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Climate and Average Weather Year Round in Kotzebue Alaska, United States

In Kotzebue, the summers are cool and mostly cloudy and the winters are long, frigid, snowy, windy, and partly cloudy. Over the course of the year, the temperature typically varies from -8°F to 60°F and is rarely below -32°F or above 70°F.

Based on the tourism score, the best time of year to visit Kotzebue for warm-weather activities is for the entire month of July.

Climate in Kotzebue

frigidfreezingcoldcoolcoldfreezingfrigidJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecNowNow45%45%33%33%overcastclearprecipitation: 2.4 inprecipitation: 2.4 in0.4 in0.4 inmuggy: 0%muggy: 0%0%0%drydrytourism score: 2.9tourism score: 2.90.00.0
Kotzebue weather by month. Click on each chart for more information.

The warm season lasts for 3.1 months, from June 8 to September 12, with an average daily high temperature above 49°F. The hottest month of the year in Kotzebue is July, with an average high of 59°F and low of 51°F.

The cold season lasts for 4.6 months, from November 13 to March 31, with an average daily high temperature below 15°F. The coldest month of the year in Kotzebue is January, with an average low of -6°F and high of 5°F.

Average High and Low Temperature in Kotzebue

Average High and Low Temperature in KotzebuewarmcoldcoldJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec-40°F-40°F-20°F-20°F0°F0°F20°F20°F40°F40°F60°F60°F80°F80°F100°F100°FJan 204°FJan 204°FJul 1460°FJul 1460°F-8°F-8°F51°F51°FJun 849°FJun 849°FSep 1249°FSep 1249°FNov 1315°FNov 1315°FMar 3115°FMar 3115°F39°F39°F40°F40°F7°F7°F0°F0°FNowNow
The daily average high (red line) and low (blue line) temperature, with 25th to 75th and 10th to 90th percentile bands. The thin dotted lines are the corresponding average perceived temperatures.
AverageJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High 5°F7°F10°F23°F39°F52°F59°F56°F47°F30°F14°F8°F
Temp. -1°F0°F2°F15°F32°F46°F55°F52°F42°F26°F10°F2°F
Low -6°F-5°F-4°F9°F28°F42°F51°F48°F38°F22°F6°F-3°F

The figure below shows you a compact characterization of the entire year of hourly average temperatures. The horizontal axis is the day of the year, the vertical axis is the hour of the day, and the color is the average temperature for that hour and day.

Average Hourly Temperature in Kotzebue

Average Hourly Temperature in KotzebueJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec12 AM12 AM2 AM2 AM4 AM4 AM6 AM6 AM8 AM8 AM10 AM10 AM12 PM12 PM2 PM2 PM4 PM4 PM6 PM6 PM8 PM8 PM10 PM10 PM12 AM12 AMNowNowfrigidfrigidcoldcoolfreezingfreezingvery coldcool
frigid 15°F freezing 32°F very cold 45°F cold 55°F cool 65°F comfortable 75°F warm 85°F hot 95°F sweltering
The average hourly temperature, color coded into bands. The shaded overlays indicate night and civil twilight.

Nizhniy Odes, Russia (3,230 miles away) and Langepas, Russia (3,119 miles) are the far-away foreign places with temperatures most similar to Kotzebue (view comparison).

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In Kotzebue, the average percentage of the sky covered by clouds experiences mild seasonal variation over the course of the year.

The clearer part of the year in Kotzebue begins around April 15 and lasts for 3.4 months, ending around July 28.

The clearest month of the year in Kotzebue is May, during which on average the sky is clear, mostly clear, or partly cloudy 44% of the time.

The cloudier part of the year begins around July 28 and lasts for 8.6 months, ending around April 15.

The cloudiest month of the year in Kotzebue is January, during which on average the sky is overcast or mostly cloudy 66% of the time.

Cloud Cover Categories in Kotzebue

Cloud Cover Categories in KotzebueclearercloudiercloudierJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec0%100%10%90%20%80%30%70%40%60%50%50%60%40%70%30%80%20%90%10%100%0%May 2845%May 2845%Jan 1033%Jan 1033%Apr 1539%Apr 1539%Jul 2839%Jul 2839%NowNowclearmostly clearpartly cloudymostly cloudyovercast
0% clear 20% mostly clear 40% partly cloudy 60% mostly cloudy 80% overcast 100%
The percentage of time spent in each cloud cover band, categorized by the percentage of the sky covered by clouds.
FractionJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Cloudier 66%64%58%60%56%57%60%60%57%56%59%64%
Clearer 34%36%42%40%44%43%40%40%43%44%41%36%

A wet day is one with at least 0.04 inches of liquid or liquid-equivalent precipitation. The chance of wet days in Kotzebue varies throughout the year.

The wetter season lasts 3.0 months, from July 1 to October 3, with a greater than 19% chance of a given day being a wet day. The month with the most wet days in Kotzebue is August, with an average of 9.3 days with at least 0.04 inches of precipitation.

The drier season lasts 9.0 months, from October 3 to July 1. The month with the fewest wet days in Kotzebue is March, with an average of 2.5 days with at least 0.04 inches of precipitation.

Among wet days, we distinguish between those that experience rain alone, snow alone, or a mixture of the two. Based on this categorization, the most common form of precipitation in Kotzebue changes throughout the year.

Snow alone is the most common for 6.1 months, from October 21 to April 24. The month with the most days of snow alone in Kotzebue is December, with an average of 3.8 days.

Rain alone is the most common for 5.9 months, from April 24 to October 21. The month with the most days of rain alone in Kotzebue is August, with an average of 9.3 days.

Daily Chance of Precipitation in Kotzebue

Daily Chance of Precipitation in KotzebuesnowrainsnowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec0%0%10%10%20%20%30%30%40%40%50%50%60%60%70%70%80%80%90%90%100%100%Aug 932%Aug 932%Mar 186%Mar 186%Apr 2410%Apr 2410%Oct 2115%Oct 2115%Jul 119%Jul 119%snowrainmixed
The percentage of days in which various types of precipitation are observed, excluding trace quantities: rain alone, snow alone, and mixed (both rain and snow fell in the same day).
Days ofJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Rain 0.1d0.2d0.1d0.8d3.2d4.5d7.5d9.3d6.8d2.8d0.4d0.1d
Mixed 0.4d0.4d0.2d0.6d0.5d0.1d0.0d0.0d0.2d0.6d0.6d0.4d
Snow 3.6d3.3d2.1d1.5d0.6d0.0d0.0d0.0d0.1d1.6d3.1d3.8d
Any 4.1d3.8d2.5d2.9d4.3d4.6d7.5d9.3d7.1d5.1d4.2d4.3d

To show variation within the months and not just the monthly totals, we show the rainfall accumulated over a sliding 31-day period centered around each day of the year. Kotzebue experiences significant seasonal variation in monthly rainfall.

The rainy period of the year lasts for 5.3 months, from May 11 to October 20, with a sliding 31-day rainfall of at least 0.5 inches. The month with the most rain in Kotzebue is August, with an average rainfall of 2.4 inches.

The rainless period of the year lasts for 6.7 months, from October 20 to May 11. The month with the least rain in Kotzebue is March, with an average rainfall of 0.0 inches.

Average Monthly Rainfall in Kotzebue

The average rainfall (solid line) accumulated over the course of a sliding 31-day period centered on the day in question, with 25th to 75th and 10th to 90th percentile bands. The thin dotted line is the corresponding average snowfall.
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Rainfall 0.1″0.1″0.0″0.2″0.5″0.8″1.7″2.4″1.6″0.6″0.1″0.1″

Snowfall

As with rainfall, we consider the snowfall accumulated over a sliding 31-day period centered around each day of the year. Kotzebue experiences significant seasonal variation in monthly snowfall.

The snowy period of the year lasts for 7.8 months, from September 27 to May 19, with a sliding 31-day snowfall of at least 1.0 inches. The month with the most snow in Kotzebue is November, with an average snowfall of 6.8 inches.

The snowless period of the year lasts for 4.2 months, from May 19 to September 27. The least snow falls around August 2, with an average total accumulation of 0.0 inches.

Average Monthly Snowfall in Kotzebue

The average snowfall (solid line) accumulated over the course of a sliding 31-day period centered on the day in question, with 25th to 75th and 10th to 90th percentile bands. The thin dotted line is the corresponding average rainfall.
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Snowfall 6.2″6.3″3.6″2.6″1.2″0.1″0.0″0.0″0.3″3.5″6.8″6.7″

Due to its extreme latitude, Kotzebue experiences polar day (also known as the midnight Sun) during the summer. The precise start and end dates of polar day and night vary from year to year and depend on the precise location and elevation of the observer, and the local topography.

In the summer in Kotzebue during 2024, the Sun is continuously above the horizon for 1.2 months, rising at 3:10 AM on June 1, and not setting again until 2:54 AM on July 9.

Hours of Daylight and Twilight in Kotzebue

Hours of Daylight and Twilight in KotzebueJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec0 hr24 hr4 hr20 hr8 hr16 hr12 hr12 hr16 hr8 hr20 hr4 hr24 hr0 hr12 hr, 16 minMar 1912 hr, 16 minMar 1924 hr, 0 minJun 2024 hr, 0 minJun 2012 hr, 21 minSep 2212 hr, 21 minSep 221 hr, 41 minDec 211 hr, 41 minDec 21nightnightdayNowNow
The number of hours during which the Sun is visible (black line). From bottom (most yellow) to top (most gray), the color bands indicate: full daylight, twilight (civil, nautical, and astronomical), and full night.
Hours ofJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Daylight 4.2h8.1h11.9h15.7h20.1h24.0h21.7h16.9h13.0h9.3h5.4h2.2h

Daylight saving time (DST) is observed in Kotzebue during 2024, starting in the spring on March 10, lasting 7.8 months, and ending in the fall on November 3.

Sunrise & Sunset with Twilight and Daylight Saving Time in Kotzebue

Sunrise & Sunset with Twilight and Daylight Saving Time in KotzebueJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec2 AM4 AM6 AM8 AM10 AM12 PM2 PM4 PM6 PM8 PM10 PM12 AM2 AMJun 13:10 AMJun 13:10 AM2:54 AMJul 82:54 AMJul 8Dec 192:38 PMDec 192:38 PM12:58 PMDec 2212:58 PMDec 22Mar 10DSTMar 10DSTDSTNov 3DSTNov 3daynightnightnightnightSolarMidnightSolarMidnightSolarNoonSunriseSunsetNowNow
The solar day over the course of the year 2024. From bottom to top, the black lines are the previous solar midnight, sunrise, solar noon, sunset, and the next solar midnight. The day, twilights (civil, nautical, and astronomical), and night are indicated by the color bands from yellow to gray. The transitions to and from daylight saving time are indicated by the 'DST' labels.

The figure below presents a compact representation of the sun's elevation (the angle of the sun above the horizon) and azimuth (its compass bearing) for every hour of every day in the reporting period. The horizontal axis is the day of the year and the vertical axis is the hour of the day. For a given day and hour of that day, the background color indicates the azimuth of the sun at that moment. The black isolines are contours of constant solar elevation.

Solar Elevation and Azimuth in Kotzebue

Solar Elevation and Azimuth in KotzebueJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec12 AM12 AM2 AM2 AM4 AM4 AM6 AM6 AM8 AM8 AM10 AM10 AM12 PM12 PM2 PM2 PM4 PM4 PM6 PM6 PM8 PM8 PM10 PM10 PM12 AM12 AM0001010102020303040010101020203040-047NowNow
northeastsouthwest
Solar elevation and azimuth over the course of the year 2024. The black lines are lines of constant solar elevation (the angle of the sun above the horizon, in degrees). The background color fills indicate the azimuth (the compass bearing) of the sun. The lightly tinted areas at the boundaries of the cardinal compass points indicate the implied intermediate directions (northeast, southeast, southwest, and northwest).

The figure below presents a compact representation of key lunar data for 2024. The horizontal axis is the day, the vertical axis is the hour of the day, and the colored areas indicate when the moon is above the horizon. The vertical gray bars (new Moons) and blue bars (full Moons) indicate key Moon phases.

Moon Rise, Set & Phases in Kotzebue

The time in which the moon is above the horizon (light blue area), with new moons (dark gray lines) and full moons (blue lines) indicated. The shaded overlays indicate night and civil twilight.

We base the humidity comfort level on the dew point, as it determines whether perspiration will evaporate from the skin, thereby cooling the body. Lower dew points feel drier and higher dew points feel more humid. Unlike temperature, which typically varies significantly between night and day, dew point tends to change more slowly, so while the temperature may drop at night, a muggy day is typically followed by a muggy night.

The perceived humidity level in Kotzebue, as measured by the percentage of time in which the humidity comfort level is muggy, oppressive, or miserable, does not vary significantly over the course of the year, remaining a virtually constant 0% throughout.

Humidity Comfort Levels in Kotzebue

Humidity Comfort Levels in KotzebueJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec0%0%10%10%20%20%30%30%40%40%50%50%60%60%70%70%80%80%90%90%100%100%Jan 20%Jan 20%Jul 30%Jul 30%NowNowdrydry
dry 55°F comfortable 60°F humid 65°F muggy 70°F oppressive 75°F miserable
The percentage of time spent at various humidity comfort levels, categorized by dew point.
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Muggy days 0.0d0.0d0.0d0.0d0.0d0.0d0.0d0.0d0.0d0.0d0.0d0.0d

This section discusses the wide-area hourly average wind vector (speed and direction) at 10 meters above the ground. The wind experienced at any given location is highly dependent on local topography and other factors, and instantaneous wind speed and direction vary more widely than hourly averages.

The average hourly wind speed in Kotzebue experiences significant seasonal variation over the course of the year.

The windier part of the year lasts for 6.9 months, from September 14 to April 10, with average wind speeds of more than 11.0 miles per hour. The windiest month of the year in Kotzebue is December, with an average hourly wind speed of 14.4 miles per hour.

The calmer time of year lasts for 5.1 months, from April 10 to September 14. The calmest month of the year in Kotzebue is June, with an average hourly wind speed of 7.4 miles per hour.

Average Wind Speed in Kotzebue

Average Wind Speed in KotzebuewindywindyJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec0 mph0 mph2 mph2 mph4 mph4 mph6 mph6 mph8 mph8 mph10 mph10 mph12 mph12 mph14 mph14 mph16 mph16 mph18 mph18 mph20 mph20 mph22 mph22 mphDec 2914.8 mphDec 2914.8 mphJun 187.3 mphJun 187.3 mphSep 1411.0 mphSep 1411.0 mphApr 1011.0 mphApr 1011.0 mphNowNow
The average of mean hourly wind speeds (dark gray line), with 25th to 75th and 10th to 90th percentile bands.
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Wind Speed (mph) 14.414.212.710.58.57.47.99.511.112.714.114.4

The predominant average hourly wind direction in Kotzebue varies throughout the year.

The wind is most often from the west for 2.9 months, from May 22 to August 20, with a peak percentage of 43% on June 26. The wind is most often from the east for 9.1 months, from August 20 to May 22, with a peak percentage of 65% on January 1.

Wind Direction in Kotzebue

Wind Direction in KotzebueEWEJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec0%100%20%80%40%60%60%40%80%20%100%0%NowNowwestsoutheastnorth
northeastsouthwest
The percentage of hours in which the mean wind direction is from each of the four cardinal wind directions, excluding hours in which the mean wind speed is less than 1.0 mph. The lightly tinted areas at the boundaries are the percentage of hours spent in the implied intermediate directions (northeast, southeast, southwest, and northwest).

Kotzebue is located near a large body of water (e.g., ocean, sea, or large lake). This section reports on the wide-area average surface temperature of that water.

The average water temperature experiences significant seasonal variation over the course of the year.

The time of year with warmer water lasts for 1.7 months, from July 25 to September 14, with an average temperature above 46°F. The month of the year in Kotzebue with the warmest water is August, with an average temperature of 49°F.

The time of year with cooler water lasts for 7.4 months, from October 27 to June 9, with an average temperature below 33°F. The month of the year in Kotzebue with the coolest water is January, with an average temperature of 29°F.

Average Water Temperature in Kotzebue

Average Water Temperature in KotzebuewarmcoolcoolJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec25°F25°F30°F30°F35°F35°F40°F40°F45°F45°F50°F50°F55°F55°F60°F60°FAug 1750°FAug 1750°F29°FJan 2229°FJan 22Oct 2733°FOct 2733°FJun 933°FJun 933°FNowNow
The daily average water temperature (purple line), with 25th to 75th and 10th to 90th percentile bands.
WaterJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Temperature 29°F29°F29°F29°F30°F35°F43°F49°F45°F36°F30°F29°F

To characterize how pleasant the weather is in Kotzebue throughout the year, we compute two travel scores.

The tourism score favors clear, rainless days with perceived temperatures between 65°F and 80°F. Based on this score, the best time of year to visit Kotzebue for general outdoor tourist activities is for the entire month of July, with a peak score in the third week of July.

Tourism Score in Kotzebue

Tourism Score in KotzebueJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec002244668810102.92.90.00.0NowNowtemperaturetemperature cloudscloudsprecipitationprecipitation
The tourism score (filled area), and its constituents: the temperature score (red line), the cloud cover score (blue line), and the precipitation score (green line).

The beach/pool score favors clear, rainless days with perceived temperatures between 75°F and 90°F. Based on this score, the best time of year to visit Kotzebue for hot-weather activities is from late June to early July.

Beach/Pool Score in Kotzebue

Beach/Pool Score in KotzebueJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec002244668810100.10.10.00.0NowNowtemperaturetemperature cloudscloudsprecipitationprecipitation
The beach/pool score (filled area), and its constituents: the temperature score (red line), the cloud cover score (blue line), and the precipitation score (green line).

Methodology

For each hour between 8:00 AM and 9:00 PM of each day in the analysis period (1980 to 2016), independent scores are computed for perceived temperature, cloud cover, and total precipitation. Those scores are combined into a single hourly composite score, which is then aggregated into days, averaged over all the years in the analysis period, and smoothed.

Our cloud cover score is 10 for fully clear skies, falling linearly to 9 for mostly clear skies, and to 1 for fully overcast skies.

Our precipitation score, which is based on the three-hour precipitation centered on the hour in question, is 10 for no precipitation, falling linearly to 9 for trace precipitation, and to 0 for 0.04 inches of precipitation or more.

Our tourism temperature score is 0 for perceived temperatures below 50°F, rising linearly to 9 for 65°F, to 10 for 75°F, falling linearly to 9 for 80°F, and to 1 for 90°F or hotter.

Our beach/pool temperature score is 0 for perceived temperatures below 65°F, rising linearly to 9 for 75°F, to 10 for 82°F, falling linearly to 9 for 90°F, and to 1 for 100°F or hotter.

Definitions of the growing season vary throughout the world, but for the purposes of this report, we define it as the longest continuous period of non-freezing temperatures (≥ 32°F) in the year (the calendar year in the Northern Hemisphere, or from July 1 until June 30 in the Southern Hemisphere).

The growing season in Kotzebue typically lasts for 3.6 months (109 days), from around June 4 to around September 21, rarely starting before May 17 or after June 21, and rarely ending before September 1 or after October 9.

Time Spent in Various Temperature Bands and the Growing Season in Kotzebue

Time Spent in Various Temperature Bands and the Growing Season in Kotzebuegrowing seasonJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec0%100%10%90%20%80%30%70%40%60%50%50%60%40%70%30%80%20%90%10%100%0%Jun 450%Jun 450%Sep 2150%Sep 2150%Jun 2190%Jun 2190%Sep 190%Sep 190%May 1710%May 1710%Oct 910%Oct 910%0%Feb 270%Feb 27Jul 27100%Jul 27100%NowNowfrigidfreezingcoldcoolvery cold
frigid 15°F freezing 32°F very cold 45°F cold 55°F cool 65°F comfortable 75°F warm 85°F hot 95°F sweltering
The percentage of time spent in various temperature bands. The black line is the percentage chance that a given day is within the growing season.

Growing degree days are a measure of yearly heat accumulation used to predict plant and animal development, and defined as the integral of warmth above a base temperature, discarding any excess above a maximum temperature. In this report, we use a base of 50°F and a cap of 86°F.

Based on growing degree days alone, the first spring blooms in Kotzebue should appear around July 4, only rarely appearing before June 22 or after July 19.

Growing Degree Days in Kotzebue

Growing Degree Days in KotzebueJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec0°F0°F100°F100°F200°F200°F300°F300°F400°F400°F500°F500°FJul 490°FJul 490°FDec 31363°FDec 31363°FNowNow
The average growing degree days accumulated over the course of the year, with 25th to 75th and 10th to 90th percentile bands.

This section discusses the total daily incident shortwave solar energy reaching the surface of the ground over a wide area, taking full account of seasonal variations in the length of the day, the elevation of the Sun above the horizon, and absorption by clouds and other atmospheric constituents. Shortwave radiation includes visible light and ultraviolet radiation.

The average daily incident shortwave solar energy experiences extreme seasonal variation over the course of the year.

The brighter period of the year lasts for 2.7 months, from May 1 to July 23, with an average daily incident shortwave energy per square meter above 4.8 kWh. The brightest month of the year in Kotzebue is June, with an average of 5.9 kWh.

The darker period of the year lasts for 4.9 months, from October 6 to March 2, with an average daily incident shortwave energy per square meter below 1.2 kWh. The darkest month of the year in Kotzebue is December, with an average of 0.0 kWh.

Average Daily Incident Shortwave Solar Energy in Kotzebue

Average Daily Incident Shortwave Solar Energy in KotzebuebrightdarkdarkJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec0 kWh0 kWh1 kWh1 kWh2 kWh2 kWh3 kWh3 kWh4 kWh4 kWh5 kWh5 kWh6 kWh6 kWh7 kWh7 kWh8 kWh8 kWhJun 46.0 kWhJun 46.0 kWhDec 210.0 kWhDec 210.0 kWhJul 234.8 kWhJul 234.8 kWhOct 61.2 kWhOct 61.2 kWhMar 21.2 kWhMar 21.2 kWhNowNow
The average daily shortwave solar energy reaching the ground per square meter (orange line), with 25th to 75th and 10th to 90th percentile bands.
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Solar Energy (kWh) 0.10.62.03.95.45.95.03.62.20.80.20.0

For the purposes of this report, the geographical coordinates of Kotzebue are 66.898 deg latitude, -162.598 deg longitude, and 20 ft elevation.

The topography within 2 miles of Kotzebue contains only modest variations in elevation, with a maximum elevation change of 121 feet and an average elevation above sea level of 13 feet. Within 10 miles also contains only modest variations in elevation (305 feet). Within 50 miles contains only modest variations in elevation (3,130 feet).

The area within 2 miles of Kotzebue is covered by water (73%), sparse vegetation (13%), and shrubs (11%), within 10 miles by water (67%) and shrubs (17%), and within 50 miles by water (53%) and shrubs (23%).

This report illustrates the typical weather in Kotzebue, based on a statistical analysis of historical hourly weather reports and model reconstructions from January 1, 1980 to December 31, 2016.

Temperature and Dew Point

There are 3 weather stations near enough to contribute to our estimation of the temperature and dew point in Kotzebue.

For each station, the records are corrected for the elevation difference between that station and Kotzebue according to the International Standard Atmosphere , and by the relative change present in the MERRA-2 satellite-era reanalysis between the two locations.

The estimated value at Kotzebue is computed as the weighted average of the individual contributions from each station, with weights proportional to the inverse of the distance between Kotzebue and a given station.

The stations contributing to this reconstruction are:

To get a sense of how much these sources agree with each other, you can view a comparison of Kotzebue and the stations that contribute to our estimates of its temperature history and climate. Please note that each source's contribution is adjusted for elevation and the relative change present in the MERRA-2 data.

Other Data

All data relating to the Sun's position (e.g., sunrise and sunset) are computed using astronomical formulas from the book, Astronomical Algorithms 2nd Edition , by Jean Meeus.

All other weather data, including cloud cover, precipitation, wind speed and direction, and solar flux, come from NASA's MERRA-2 Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis . This reanalysis combines a variety of wide-area measurements in a state-of-the-art global meteorological model to reconstruct the hourly history of weather throughout the world on a 50-kilometer grid.

Land Use data comes from the Global Land Cover SHARE database , published by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

Elevation data comes from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) , published by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Names, locations, and time zones of places and some airports come from the GeoNames Geographical Database .

Time zones for airports and weather stations are provided by AskGeo.com .

Maps are © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Disclaimer

The information on this site is provided as is, without any assurances as to its accuracy or suitability for any purpose. Weather data is prone to errors, outages, and other defects. We assume no responsibility for any decisions made on the basis of the content presented on this site.

We draw particular cautious attention to our reliance on the MERRA-2 model-based reconstructions for a number of important data series. While having the tremendous advantages of temporal and spatial completeness, these reconstructions: (1) are based on computer models that may have model-based errors, (2) are coarsely sampled on a 50 km grid and are therefore unable to reconstruct the local variations of many microclimates, and (3) have particular difficulty with the weather in some coastal areas, especially small islands.

We further caution that our travel scores are only as good as the data that underpin them, that weather conditions at any given location and time are unpredictable and variable, and that the definition of the scores reflects a particular set of preferences that may not agree with those of any particular reader.

Please review our full terms contained on our Terms of Service page.