Fairbanks, Alaska – January 2026 brought predominantly below-normal temperatures across Northern Alaska following one of the longest cold stretches on record, according to the National Weather Service in Fairbanks.
In a climate summary posted Tuesday, the National Weather Service said the second half of January turned milder, but average temperatures for the month remained well below normal across most of the region. The agency noted an exception along Alaska’s West Coast, where temperatures stayed closer to normal for much of the month.
Climate statistics released by the NWS show Fairbanks recorded a mean temperature of minus 14.4 degrees, while Utqiagvik averaged minus 12.9 degrees for the month. McGrath averaged minus 14.5 degrees, and Kotzebue averaged minus 1.1 degrees, according to the data. Nome was among the milder locations, averaging 4.8 degrees for January.
Precipitation varied by location, with some areas recording above-normal totals and others below normal. Fairbanks and McGrath both reported above-normal precipitation, while Nome and Kotzebue finished the month below normal, according to the National Weather Service.
The NWS emphasized that January’s climate pattern followed an extended and historically cold start to the winter season, even as conditions moderated later in the month.
Additional climate summaries and data are available through the National Weather Service Fairbanks office as winter conditions continue across Alaska.
