June Outlook

By Rick Thoman
Alaska Climate Specialist
Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Preparedness
International Arctic Research Center/University of Alaska Fairbanks

The June outlook from NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center calls for slightly increased chances of above average temperatures for the month and for most of the region except for the St. Lawrence Island and southern Norton Sound, where neither above nor below normal is favored. 
For reference, 1991 to 2020 normal June temperatures around the region range from 41°F at Gambell to 52°F at Koyuk, with average temperature at Nome of 48°F.
During the past 118 years, June temperatures in Nome have ranged from 20°F in 1931 to 86°F in 2013. That same day in June 2013, Koyuk reached 90°F and Golovin and White Mountain 88°F.
The outlook for the upcoming June precipitation (rain plus any melted snow) calls for elevated chances of above normal totals all across the region. The average precipitation for June is around one inch, which is only slightly higher than May but less than half of the July and August normal.
Accumulating snow in June at low elevations is unusual except in the Bering Strait and St Lawrence Island early in the month, though Nome had several inches of snow the first week of June in both 2021 and 2023.
June also brings the longest days of the year. Summer Solstice this year is at 11:24 p.m. AKDT on June 20. Possible sunshine then ranges from 24 hours at Shishmaref, 23 hours and 10 minutes at Wales to 21 hours and 28 minutes at Nome and 20 hours and 36 minutes at St. Michaels.