January in Mendenhall Glacier — the hardest end of the year
Hardest · 0.3/10January sits at -7°C (20°F), firmly in deep-winter territory. Plan compact outdoor blocks with warm reset points between them rather than full days outside.
387 mm of water-equivalent precipitation makes this a snowy month at resort level; what falls stays as snow, with almost no days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 6.8 hours of daylight.
That is 0.3/10 on the same scale — 11th of 12 months, versus 6.5/10 for the best month here.
Budget for low-season pricing, and crowds are light for this destination.
Pack insulated layers, a windproof shell, gloves and boots with grip, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella, footwear you can get muddy.
If your dates are flexible, June is materially better in Mendenhall Glacier — 6.2 points higher on the same scale.
February in Mendenhall Glacier — off-season conditions
Hardest · 0.7/10February sits at -6°C (21°F), firmly in deep-winter territory. Plan compact outdoor blocks with warm reset points between them rather than full days outside.
291 mm of water-equivalent precipitation makes this a snowy month at resort level; what falls stays as snow, with almost no days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 8.9 hours of daylight.
That is 0.7/10 on the same scale — 9th of 12 months, versus 6.5/10 for the best month here.
Expect low-season pricing, and crowds are light for this destination.
Pack insulated layers, a windproof shell, gloves and boots with grip, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella, footwear you can get muddy.
If your dates are flexible, June is materially better in Mendenhall Glacier — 5.8 points higher on the same scale.
March in Mendenhall Glacier — the hardest end of the year
Hardest · 1.3/10March averages -5°C (24°F), cold enough that sightseeing works in bursts rather than in one long day on foot.
At 229 mm of water-equivalent precipitation this is a snowy month at resort level — that is snowpack, not lost days — with almost no days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 11.4 hours of daylight.
It scores 1.3/10 here, 8th of 12 months, against 6.5/10 in the destination's best month.
Plan for low-season pricing, with crowds are light for this destination.
Pack insulated layers, a windproof shell, gloves and boots with grip, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella, footwear you can get muddy.
Flexible dates? June scores 5.2 points higher here — enough to change the trip.
April in Mendenhall Glacier — the hardest end of the year
Hardest · 3.7/10At -1°C (30°F) this is proper winter weather in April: layer up and split the day between outdoor highlights and indoor stops.
162 mm of water-equivalent precipitation makes this a snowy month at resort level; what falls stays as snow, with about 11 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 14.1 hours of daylight.
That is 3.7/10 on the same scale — 5th of 12 months, versus 6.5/10 for the best month here.
Expect mid-season pricing, and crowds are moderate.
Pack insulated layers, a windproof shell, gloves and boots with grip, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella, footwear you can get muddy.
If your dates are flexible, June is materially better in Mendenhall Glacier — 2.8 points higher on the same scale.
May in Mendenhall Glacier — workable with trade-offs
Trade-offs · 5.2/10May averages 3°C (38°F), cold enough that sightseeing works in bursts rather than in one long day on foot.
202 mm makes this the wettest stretch of the year, though about 20 days with 6+ hours of sunshine still appear — keep an indoor fallback ready.
It scores 5.2/10 here, 3rd of 12 months, against 6.5/10 in the destination's best month.
Figure on mid-season pricing, with crowds are moderate.
Pack insulated layers, a windproof shell, gloves and boots with grip, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella, footwear you can get muddy.
June in Mendenhall Glacier tops the year's climate scores
Best window · 6.5/10Expect 8°C (47°F) in June. A good month for city streets, viewpoints and long meals; leave swimming for another season.
141 mm of rain makes this a wet month here, though with about 21 days with 6+ hours of sunshine there is still bright weather between the fronts.
On our climate-comfort scale this is the top-ranked month of the year for Mendenhall Glacier at 6.5/10 — the reference point every other month on this page is measured against.
Budget for peak pricing, and crowds are moderate. You are paying the year's highest rates for the year's best conditions — book early or shift a few weeks either side.
Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella, footwear you can get muddy.
July in Mendenhall Glacier — workable with trade-offs
Trade-offs · 5.5/10Expect 11°C (52°F) in July. A good month for city streets, viewpoints and long meals; leave swimming for another season.
Expect monsoon-level rainfall at 260 mm: only about 15 days with 6+ hours of sunshine across the month, and stretches of heavy rain are normal.
That is 5.5/10 on the same scale — 2nd of 12 months, versus 6.5/10 for the best month here.
Expect peak pricing, and this is one of the busiest months here. You are paying the year's highest rates for the year's best conditions — book early or shift a few weeks either side.
Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella, footwear you can get muddy.
August in Mendenhall Glacier — middling scores, decent value
Trade-offs · 5.1/10August averages 11°C (52°F) — jacket weather. Comfortable for walking and museums, too cool for anything water-based.
263 mm of rain puts this in monsoon territory — about 11 days with 6+ hours of sunshine across the whole month, and multi-day washouts are normal.
It scores 5.1/10 here, 4th of 12 months, against 6.5/10 in the destination's best month.
Plan for peak pricing, with this is one of the busiest months here.
Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella, footwear you can get muddy.
September in Mendenhall Glacier — the hardest end of the year
Hardest · 3.2/10September averages 7°C (44°F) — jacket weather. Comfortable for walking and museums, too cool for anything water-based.
445 mm of rain puts this in monsoon territory — almost no days with 6+ hours of sunshine across the whole month, and multi-day washouts are normal.
It scores 3.2/10 here, 6th of 12 months, against 6.5/10 in the destination's best month.
Plan for mid-season pricing, with crowds are moderate.
Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella, footwear you can get muddy.
Flexible dates? June scores 3.3 points higher here — enough to change the trip.
October in Mendenhall Glacier — the hardest end of the year
Hardest · 2/10At 2°C (36°F) this is proper winter weather in October: layer up and split the day between outdoor highlights and indoor stops.
Expect monsoon-level rainfall at 517 mm: only almost no days with 6+ hours of sunshine across the month, and stretches of heavy rain are normal.
That is 2/10 on the same scale — 7th of 12 months, versus 6.5/10 for the best month here.
Expect low-season pricing, and crowds are light for this destination.
Pack insulated layers, a windproof shell, gloves and boots with grip, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella, footwear you can get muddy.
If your dates are flexible, June is materially better in Mendenhall Glacier — 4.5 points higher on the same scale.
November in Mendenhall Glacier — the hardest end of the year
Hardest · 0.4/10At -5°C (23°F) this is proper winter weather in November: layer up and split the day between outdoor highlights and indoor stops.
320 mm of water-equivalent precipitation makes this a snowy month at resort level; what falls stays as snow, with almost no days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 7.4 hours of daylight.
That is 0.4/10 on the same scale — 10th of 12 months, versus 6.5/10 for the best month here.
Expect low-season pricing, and crowds are light for this destination.
Pack insulated layers, a windproof shell, gloves and boots with grip, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella, footwear you can get muddy.
If your dates are flexible, June is materially better in Mendenhall Glacier — 6.1 points higher on the same scale.
December in Mendenhall Glacier — the hardest end of the year
Hardest · 0.2/10December averages -6°C (21°F) — deep-winter cold that dictates the whole trip: short outdoor stints, indoor plans on standby, and no expectation of long walking days.
At 381 mm of water-equivalent precipitation this is a snowy month at resort level — that is snowpack, not lost days — with almost no days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 6.1 hours of daylight.
It scores 0.2/10 here, 12th of 12 months, against 6.5/10 in the destination's best month.
Figure on low-season pricing, with crowds are light for this destination.
Pack insulated layers, a windproof shell, gloves and boots with grip, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella, footwear you can get muddy.
Flexible dates? June scores 6.3 points higher here — enough to change the trip.
