arh.noaa.gov/climate.php?stnid=PAJN&mon=8&yr=2015&obs=true&normals=true&precip=true

 

Here’s an O thread that discusses Alaska weather and some other fun stuff like bugs although you'll get the best information on the Alaska board.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2353910&highlight=hypothermia

Edited June 10, 2016 by Glaciers

[Hawaiidan]

This site will let you check temperatures and precipitation for most Alaska cruise ports by date.

http://www.arh.noaa.gov/climate.php?stnid=PAJN&mon=8&yr=2015&obs=true&normals=true&precip=true

 

Here’s an O thread that discusses Alaska weather and some other fun stuff like bugs although you'll get the best information on the Alaska board.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2353910&highlight=hypothermia

 

Alaska in August will have a whole spectrum of potential, It can be warm and it can be cold... As a general rule every mile you go north of Seattle the colder it gets , mile by mile.....its physics.

 

 

Up at the Hubbard and Sitka, and Icy Straits expect both temps in the 50-60's with 40 at night, some fog and rain mornings.

 

Juneau will be warmer and has hit the high to mid 70's, rarely reaching 80 or above....90???? I suppose possible but not practical to count on.

 

Ketchcan is a crap shoot.. but expect rain...lite rain some time during the day.. ("Ketchcan rain festival Jan 1 to Dec 31) gets several hunderd inches a year,

Layer synthetic underwear base layer, synthetic insulation layer next and finally a rain/ wind breaker that breathes... like gore tex. NOTHING cotton... underware, jeans, of cotton as well as shorts... leave em' home.

 

Bugs are all over Deer fly, Black fly, No seeum, Gnats, Mosquitoes all very aggressive ... until the first hard freeze in late August. They LOVE visitors in shorts and short sleeves..... You a feast for them

 

Have fun.... be prepared for anything, assume nothing, every day is a new day and new weather.

[Glaciers]

Layer synthetic underwear base layer, synthetic insulation layer next and finally a rain/ wind breaker that breathes... like gore tex. NOTHING cotton... underware, jeans, of cotton as well as shorts... leave em' home.

 

Bugs are all over Deer fly, Black fly, No seeum, Gnats, Mosquitoes all very aggressive ... until the first hard freeze in late August. They LOVE visitors in shorts and short sleeves..... You a feast for them

 

This is incredibly deceiving. There are actually very few bugs while cruising the inside passage and in the port towns. There is much written about this on the Alaska board from people who live in Alaska and cruise Alaska, some, dozens of times. The issue with bugs is more prevalent in the interior and sometimes when doing land excursions away from port towns.

 

You statement on wearing layers is spot on and I suppose if you can afford to cruise O than you can buy an entire new synthetic wardrobe for Alaska. Certainly unnecessary and 90% of Alaska travelers wear cotton and are very comfortable.

 

I worked as a NPS Ranger in the region and have seen snow storms July 4th.... The lower sections of Alaska are classified as a "temperate rain forest"... There is a reason that they call it that.

Your odds of good weather are best beginning late July to early September.

 

When and where was this July 4 snow storm that would affect cruise passengers? Seems you’re putting this out there to alarm people when it just won’t happen. Historically, and by the way, the best weather is May and June, also very well documented.

 

You can continue to post this kind of information and I suppose some will actually believe you but it is very inaccurate and can be confirmed by going to the Alaska board or just searching for the information.

[RachelG]

I have been snowed on in Alaska in July and August, but I have also gotten a sunburn and seen temps in the 80s. Come prepared for every thing and layer.

 

And I am still scratching mosquito bites from our cruise 2 weeks ago! Even with repellent.

[Hawaiidan]

This is incredibly deceiving. There are actually very few bugs while cruising the inside passage and in the port towns. There is much written about this on the Alaska board from people who live in Alaska and cruise Alaska, some, dozens of times. The issue with bugs is more prevalent in the interior and sometimes when doing land excursions away from port towns.

 

You statement on wearing layers is spot on and I suppose if you can afford to cruise O than you can buy an entire new synthetic wardrobe for Alaska. Certainly unnecessary and 90% of Alaska travelers wear cotton and are very comfortable.

 

 

 

When and where was this July 4 snow storm that would affect cruise passengers? Seems you’re putting this out there to alarm people when it just won’t happen. Historically, and by the way, the best weather is May and June, also very well documented.

 

You can continue to post this kind of information and I suppose some will actually believe you but it is very inaccurate and can be confirmed by going to the Alaska board or just searching for the information.

 

Since a lot of people get " out of town" on numerous tours and treks... Heck just going to the totem park in Ketchcan, or the toe of the Mendenhall in the marsh area... virtual bug paradises. You dont have to go far

 

Snow on july...Try out of Skagway, Glacier Bay, Yukatat.... Maybe not Juneau. but yes... it happens Since 2009 the weather has been all over the place from drought to deluge.. Sitka last year for example.

 

I worked in this area, both in coastal and montaine regions.. and witnessed a lot of things.

The entire point is NOT to alarm but to educate people of the potential for changeable weather to potentialy to extremes.

 

My work with visitors from cruise ships to campers, found that a lot of people get into trouble or get others into trouble by assuming there is no risks what so ever. Clothing was a big factor in many problems and people being un aware of potential risks..

 

Alaska is a great place but it is not Disney ..and requires some understanding of that. and your self....Its only scary when you assume