What is the hottest month at Gates of the Arctic?

July, with an average high of 70°F and an average low of 49°F at Bettles AP (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). The station averages 0 days a year at or above 90°F.

How cold does Gates of the Arctic get in winter?

January is the coldest month, averaging a low of -19°F and a high of -2°F at Bettles AP. About 239 nights a year drop to freezing or below.

Does it snow at Gates of the Arctic?

Yes. Bettles AP averages 97.9 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 Gates of the Arctic?

August is the wettest month on average (2.7 inches of precipitation at Bettles AP); the station's annual total is 16.0 inches.

How many hours of daylight does Gates of the Arctic get?

About 24h 00m on June 15 and 0h 00m on December 15 (sunrise null, sunset null in June; null to null in December, America/Anchorage time).

What is the best month to visit Gates of the Arctic for weather?

By NOAA's normals, average highs sit between 55°F and 85°F in May, June, July and August. Of those, May is also well below the park's peak crowds. Weather in the park varies with elevation; this is the Bettles AP station.

Weather by month

Gates of the Arctic weather, month by month

Last verified October 6, 2026NOAA 1991–2020 normalsAmerica/Anchorage time

Average highs, lows, rain, snow and daylight for every month. Measured at the Bettles AP (642 ft, 0.3 mi from Bettles Ranger Station and Visitor Center).

Aerial view of the Alatna River as it winds through a valley — Photo: NPS Photo / Sean Tevebaugh

Jul high: 70°F; hottest month
Jan low: -19°F; coldest month
Rain + snowmelt: 16.0in / yr; wettest: Aug
Snowfall: 97.9in / yr; Sep–May
Days ≥ 90°F: 0/ yr
Nights ≤ 32°F: 239/ yr

Bettles AP

Month by month

Normals are 30-year averages (1991–2020). Crowds = each month’s share of the park’s busiest month, from NPS visitor counts. Sunrise and sunset are for the 15th of each month in 2027.

Average high and low, every monthbars run from the low to the high · tan strip = precipitation

Month	High	Low	Rain	Snow	Wet days	Sunrise	Sunset	Daylight	Crowds
Jan	-2°	-19°	0.9″	14.0″	9	11:41 AM	3:04 PM	3h 24m	0
Feb	7°	-13°	1.0″	15.9″	10	9:30 AM	5:25 PM	7h 55m	0
Mar	17°	-9°	0.6″	9.3″	8	8:34 AM	8:10 PM	11h 36m	0
Apr	36°	13°	0.6″	5.2″	6	6:23 AM	10:03 PM	15h 40m	0
May	56°	34°	0.9″	1.0″	9	4:04 AM	12:15 AM	20h 10m	12
Jun	70°	47°	1.5″	—	11	—	—	24h 00m	78
Jul	70°	49°	2.3″	—	13	—	—	24h 00m	100
Aug	63°	43°	2.7″	—	15	5:35 AM	11:00 PM	17h 25m	92
Sep	50°	33°	2.1″	3.2″	13	7:30 AM	8:47 PM	13h 17m	40
Oct	28°	14°	1.2″	12.0″	12	9:16 AM	6:42 PM	9h 27m	0
Nov	8°	-7°	1.1″	19.1″	10	10:22 AM	3:34 PM	5h 12m	0
Dec	2°	-14°	1.1″	18.2″	11	—	—	0h 00m	0

Sweet spot: May combines average highs between 55°F and 85°F with crowds under 60% of the peak month. Check what is open in those months — quiet can also mean closed roads.

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. 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 Gates of the Arctic 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.Gates of the Arctic National Park & Preserve — Weather (nps.gov) · National Park Service
3.Gates of the Arctic National Park & Preserve — Visitor Use Statistics · National Park Service (IRMA)

FAQ

Gates of the Arctic weather questions

What is the hottest month at Gates of the Arctic?: July, with an average high of 70°F and an average low of 49°F at Bettles AP (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). The station averages 0 days a year at or above 90°F.
How cold does Gates of the Arctic get in winter?: January is the coldest month, averaging a low of -19°F and a high of -2°F at Bettles AP. About 239 nights a year drop to freezing or below.
Does it snow at Gates of the Arctic?: Yes. Bettles AP averages 97.9 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 Gates of the Arctic?: August is the wettest month on average (2.7 inches of precipitation at Bettles AP); the station's annual total is 16.0 inches.
How many hours of daylight does Gates of the Arctic get?: About 24h 00m on June 15 and 0h 00m on December 15 (sunrise null, sunset null in June; null to null in December, America/Anchorage time).
What is the best month to visit Gates of the Arctic for weather?: By NOAA's normals, average highs sit between 55°F and 85°F in May, June, July and August. Of those, May is also well below the park's peak crowds. Weather in the park varies with elevation; this is the Bettles AP station.

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