Ketchikan Weather by Month
Ketchikan averages 149.54 inches of rain a year, and rain falls on more than half the days in every month. The weather rarely stops a tour, but it shapes what you wear, what you see and whether a floatplane flies. If you are choosing between the best tours in Ketchikan Alaska, plan for rain first.
What the weather does to a port day
Tours run rain or shine, so rain changes your comfort more than your plans. Boats, road tours, ziplines and walks all go out in it. Pack a waterproof shell, and you do everything you booked.
Cloud is the thing that matters. Floatplanes fly by sight, so low cloud over Misty Fjords can delay or cancel a flight. Book a flight early in your port day, and read its cancellation terms: one of the Misty Fjords flights is non-refundable.
The seasons change what is open. The Discovery Center and the Totem Heritage Center keep long daily hours from May to September and short winter hours after that. Salmon fill Ketchikan Creek in July and August, and that is when bears come down to the creeks.
Ketchikan weather month by month
The figures are NOAA's 1991-2020 averages for Ketchikan International Airport, across the Narrows from town. Each month shows you the average high and low, the rain, and what changes in town.
Ketchikan weather in January
Highs average 39.7 °F and lows 31.5 °F. About 16.17 inches of rain falls on 22 days. The Discovery Center opens only on Fridays and Saturdays, with no entry fee, and the Totem Heritage Center on weekday afternoons. You have the town to yourself, since most tours are sold for cruise port days.
Ketchikan weather in February
Highs average 40.9 °F and lows 31.5 °F. About 11.80 inches of rain falls on 17 days. It is the driest of the winter months. Both museums keep their winter hours, so you plan around Friday and Saturday for the Discovery Center.
Ketchikan weather in March
Highs average 43.6 °F and lows 32.4 °F. About 10.98 inches of rain falls on 20.6 days. Lows sit just above freezing, and rain falls on most days. The museums keep winter hours, and you should expect a quiet town before the cruise season.
Ketchikan weather in April
Highs average 49.8 °F and lows 37.2 °F. About 10.25 inches of rain falls on 19.4 days. Days lengthen and the rain begins to ease. The museums still keep winter hours, so check the day before you plan a visit around one.
Ketchikan weather in May
Highs average 56.9 °F and lows 43.3 °F. About 8.68 inches of rain falls on 16.1 days. The Discovery Center opens daily from 1 May, at $5, and the Totem Heritage Center daily 8am to 5pm. From 18 May a second airport ferry runs on weekdays. Summer hours are in force for your visit.
Ketchikan weather in June
Highs average 61.3 °F and lows 49.3 °F. About 7.02 inches of rain falls on 16.4 days. It is the driest month of the year, so you have the least rain for a floatplane flight over Misty Fjords. Every summer schedule is running, so you can book any tour.
Ketchikan weather in July
Highs average 64.5 °F and lows 53.2 °F. About 7.33 inches of rain falls on 16 days. Ketchikan Creek starts to fill with spawning salmon. The town holds its Fourth of July parade, and the Blueberry Arts Festival falls at the turn of the month. You should book the small-group tours early.
Ketchikan weather in August
Highs average 64.7 °F and lows 53.3 °F. About 11.30 inches of rain falls on 16.8 days. It is the warmest month, though the rain is climbing again. Salmon crowd the creek, and the road tours look for bears at Herring Cove in spawning season.
Ketchikan weather in September
Highs average 58.9 °F and lows 48.3 °F. About 14.30 inches of rain falls on 19.5 days. The Discovery Center's daily summer season ends on 30 September. The second airport ferry stops after 18 September. You still see salmon and bears, with more rain.
Ketchikan weather in October
Highs average 51.1 °F and lows 41.3 °F. About 18.37 inches of rain falls on 22.8 days. It is the wettest month. The Discovery Center returns to Fridays and Saturdays, free of charge, and the Totem Heritage Center to weekday afternoons. Pack for rain on every day of your trip, and check tour dates before you plan.
Ketchikan weather in November
Highs average 43.7 °F and lows 35.6 °F. About 17.07 inches of rain falls on 23.6 days. It brings rain on more days than any other month. The museums keep winter hours, and the town is quiet, so you plan a visit around the indoor sights.
Ketchikan weather in December
Highs average 40.2 °F and lows 32.6 °F. About 16.27 inches of rain falls on 22.4 days. Days are short and the weather is cold and wet. The Discovery Center opens on Fridays and Saturdays and the Totem Heritage Center on weekday afternoons.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Rain (in) | Rain days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 39.7 | 31.5 | 16.17 | 22 |
| February | 40.9 | 31.5 | 11.80 | 17 |
| March | 43.6 | 32.4 | 10.98 | 20.6 |
| April | 49.8 | 37.2 | 10.25 | 19.4 |
| May | 56.9 | 43.3 | 8.68 | 16.1 |
| June | 61.3 | 49.3 | 7.02 | 16.4 |
| July | 64.5 | 53.2 | 7.33 | 16 |
| August | 64.7 | 53.3 | 11.30 | 16.8 |
| September | 58.9 | 48.3 | 14.30 | 19.5 |
| October | 51.1 | 41.3 | 18.37 | 22.8 |
| November | 43.7 | 35.6 | 17.07 | 23.6 |
| December | 40.2 | 32.6 | 16.27 | 22.4 |
Your tour runs whatever the sky does
Road tours, boats and walks go out rain or shine. The enclosed whale cruise and the crab boat have seats under cover.
The seasons, and which one you want
Summer, May to September: the cruise season. Every tour runs, the museums open daily, and you get the warmest days and the least rain. June is the driest month, and July and August bring the salmon.
Autumn, October and November: the wettest months, with rain on 23 or 24 days. The museums go to winter hours. Most tours are built for cruise port days, so check dates before you plan around one.
Winter and spring, December to April: highs around 40 °F, and lows near freezing. Rain eases towards April. The town is quiet, and you plan around the museums' winter days.
What to wear on a Ketchikan tour
Wear a waterproof shell with a hood, a warm layer under it, and closed shoes that can get wet. Summer highs reach the low 60s °F, but on the water the wind makes it feel colder, so bring a hat and gloves for a boat or a flight. The crab boat hands out raincoats and ponchos, and the whale cruise carries blankets aboard.
A small dry bag keeps your phone and camera out of the rain. An umbrella is little use on a boat or a trail, so leave it on the ship.
Best time of day
Rain does not keep to a clock here, so plan your day around the ship, not the forecast. Book a floatplane flight for early in your port day. If cloud delays it, you still have time to fly later before all-aboard.
Downtown, the Discovery Center and the Totem Heritage Center open at 8am in summer, so a museum makes a good first hour on a wet morning. Walk Creek Street early too, then head for your tour.
Ketchikan weather: questions
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Next: things to do in Ketchikan in any weather, visiting Ketchikan, or every tour on Ketchikan Alaska Tours.