Denali weather, month by month
- Jul high
- 66°F
- hottest month
- Jan low
- -6°F
- coldest month
- Rain + snowmelt
- 15.9in / yr
- wettest: Jul
- Snowfall
- 76.7in / yr
- Sep–May
- Days ≥ 90°F
- 0/ yr
- Nights ≤ 32°F
- 242/ yr
McKinley Park (park entrance)
Month by month
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow | Wet days | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 10° | -6° | 0.6″ | 9.6″ | 8 | 10:22 AM | 4:05 PM | 5h 43m | 1 |
| Feb | 20° | -1° | 0.7″ | 9.6″ | 7 | 8:56 AM | 5:41 PM | 8h 45m | 2 |
| Mar | 25° | 0° | 0.5″ | 8.2″ | 6 | 8:23 AM | 8:04 PM | 11h 41m | 4 |
| Apr | 41° | 17° | 0.4″ | 6.9″ | 4 | 6:36 AM | 9:33 PM | 14h 57m | 5 |
| May | 55° | 31° | 0.8″ | 2.6″ | 7 | 4:58 AM | 11:03 PM | 18h 05m | 28 |
| Jun | 65° | 41° | 2.4″ | 0.1″ | 14 | 3:52 AM | 12:17 AM | 20h 25m | 89 |
| Jul | 66° | 45° | 3.1″ | — | 16 | 4:31 AM | 11:50 PM | 19h 19m | 98 |
| Aug | 61° | 41° | 3.0″ | — | 17 | 6:01 AM | 10:17 PM | 16h 16m | 100 |
| Sep | 51° | 31° | 1.7″ | 5.0″ | 13 | 7:28 AM | 8:31 PM | 13h 03m | 36 |
| Oct | 34° | 16° | 0.8″ | 9.4″ | 10 | 8:52 AM | 6:48 PM | 9h 57m | 3 |
| Nov | 18° | 2° | 0.8″ | 12.9″ | 11 | 9:25 AM | 4:12 PM | 6h 47m | 1 |
| Dec | 14° | -2° | 0.8″ | 12.4″ | 10 | 10:39 AM | 3:19 PM | 4h 40m | 2 |
How to read this
These are NOAA’s official 1991–2020 climate normals for one weather station, not a model of the whole park. The station is the one with complete temperature and precipitation normals nearest to a visitor center (we chose McKinley Park (park entrance) because it is the park entrance and visitor center area). Highs and lows are daily averages for the month; “wet days” are days with at least 0.01 inch of precipitation. Mountain parks can be 10–20 °F cooler at their high points than at the station, and the NPS weather page for Denali is the place for current conditions and seasonal closures.
Sunrise and sunset are computed with the NOAA solar equations for the park’s coordinates and shown in America/Anchorage time for the 15th of each month of 2027; they are accurate to about a minute.
Sources · 3
- 1.U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — monthly normals station inventory · National Centers for Environmental Information (NOAA)
- 2.Denali National Park & Preserve — Weather (nps.gov) · National Park Service
- 3.Denali National Park & Preserve — Visitor Use Statistics · National Park Service (IRMA)
FAQ
Denali weather questions
- What is the hottest month at Denali?
- July, with an average high of 66°F and an average low of 45°F at McKinley Park (park entrance) (NOAA 1991–2020 normals).
- How cold does Denali get in winter?
- January is the coldest month, averaging a low of -6°F and a high of 10°F at McKinley Park (park entrance). About 242 nights a year drop to freezing or below.
- Does it snow at Denali?
- Yes. McKinley Park (park entrance) averages 76.7 inches of snow a year, mostly in January, February, March, April, May, September, October, November and December. Higher ground in the park gets more.
- When is the rainy season at Denali?
- July is the wettest month on average (3.1 inches of precipitation at McKinley Park (park entrance)); the station's annual total is 15.9 inches.
- How many hours of daylight does Denali get?
- About 20h 25m on June 15 and 4h 40m on December 15 (sunrise 3:52 AM, sunset 12:17 AM in June; 10:39 AM to 3:19 PM in December, America/Anchorage time).
- What is the best month to visit Denali for weather?
- By NOAA's normals, average highs sit between 55°F and 85°F in June, July and August. Weather in the park varies with elevation; this is the McKinley Park (park entrance) station.
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