Help!! weather in Alaska

[Rita]

I leave on Zaandam this Friday and am concerned about the weather It shows rain for most of the time- For those who have been on this cruise recently does it rain all day or just scattered showers- We are booked on the floatplane for Juneau and hope it doesn't get cancelled- Give me your opinions-Thanks

[Rita]

HELP!!!! I leave Friday Aug. 21st on Zaandam and it shows rain for most of the time- Any suggestions - For those who have cruised Alaska this summer did it rain most of the day or just scattered showers- Did excursions get cancelled? I hope not because we are doing the floatplane in Juneau- I appreciate any comments- Thanks

[AKBeagleMom]

It's supposed to rain through the weekend in Juneau, and right now we're under flood warnings. Yesterday a boat capsized and one person died, and also a raft on the Mendenhall float tour flipped over dumping 8 people and the guide into the river. There was a slight break in the weather this afternoon, which would have been okay for a flight, otherwise the past several days have been very rainy and socked in with fog. Besides the continued flood alert for tonight, they're also calling for "patchy fog."

[jtl513]

Did excursions get cancelled? I hope not because we are doing the floatplane in Juneau-

On our first AK cruise fog in Juneau grounded all helicopter and plane excursions. There were three ships there that day, and hundreds of people were looking for alternatives. Everything on the ground/water booked up solid.

[Himself]

It has been known to rain in Alaska. In Ketchikan, they call it "Licquid Sunshine."

[DizzyDallasDi]

It's supposed to rain through the weekend in Juneau, and right now we're under flood warnings. Yesterday a boat capsized and one person died, and also a raft on the Mendenhall float tour flipped over dumping 8 people and the guide into the river. There was a slight break in the weather this afternoon, which would have been okay for a flight, otherwise the past several days have been very rainy and socked in with fog. Besides the continued flood alert for tonight, they're also calling for "patchy fog."

 

Yikes ! :eek: I can relate to those poor people who were flipped out of their raft. I was thrown while whitewater rafting in Colorado in level 4 rapids and got the ride of my life in some very very cold water. I've teased my sister and BIL (who were with me) that I was the only one who really got their money's worth on that trip. :D

 

Diane

[BKFlowerMound]

Prepare for the Worst - Hope for the Best. We were on the Zaandam last week and had wonderful weather. It was Sunny at Glacier Bay, Sitka, and Ketchikan. When we left, the prediction was for rain. You just never know. Make sure that you have layers and hope for the best.

[alcpa1]

The last time we were there we had light rain several days but Alaska is classified as a rain forest so just prepare. You will do fine with waterPROOF shoes and apparel. The key to dressing, as has been noted, is layering. Fleece is lightweight and very well suited for most days, not the hot ones, of course.

I hope you enjoy your cruise and ignore the weather, it's part of the experience.

[dandro]

We had beautiful weather first week in June, but we were prepared with clothing we could layer and rain ponchos if needed.

[Sue from Canada]

It has been known to rain in Alaska. In Ketchikan, they call it "Liquid Sunshine."

 

I been to Alaska four times. Once in Juneau it rained so hard that it was fruitless putting up an umbrella. I looked like a drowned rat upon returning to the ship. I don't mind rain though. Even if it rained the whole time I was there I'd still have a dam good time on the cruise. So don't worry about something you can't change.

[Rocky365]

I just returned from Alaska on Sunday (8/16) and we had absolutely beautiful weather, 75 and sunny everyday. Weather reports (even ones on the ship) called for rain but it never happened.

[mamaofami]

We did a b2b to Alaksa several years ago and arrived there in the middle of a heat wave where it was over 90 every day. When in Juneau, we took the 3 glacier helicopter ride and dogsledding excursion. On the cruise back, we also stopped in Juneau and it was raining ever so slightly that day, but that excursion was cancelled. We were very glad we had gone the first week.

[blckdawg]

Rocky, were you on the Westerdam 8/9-8/16? Did not sea you there? hahah. The forecasters called for 70% rain all week in Alaska, however it was 65 degrees and partly cloudy all week. Dress and prepare for each of the 4 seasons. You never know. Have a blast.

[mcbain]

Chalk up another August traveller(last week of August '08) where the weather was perfect while weather reports called for nothing but rain. Ironically, it rained the day of our departure from Seattle, the first day at sea, and until about 9AM on Ketchikan, our first port. Then we got a break at all our ports and we didn't see rain again until our final day at sea. Even Juneau was 59 and sunny and on Skagway, the sun actually came out for about 10 minutes. We felt very fortunate as the summer of '08 was supposedly the rainiest in 10 years.

 

As most others have said, be ready for the rain but also don't count on accurate forecasts either.

[IRL_Joanie]

A few months ago I was watching National Geographic and could NOT believe what I saw!! I had to do a google search for the Alaskan Desert (NOT A TYPO this time!!:D) and There is a desert just north of the Arctic Circle in Alaska!!!! It has 100 ft high sand dunes and more.... I sure wish there was an excursion to get there. This would be an awesome sight to behold!!! It is part of the US National Park Service.

 

Go read more on it:

 

The Great Kobuk Sand Dunes ( I will try to attach 2 photos that I found online of them. (hope it works)

 

1. http://www.nps.gov/kova/index.htm

2. http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1983usgs.symp...36C

3. http://www.gi.alaska.edu/ScienceForum/ASF0/090.html

4. http://koyukuk.fws.gov/science.htm

 

 

 

 

[brucory]

I leave on Zaandam this Friday and am concerned about the weather It shows rain for most of the time- For those who have been on this cruise recently does it rain all day or just scattered showers- We are booked on the floatplane for Juneau and hope it doesn't get cancelled- Give me your opinions-Thanks

 

Be sure to pack some sunscreen. We had beautiful weather and got very sunburnt, particularly on the glacier viewing day as we spent most of the day outside...

 

Enjoy Alaska.

 

:D:D:D

[TCF]

One thing the cruise lines tend to forget to mention in all their sunny ship pictures in the brochures.

 

Alaska is at the northern end of the Pacific Rain Forest! It starts in Oregon and runs right up the coast. Now, there is a reason that it is called a "rain forest"....maybe because it rains a lot.

 

The weather in Alaska is the weather in Alaska....it rains....the sun shines....some times it even snows. This is what makes Alaska what it is....a most beautiful part of the world.

 

So, pack rain gear...a sweater...shorts....sunscreen...light jacket....in other words a little something for each weather condition.

 

And fear not....no matter what the weather you will have a wonderful time.

[songbert]

We were on the Zaandam from the 7th-14th. I had watched the extended forecasts, but they are rarely correct!! We had a light

shower in Juneau, bright sunshine in Glacier Bay, mostly sunny in Sitka (which the natives were surprised about because the day started off very cool and foggy), overcast but pleasant in Ketchikan, and rain all night in Victoria (but the Butchart gardens provide umbrellas and the scenery was breathtaking).

 

If a shorex is cancelled, it is for your safety, and in your best interest.

 

There are plenty of activities on the Zaandam if you have bad weather, or just throw on your poncho and walk around the port of call!!

 

Bon Voyage!!

[Rocky365]

Rocky, were you on the Westerdam 8/9-8/16? Did not sea you there? hahah. The forecasters called for 70% rain all week in Alaska, however it was 65 degrees and partly cloudy all week. Dress and prepare for each of the 4 seasons. You never know. Have a blast.

 

Yup I was there, but it sure felt warmer than 65 I was ready for some shorts.

[INSIDERS CABIN]

Make sure your shoes can handle downpours-flip-flops do not work! and the small umbrellas are great, so is a poncho. I don't think jeans perform well in the rain; prefer a quick dry nylon from REI or similar. Polar fleece is light and warm and also dries fast.

Wow-we have been on that Mendenhall raft trip-the first time with elementary school sons! Being dumped in that cold water would have been scary.