30-year climate normals

North Slope Borough Climate and Weather Averages

Hottest month — July

57.9°

average daily high. The coldest month is January, averaging a low of -23.0°F.

North Slope Borough gets 5.68" of precipitation a year, and 52% of it falls in Jul, Aug, Sep.

Temperature through the year

Each bar spans the average daily low to the average daily high for that month.

Month	Avg high	Avg low	Precip
January	-8.5°	-23.0°	0.32"
February	-8.6°	-22.8°	0.20"
March	-6.9°	-21.4°	0.15"
April	9.9°	-5.3°	0.40"
May	29.2°	19.0°	0.38"
June	49.9°	34.7°	0.57"
July	57.9°	41.2°	1.14"
August	51.1°	37.7°	1.21"
September	39.8°	29.7°	0.58"
October	24.0°	13.1°	0.16"
November	8.2°	-5.9°	0.26"
December	-3.5°	-16.9°	0.31"

Rainfall by month

North Slope Borough has a distinct wet season. 52% of the year's precipitation arrives in Jul, Aug, Sep.

January 0.32"

February 0.20"

March 0.15"

April 0.40"

May 0.38"

June 0.57"

July 1.14"

August 1.21"

September 0.58"

October 0.16"

November 0.26"

December 0.31"

Annual total 5.68"

What this climate costs you

Degree days measure how hard a building has to work to stay comfortable. They are the reason two identical houses have very different power bills, and they are the link between the weather here and what you pay every month.

Cooling degree days How much air conditioning the climate demands 1

Heating degree days How much heating the climate demands 18,759

Approximate annual cooling cost At 28.23¢/kWh, Alaska average $0

Approximate annual electric heating cost Lower where heating is gas rather than electric $1,853

These are rough planning figures from degree days and the state electricity price, not a bill estimate. House size, insulation and fuel type move them a lot. See the full cost of owning a home in North Slope Borough, where electricity is one line of eight.

Common questions

What is the weather like in North Slope Borough?

North Slope Borough averages a high of 57.9°F in July and a low of -23.0°F in January. Annual precipitation is 5.68 inches, with essentially no snow.

When is the rainy season in North Slope Borough?

The wettest stretch is Jul, Aug, Sep, which accounts for 52% of the year's precipitation. That is a pronounced wet season rather than rain spread evenly through the year.

How hot does it get in North Slope Borough?

The average daily high in July, the hottest month, is 57.9°F. That drives 1 cooling degree days a year, which is what your air conditioning has to work against.

Does it snow in North Slope Borough?

Effectively no. Measurable snowfall is rare in North Slope Borough.

Sources

Temperature, precipitation and snowfall normals — NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, 1991–2020 Monthly Climate Normals, station NUIQSUT AP, AK US (USW00027515), 79 miles from the county centroid.
Heating and cooling degree days — NOAA, same station and period.
Electricity price — US Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A, Alaska residential average.
Wet-season share is the wettest three consecutive months as a percentage of annual precipitation, calculated from the monthly normals.