Alaska is known for its long winters but most of the tourists come and visit during the summer when the days are long and the temperatures are moderate.  Tourists consider the period between May and September in Alaska to be the best time to visit.  This period of months usually have long days, warm afternoons, and clear skies.

The period of daylight in Alaska depends on the area in which you visit.  During the summer, Ketchikan which is located on the southernmost passage, has sunlight for around 18 hours while on the northern edge of Alaska where Barrow is located the sun stays up for an average of 24 hours.  During the winter, Alaska brings 24 hour darkness to all  parts above the Arctic Circle, while the rest of the state has a few hours daily of pale sunlight.

Temperatures on the inside passage of Alaska benefit from the Gulf of Alaska and experience temperatures of around 60-70F during the summer.  The Gulf of Alaska also helps with the temperatures, so tourists and the community do not have such a harsh winter.  Around the Anchorage area tourists and the community experience mid -70F during the summer and may experience a short spell of -20F to -30F.

Along with the moderate temperatures in some places comes rain and snow.  The clearest weather forecasts Alaska experiences comes during spring and early summer.  During the late summer, rain moves into Alaska and turns into snow during winter.  The most amount of snow that falls in Alaska happens in the Coastal Mountains of Alaska.