Climate guide for Juneau, United States

Best Time to Visit
Juneau

How to read the score (0–10)
05810
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01 · United States

About Juneau

Juneau sits between the Gastineau channel and the Juneau icefield, with Mendenhall glacier a short bus ride from downtown. Whale watching, the Mount Roberts tram and the gold-rush streets fill the days, and the ferry to the Inside Passage links the state's other towns. May to September is the visitor season; winter is quiet and dark, and the northern lights appear on clear nights.

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Did you know?

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Travel Tips

01Best time & timing
June leads the year at 6.5/10, with July and May close behind — December (0.2/10) is the one to avoid without a specific reason.
02Weather & what to pack
In June plan for about 8°C; the month brings 141 mm of rain. Pack a mid-weight jacket and shoes you can walk in all day.
03Budget timing
If budget matters most, May is the cheapest month (5.2/10) — expect weather trade-offs.

Things to do in Juneau

Juneau, United States. Live activities and tours from GetYourGuide, matched to this destination.

When to visit Juneau: the short answer

Plan Juneau for June, with July, May close behind — the stretch with the most usable temperatures and the fewest lost days to rain: June averages 8°C with 141 mm of rain and about 21 days with 6+ hours of sunshine. The months to avoid unless you have a specific reason are December, January.

Across the year Juneau swings from -7°C in January to 11°C in August, a 18-degree spread, while rainfall ranges from 141 mm in June to 517 mm in October. In short, Juneau is not equally good year-round — the gap between its best and worst month is 6.3 points on the same 10-point scale.

Warmest month: August (11°C). Coolest: January (-7°C). Driest: June (141 mm). Wettest: October (517 mm).

Juneau month by month

January in Juneau — the hardest end of the year

Hardest · 0.3/10

January 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.

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 Juneau — 6.2 points higher on the same scale.

February in Juneau: expect compromises

Hardest · 0.7/10

February 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.

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 Juneau — 5.8 points higher on the same scale.

March in Juneau — off-season conditions

Hardest · 1.3/10

March 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.

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 5.2 points higher here — enough to change the trip.

April in Juneau — off-season conditions

Hardest · 3.7/10

At -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.

Budget for 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 Juneau — 2.8 points higher on the same scale.

May in Juneau — middling scores, decent value

Trade-offs · 5.2/10

May 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.

Plan for 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 Juneau tops the year's climate scores

Best window · 6.5/10

Expect 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 Juneau at 6.5/10 — the reference point every other month on this page is measured against.

Expect 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 Juneau — middling scores, decent value

Trade-offs · 5.5/10

Expect 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.

Budget for 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 Juneau — workable with trade-offs

Trade-offs · 5.1/10

August 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.

Figure on 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 Juneau — the hardest end of the year

Hardest · 3.2/10

September 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.

Figure on 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 Juneau — the hardest end of the year

Hardest · 2/10

At 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.

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 Juneau — 4.5 points higher on the same scale.

November in Juneau: expect compromises

Hardest · 0.4/10

At -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.

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 Juneau — 6.1 points higher on the same scale.

December in Juneau: expect compromises

Hardest · 0.2/10

December 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.

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 6.3 points higher here — enough to change the trip.

FAQ

Frequently asked

When is the best time to visit Juneau, United States?
In Ideal Weather mode, the best months to visit Juneau are June. June is the single peak month with an Ideal Weather score of 6.5/10 based on temperature, rainfall, humidity, daylight and days with 6+ hours of sunshine.
What is the weather like in Juneau year-round?
Juneau has a climate profile suited to nature and wildlife travel. Average monthly temperatures range from -7°C in January to 11°C in August, with Ideal Weather scores between 0.2 and 6.5 out of 10.
Which months should I avoid in Juneau?
The lowest Ideal Weather-scoring months in Juneau are December (0.2/10), January (0.3/10), November (0.4/10). These months typically combine less comfortable temperatures, higher rainfall or fewer days with 6+ hours of sunshine.
When is the rainy season in Juneau?
October is the wettest month in Juneau, averaging about 517 mm of rainfall. June is the driest, at roughly 141 mm.
Which is the sunniest month in Juneau?
June sees the most sun in Juneau, with about 21 days with 6+ hours of sunshine on average - ideal for outdoor plans.
Is Juneau a good destination for nature and wildlife travel?
Juneau is well suited to nature and wildlife travel. Its highest Ideal Weather window (June) aligns with the conditions travelers usually look for in this style of trip.
How is the bestime.to score for Juneau calculated?
Each month receives an Ideal Weather score from 0-10 using ERA5 climate normals for Juneau: temperature comfort, precipitation, humidity, daylight hours, and days with 6+ hours of sunshine - weighted for nature and wildlife travel.

Climate data: Open-Meteo ERA5 historical archive, the five most recent complete years (2021–2025). Scores are monthly averages for that window, not forecasts, and short-window precipitation can differ from longer-term normals. “Sunny days” count days with at least 6 hours of measured sunshine — they are not dry days.

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Explore by month

Curated in Juneau

Tickets & experiences