Average Weather at Kodiak Benny Benson State Airport Alaska, United States

At Kodiak Benny Benson State Airport, the summers are short, cool, and mostly cloudy and the winters are long, chilly, wet, windy, and partly cloudy. Over the course of the year, the temperature typically varies from 28°F to 62°F and is rarely below 13°F or above 70°F.

The warm season lasts for 2.8 months, from June 21 to September 14, with an average daily high temperature above 57°F. The hottest day of the year is August 10, with an average high of 62°F and low of 51°F.

The cold season lasts for 4.8 months, from November 9 to April 2, with an average daily high temperature below 41°F. The coldest day of the year is February 7, with an average low of 28°F and high of 36°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

The average hourly temperature, color coded into bands: frigid < 15°F < freezing < 32°F < chilly < 45°F < cold < 55°F < cool < 65°F < comfortable < 75°F < warm < 85°F < hot < 95°F < sweltering. The shaded overlays indicate night and civil twilight.

Clouds

At Kodiak Benny Benson State Airport, 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 at Kodiak Benny Benson State Airport begins around July 12 and lasts for 4.4 months, ending around November 24. On October 24, the clearest day of the year, the sky is clear, mostly clear, or partly cloudy 48% of the time, and overcast or mostly cloudy 52% of the time.

The cloudier part of the year begins around November 24 and lasts for 7.6 months, ending around July 12. On January 22, the cloudiest day of the year, the sky is overcast or mostly cloudy 65% of the time, and clear, mostly clear, or partly cloudy 34% of the time.

Cloud Cover

The percentage of time spent in each cloud cover band, categorized by the percentage of the sky covered by clouds: clear < 20% < mostly clear < 40% < partly cloudy < 60% < mostly cloudy < 80% < overcast.

Precipitation

A wet day is one with at least 0.04 inches of liquid or liquid-equivalent precipitation. The chance of wet days at Kodiak Benny Benson State Airport varies throughout the year.

The wetter season lasts 6.0 months, from September 4 to March 3, with a greater than 38% chance of a given day being a wet day. The chance of a wet day peaks at 46% on December 18.

The drier season lasts 6.0 months, from March 3 to September 4. The smallest chance of a wet day is 30% on July 17.

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 throughout the year is rain alone, with a peak probability of 44% on September 23.

Daily Chance of Precipitation

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).

Rainfall

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. Kodiak Benny Benson State Airport experiences significant seasonal variation in monthly rainfall.

Rain falls throughout the year at Kodiak Benny Benson State Airport. The most rain falls during the 31 days centered around September 29, with an average total accumulation of 4.8 inches.

The least rain falls around July 5, with an average total accumulation of 2.6 inches.

Average Monthly Rainfall

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 liquid-equivalent snowfall.

Snowfall

We report snowfall in liquid-equivalent terms. The actual depth of new snowfall is typically between 5 and 10 times the liquid-equivalent amount, assuming the ground is frozen. Colder, drier snow tends to be on the higher end of that range and warmer, wetter snow on the lower end.

As with rainfall, we consider the snowfall accumulated over a sliding 31-day period centered around each day of the year. Kodiak Benny Benson State Airport experiences some seasonal variation in monthly liquid-equivalent snowfall.

The snowy period of the year lasts for 5.5 months, from November 1 to April 15, with a sliding 31-day liquid-equivalent snowfall of at least 0.1 inches. The most snow falls during the 31 days centered around December 14, with an average total liquid-equivalent accumulation of 0.4 inches.

The snowless period of the year lasts for 6.5 months, from April 15 to November 1. The least snow falls around July 24, with an average total liquid-equivalent accumulation of 0.0 inches.

Average Liquid-Equivalent Monthly Snowfall

The average liquid-equivalent 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.

Sun

The length of the day at Kodiak Benny Benson State Airport varies extremely over the course of the year. In 2017, the shortest day is December 21, with 6 hours, 31 minutes of daylight; the longest day is June 21, with 18 hours, 6 minutes of daylight.

Hours of Daylight and Twilight

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.

The earliest sunrise is at 5:08 AM on June 18, and the latest sunrise is 4 hours, 46 minutes later at 9:54 AM on December 27. The earliest sunset is at 4:22 PM on December 14, and the latest sunset is 6 hours, 53 minutes later at 11:15 PM on June 23.

Daylight saving time (DST) is observed at Kodiak Benny Benson State Airport during 2017, starting in the spring on March 12, lasting 7.8 months, and ending in the fall on November 5.

Sunrise & Sunset with Twilight and Daylight Saving Time

The solar day over the course of the year 2017. 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.

Humidity

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 at Kodiak Benny Benson State Airport, 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

The percentage of time spent at various humidity comfort levels, categorized by dew point: dry < 55°F < comfortable < 60°F < humid < 65°F < muggy < 70°F < oppressive < 75°F < miserable.

Wind

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 at Kodiak Benny Benson State Airport experiences significant seasonal variation over the course of the year.

The windier part of the year lasts for 7.3 months, from September 18 to April 26, with average wind speeds of more than 6.8 miles per hour. The windiest day of the year is December 29, with an average hourly wind speed of 8.9 miles per hour.

The calmer time of year lasts for 4.7 months, from April 26 to September 18. The calmest day of the year is July 16, with an average hourly wind speed of 4.8 miles per hour.

Average Wind Speed

The average of mean hourly wind speeds (dark gray line), with 25th to 75th and 10th to 90th percentile bands.

The predominant average hourly wind direction at Kodiak Benny Benson State Airport varies throughout the year.

The wind is most often from the north for 1.8 months, from February 13 to April 7, with a peak percentage of 30% on March 13. The wind is most often from the east for 2.7 months, from April 7 to June 27 and for 1.5 months, from December 28 to February 13, with a peak percentage of 34% on June 12. The wind is most often from the west for 6.0 months, from June 27 to December 28, with a peak percentage of 42% on August 23.

Wind Direction

The percentage of hours in which the mean wind direction is from each of the four cardinal wind directions (north, east, south, and west), excluding hours in which the mean wind speed is less than 1 mph. The lightly tinted areas at the boundaries are the percentage of hours spent in the implied intermediate directions (northeast, southeast, southwest, and northwest).

Water Temperature

Kodiak Benny Benson State Airport 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 some seasonal variation over the course of the year.

The time of year with warmer water lasts for 2.6 months, from July 4 to September 23, with an average temperature above 49°F. The day of the year with the warmest water is August 12, with an average temperature of 52°F.

The time of year with cooler water lasts for 5.0 months, from December 9 to May 9, with an average temperature below 42°F. The day of the year with the coolest water is March 9, with an average temperature of 39°F.

Average Water Temperature

The daily average water temperature (purple line), with 25th to 75th and 10th to 90th percentile bands.

Solar Energy

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 3.5 months, from May 2 to August 16, with an average daily incident shortwave energy per square meter above 4.4 kWh. The brightest day of the year is June 20, with an average of 5.4 kWh.

The darker period of the year lasts for 4.0 months, from October 22 to February 21, with an average daily incident shortwave energy per square meter below 1.3 kWh. The darkest day of the year is December 20, with an average of 0.3 kWh.

Average Daily Incident Shortwave Solar Energy

The average daily shortwave solar energy reaching the ground per square meter (orange line), with 25th to 75th and 10th to 90th percentile bands.

Topography

For the purposes of this report, the geographical coordinates of Kodiak Benny Benson State Airport are 57.750 deg latitude, -152.494 deg longitude, and 62 ft elevation.

The topography within 2 miles of Kodiak Benny Benson State Airport contains very significant variations in elevation, with a maximum elevation change of 1,870 feet and an average elevation above sea level of 135 feet. Within 10 miles contains very significant variations in elevation (3,196 feet). Within 50 miles contains large variations in elevation (4,354 feet).

The area within 2 miles of Kodiak Benny Benson State Airport is covered by water (72%) and shrubs (12%), within 10 miles by shrubs (43%) and water (42%), and within 50 miles by water (65%) and shrubs (21%).

Data Sources

This report illustrates the typical weather at Kodiak Benny Benson State Airport, 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

Kodiak Benny Benson State Airport has a weather station that reported reliably enough during the analysis period that we have included it in our network. When available, historical temperature and dew point measurements are taken directly from this weather station. These records are obtained from NOAA's Integrated Surface Hourly data set, falling back on ICAO METAR records as required.

There are no other weather stations in our network within 200 kilometers of this location. Consequently, in the case of missing or erroneous measurements from this station, we fall back on NASA's MERRA-2 modern-era reanalysis , adjusted according to typical seasonal and diurnal differences between this station and the wide-area MERRA-2 reconstructed values.

Other Data

All data relating to the Sun's position (e.g., sunrise and sunset) are computed using astronomical formulas from the book, Astronomical Tables of the Sun, Moon and Planets , 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 aiports and weather stations are provided by AskGeo.com .

Maps are © Esri, with data from National Geographic, Esri, DeLorme, NAVTEQ, UNEP-WCMC, USGS, NASA, ESA, METI, NRCAN, GEBCO, NOAA, and iPC.